The Levites were chosen by God to serve him after the incident with the golden calf, when the Levites showed their zeal for God by following his command to put to death those who had persisted in their sin, even after Moses and Joshua had come back to the camp from Mount Sinai.
But in this passage, before they could start serving God, they needed to have their sins atoned for, and also had to be ceremonially washed. Then they were presented before the Lord, and only after that, were they ready to serve.
I think there are several things we can pull from this passage. First, zeal for God is not enough when it comes to serving him. Before we can serve him, our sins need to be washed clean by the blood of Jesus. After all, how in the world can we claim to be serving God when we refuse to do the most important thing he has commanded? To repent of our sins and to believe in his Son for the forgiveness of sins.
Second, it’s important to offer ourselves to God if we want to be used by Him. In Romans 12:1, it says we are to present ourselves to God as a holy and living sacrifice. God is limited in how he can use us until we present ourselves before him in order to serve him. It’s a decision that says, “I’m here to be used for you, Lord. Use me as you will.” And when we do that, it gives God a free hand to work in us and through us for his purposes. In Romans 6:13, it says,
…but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. (NASB)
Third, we don’t just serve God however we desire to. The Levites certainly didn’t. They worked under the direction of the priests. And in the same way, we work under the direction of our High Priest, Jesus.
Finally, and I’ve already noted this somewhat already, the order of the life of service to God is first purification, and then service. So many people think that if they serve God or try to do good things, that those works will purify them. But all of our good works are like filthy rags to God until our sins are taken care of (Isaiah 64:6). First we must be purified, and then the service we do for God will be accepted.
Lord, give me the zeal of the Levites to serve you no matter what it costs me. Purify me that my works would be acceptable to you. I do present myself to you. I want to be used of you. Help me not to do my own will in your name. Rather, let me do your will, doing all the things you’ve called me to do. Thank you for dying for my sin. Thank you that I’ve already been accepted by you. Please take this life that you have saved as a vessel that you can use. A holy and living sacrifice which is pleasing to you. In Jesus name, amen.
Moment to moment 