-Sermon on July 31, 2007 during the 39th Bible Study Meeting for All from Home and Abroad This sermon is taken from the evening sermon on July 31, 2007 during the 39th Bible Study Meeting for All from Home and Abroad. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.    (1 Peter 2:9)   The separate fates of Simeon and LeviIn the first part of Exodus chapter 32, Moses broke the stone tablets containing the law in front of the people of Israel who were worshipping the golden calf. Later the second stone tablets were made, and were kept in the ark of the Testimony constructed by the people of Israel. Inside the ark, along with the stone tablets, were Aaron's rod that budded and the pot of manna. The people of Israel carried the ark of the Testimony wherever they went as they journeyed through the wilderness.When we look at the verse, "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. ... Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah" (Hebrews 8:7-8), and at 2 Corinthians chapter 3, and Jeremiah chapter 31, we can see how significant the law in the Old Testament is to us. In other words, we realize that God showed us the law so that we can acknowledge that we're unable to attain righteousness through the law. The law is there to make us realize our sins and the fact that we are born as sinners who have no choice but to be judged before God (see Romans 3:20). Of course, the Bible tells us, "Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good" (Romans 7:12). However, it was impossible for us to keep the law, so we needed something new. We needed righteousness that surpasses the law, that is, the righteousness of God shown through the body of Jesus Christ (see Romans 3:16-26). We learn of this great truth through the Bible as God looks at us, humans, through the blood Jesus shed on the cross, and when we look at God, the Father, through the blood, God's eyes and our eyes meet, and we are absorbed into the righteousness of God. The stone tablets in the ark, which the people of Israel carried on their shoulders when they journeyed, represented the law at that time. But when we, who know the New Testament and the new covenant, look back on history, we can see that the tablets are the shadow of the new covenant newly revealed to us. Many stories of the Old Testament refer to the same theme. In Romans, it specifically says, "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God" (Romans 2:28-29). From these verses we can see that the people of Israel in the Old Testament were the shadow of the Church that would emerge later.There are many stories in the Old Testament that refer to something that is first and then that which comes later. This is apparent in the often occurring connection between an older brother and a younger brother. This is also shown in the stone tablets that were made twice. Yet, many people are likely to overlook how this is revealed through the people of Israel. The entire people of Israel once went through a complete change. After Joseph went down to Egypt, he brought the rest of his family into Egypt, and his father, Jacob, acknowledged Joseph's two sons as his own. If we simply look at the number of tribes, two tribes came out of Joseph. So, there are thirteen tribes. But, how can this be when there are only supposed to be twelve tribes of Israel? People can easily think, "Manasseh and Ephraim are both Joseph's sons, so they are considered one tribe and therefore there are twelve tribes," and dismiss it at that.But, through the incident that happened after the first stone tablets were broken, the people of Israel went through a complete change. Also, it is difficult to tell whether there were twelve or thirteen tribes including the two which Jacob blessed; after the first stone tablets were broken, the tribe of Levi appears to be a result of that incident. In Genesis chapter 49, Jacob calls his sons and blesses them. Simeon and Levi were brothers born of the same mother. Jacob's first son was Reuben, and his second and third sons were Simeon and Levi. Addressing these two sons, Jacob said, "Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place" (Genesis 49:5). Jacob actually did not bless, but curse them because of the revenge they took part in to defend their sister, Dinah. Jacob then said, "I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel" (Genesis 49:7). The tribe of Simeon did not receive any land when the people of Israel, led by Joshua, conquered the land of Canaan. They lived in the land of the tribe of Judah. Other tribes clearly had their own portions of land, but the tribe of Simeon lived in another tribe's land. Their number also decreased greatly. Jacob's words were actually fulfilled among the lives of the tribe of Simeon. Levi committed the same sin as Simeon, but came out with a totally different fate. Isn't this strange? The role of the tribe of LeviLet us read from Exodus chapter 32, verse 25. Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD'S side-come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'" So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother."  (Verses 25-29) After the people of Israel came out of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, their leader Moses went up to the mountain to receive the law, while the rest of people stayed at the foot of the mountain, made an idol, and worshipped it. When Moses broke the first tablets of stone, he declared, "Whoever is on the LORD'S side-come to me" (Exodus 32:26). At his word, the sons of Levi congregated with him. I do not know if they did this because Moses was of the tribe of Levi; But the Levites stood to one side, took out their swords, and killed a huge number of people. This event led the tribe of Levi to receive God's blessing. Let us read from Deuteronomy chapter 33, verse 8. And of Levi he said: "Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, whom You tested at Massah, and with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah." The exact theological significance and aesthetic appearance of the Thummim and Urim are unknown. In any case, they were in the high priest's breastplate of judgment, worn on top of his garments. The Thummim and Urim clearly relayed the will of God, and the passage explains that these were given to the Levites. From our point of view, those who live in New Testament times, they refer to the power to correctly discern the words of the Bible. As the verse says, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). The power to rightly divide the word does not apply to individuals, but is a great privilege given to the Church of God. Here, when I say, "the Church of God", I am talking about the true Church that appeared in history during the Acts of the Apostles and has endured until now. We are part of this Church.The tribe of Levi appears as a tribe that received such a great privilege. Leviticus is the only book of the Bible which is named after a tribe of Israel. Let us read Deuteronomy chapter 33, from verse 9. Who says of his father and mother, 'I have not seen them'; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers, Or know his own children; For they have observed Your word And kept Your covenant. They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, And Israel Your law. They shall put incense before You, And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar. Bless his substance, LORD, And accept the work of his hands; Strike the loins of those who rise against him, And of those who hate him, that they rise not again."  (Verses 9-11) In Deuteronomy chapter 33, where Moses blesses the sons of Israel, Simeon is not mentioned. Among the twelve tribes, only his name is left out. On the other hand, a huge blessing is given to the tribe of Levi.  When the people of Israel entered the land of Canaan, the tribe of Levi was not assigned a separate territory, but scattered among several territories and given cities of refuge. We can read in the Bible that Samuel, a Levite, lived in the mountains of Ephraim (see 1 Samuel 1:1-20, 1 Chronicles 6:34-38, 6:64-69). As Levi was thus scattered, the tribe of Joseph split in two and became the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, gaining more notice; Ephraim increases greatly in number and Manasseh occupies a vast land. The Bible says these two sons of Joseph had the right of the firstborn to receive two times the blessings of the other brothers.As Levi was set apart from the twelve tribes and the tribe of Joseph was split in two, the structure of the twelve tribes changed. Of course, we see that the people of Israel were bound by the law and stumbled because of it. However, when we, who live in the era of the Church, look back on their history, we can see that the Jews who had kept the second stone tablets and worshipped God (though, more specifically, it was actually the Levites who carried them) were the shadow of the Church, which newly emerged from the blood of Jesus Christ. Then, what is the role of the tribe of Levi? Let us read Numbers chapter 1, from verse 47. But the Levites were not numbered among them by their fathers' tribe; for the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying: "Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor take a census of them among the children of Israel; but you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its furnishings, and over all things that belong to it; they shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they shall attend to it and camp around the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death. The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, everyone by his own camp, everyone by his own standard, according to their armies; but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony."  (Verses 47-53) This was not an insignificant duty. They were in charge of the tabernacle, which was the center of their ideology, their life, and their faith in God. If we examine Jacob's prophesies, it looks like the tribes of Joseph or Judah should be in charge of the tabernacle (see Genesis chapter 49). But strangely, through this one episode, Levi took over this important work. Let us read another part of the Bible. Numbers chapter 3, verse 5. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before

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