1 Chronicles 24

The office of priest in the Old Testament was restricted to the sons of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Two sons of Aaron died as young men in a sad episode described in the book of Leviticus. The remaining sons and their male descendants had the duties and privileges that belonged to the priesthood.

King David organized the priests for service in his day. In the process that he used, the Lord chose the ordering of priestly clans according to the system of casting lots. What appeared to be chance according to what men could see was actually the choice of the Lord. “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:33)

The leaders of the various clans of Levi were also recorded in the days of David. These matters were of importance to the Chronicler since the godly were seeking a restoration of the religious order that God had blessed in the days of David. Priests who were authorized to offer up sacrifices to God and to pronounce Aaron's blessing upon Israel were not chosen according to their individual merit. Levites who had other sacred duties associated with Israel's worship did not apply for those jobs based on their personalities or individual gifts. According to God's commandment they needed to have the approved family heritage. The Chronicler sought to reestablish the worship of Israel according to the clans of Levi that reached back at least to the days of David.

In the New Testament era, service to God in worship has been broadened far beyond one tribe in Israel. King Jesus has ordered His apostles to make disciples of all nations. All disciples have a priestly role. All are called to be servants of the Lord.

The family story that is of singular significance for the church today is this: We are now sons of God adopted into God's household because of Jesus. We no longer have to prove that we come from the right clan or tribe in order to serve the Lord as a priest or a temple worker. We are all part of a living temple of God built upon the foundation stone of Jesus. Christ. We are all commanded to offer up our bodies to God as living sacrifices as we follow God's Son.