From: vvorkosign@gmail.com   
      
   On 1/28/24 03:55, No One Special wrote:   
   > MODERN DAY LEVITES?   
   >   
   > It's interesting to note that pastors and other ministers that claim to be   
   "New Testament Levites" always seem to focus on the taking of tithes as their   
   "right" to do so. They leave out the rest of the reality of being a Levite.   
   "I'm a Levite" so they    
   tell us, and therefore "the tithe is mine" so they claim. And, of course, the   
   tithe is claimed to be money.   
   >   
   > How convenient that they make such a claim and focus on the "tithe" (the   
   money) which is an aspect of being a Levite to them, (even though the Word of   
   God knows nothing of monetary tithing), regarding Levites, yet IGNORE all of   
   the other aspects of    
   being a Levite, disregarding the fact that the tithe taken by the Levites was   
   never money and was always agricultural in content.   
   >   
   > They ignore the following, such as according to the Bible, Levite priests   
   had many restrictions and limitations;   
   >   
   > 1. The only tithe they were granted were that of fruits, vegetables and   
   clean live stock from the promise land. Lev. 27:30, 32, Num. 18:27, Num.   
   18:28, Deut 12:17, Deut. 14:22, Deut. 14:23, Deut. 24:21, Deut. 26:12, 2   
   Chron. 31:5, 2 Chron. 31:6, Neh.    
   10:37, Neh. 13:5, Mal. 3:10, Matt. 23:23, Luke 11:42.   
   >   
   > 2. Age limits: Levite priests could only serve from the ages of 25 to 50.   
   Numbers 8:23-26.   
   >   
   > 3. Prohibited from serving in government: Levite priests could never become   
   kings or serve in government. 1 Samuel 13:9-14.   
   >   
   > 4. Limited ministry: Levite priests could only receive tithes and make   
   sacrifices for Israelites, not Gentiles, not the New Testament church. Hebrews   
   7:5, Numbers 18:21.   
   >   
   > 5. Temporary sacrifices: Levite priests' sacrifices were temporary. Hebrews   
   10:8.   
   >   
   > 6. Forbidden to shave: Levite priests could not shave their heads, trim   
   their beards, or cut their bodies. Leviticus 19:27-28.   
   >   
   > 7. Forbidden to marry certain women: Levite priests could not marry harlots,   
   divorced women, or women who are "unclean" because they are prostitutes.   
   Leviticus 21:7-8.   
   >   
   > 8. Forbidden to have marital intercourse: Levite priests could not have   
   marital intercourse while actively serving as priests. The meeting between   
   David and Ahimelech demonstrates that during the period of their service in   
   the Temple, Levites and    
   priests were separated from their wives. 1 Samuel 21:5.   
   >   
   > 9. Not counted in the census: The tribe of Levi is not counted in the census   
   because they will never fight in Israel's army or own land. Numbers 1:49.   
   >   
   > 10. Levite priests were men, never women. No woman in the Bible was ever   
   called to the public office as priest of God. 1 Kings 12:31, Judges 17:12-13,   
   and 1 Corinthians 11:3-12, 14:34-35, 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and Titus 1, 2.   
   >   
   > 11. Levites were members of a tribe descended from Levi, the third son of   
   Jacob and Leah. Being a Levite was by birth, from a bloodline, NOT from   
   becoming a New Testament pastor. Numbers 8:13-14, 1 Chronicles 6:1-28.   
   >   
   > 12. The compensation to the Levite was food, agricultural products, never   
   money; "Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of   
   the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from   
   the altar?" - 1    
   Corinthians 9:13 (ref; See point 1 above)   
   >   
   > Pastors claiming to be "Levites" tend to ignore the facts stated above.   
   >   
   > That fact is that NOT ONE SINGLE VERSE in the Bible directly states that a   
   New Testament pastor is in a Levite, NOT EVEN ONE. There are few...VERY   
   FEW...similar functions, but they are not the same ministry, not the same   
   personal. An Apostle would have    
   a better claim at being a Levite such as Paul who was used by God to reveal to   
   the Church the doctrines (mysteries) of Christ as with the Levites who were   
   used to reveal the Law of Moses to the people...   
   >   
   > Hebrews 7:11 - "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood,   
   (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that   
   another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called   
   after the order of Aaron?   
   "   
   >   
   > And, of the Apostle Paul...   
   >   
   > Ephesians 3:1-4 - "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for   
   you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which   
   is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the   
   mystery; (as I wrote afore    
   in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the   
   mystery of Christ)"   
   >   
   >>> What of that "serving at the alter" claim? First off; pulpits are not   
   alters, churches are not alters. But, Paul uses the alter concept FROM THE OLD   
   TESTAMENT to state the following...   
   >   
   > 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 - "Do ye not know that they which minister about holy   
   things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are   
   partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which   
   preach the gospel should    
   live of the gospel."   
   >   
   >>> One commentator points out the following...   
   >   
   > "Paul adds another reason to his list of why those who minister the gospel   
   are entitled to be compensated in some way by those who receive their service.   
   This time he points to Jewish religious practices, in which the temple   
   provides food for those    
   employed there, as well as for those who work at the altar itself. [Yet, makes   
   no reference to a pastor being a Levite.]   
   >   
   > It's possible that Paul is also referring to offerings made in the pagan   
   temples. That would connect this example directly to the larger issue of food   
   offered to idols. In the previous verse, Paul made it clear that he was not   
   going to ask for any    
   payment from the Corinthians. Instead, he seems intent on making an iron-clad   
   case for why it is his right—it is something he is entirely entitled to. The   
   point of making that claim is to show he is giving up his right for the good   
   of others. He is    
   asking them to follow both his teaching (1 Corinthians 8:7–13) and his   
   example when it comes to eating food that may have been offered to pagan gods.   
   >   
   > Paul encourages Christians to willingly give up their ''rights'' for the   
   good of those who are weak in their faith. Paul shows that he, too, has given   
   up his rights, including the right as an apostle to receive financial support   
   from those he serves.    
   Instead, he boasts that he serves the Corinthians without any compensation,   
   even at great cost to himself. Paul describes himself as an athlete competing   
   for the prize of a crown in eternity. His point is for believers to pursue   
   godliness, and the good    
   of others, with that kind of commitment."   
   >   
   >>> Another writes...   
   >   
      
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