Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal, is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself. And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel. – Numbers 8:17-18

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 19, 2015): Numbers 8

Jim Elliot was murdered in the jungle of Ecuador trying to evangelize Huaroni people. He was twenty-eight year old. For many, Elliot’s life seemed to have been a waste. But Elliott wold have disagreed. He was sure that God had called him, and he felt that he really had no choice but to follow – apparently even if that action was going to carry him into places where his death could come prematurely.  Words written in his journal on October 28, 1949, when Elliot was twenty-one, sum up the way that Elliot felt about his life - "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." The words are actually a paraphrase of 17^th century preacher Philip Henry – “He is no fool who parts with that which he cannot keep, when he is sure to be recompensed with that which he cannot lose." This was the way that Elliot intended to live his life. Elliot also said that “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.” If Elliot wanted God’s best – the choice had to be left with God.

The idea that the choice is best left with God is not an alien one to those who are wanting to chase after the things of God. And the idea originates with the Mosaic Law. The final plague as Israel prepared to leave Egypt was a plague against the first born. In Egypt, unless you were part of Israel, the first born of every animal - died. But Israel didn’t get away from the plague with no cost to them. Their first born of Israel might have survived that awful night of death, but now their lives belonged to God.

Eventually, God would make a trade. He would allow the firstborn of the tribes of Israel to be redeemed by making a sacrifice, but in return for this privilege God claimed the Tribe of Levi for himself. And the Levites could not be redeemed. They were called to be God’s possession, his priests who would minister in his presence. The Levites were to be his.

Ultimately there was another substitute – a universal one. Jesus died for our sins and as a result he calls his church to be his own. We join the Levites as the priests of this world – the possession of God. Elliot was right on every count.   "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" and “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.” If only we could come to really understand that. Oh, and by the way, Elliott’s life was not wasted. He had already given his life to his God, and no one could take that away.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 9