The Israelite priests lived throughout the country in cities that were assigned to them. In order to participate in the service of the tabernacle they had to travel a certain distance and therefore needed to know in advance the dates on which their services would be needed.

Zadok and Ahimelech, the two chief priests, took some measures in order to define who would work with whom and when. First of all, they organized twenty-four teams of priests based on family groups. Each person would work with their closest relatives under the coordination of the family patriarch. Then, they defined the schedule of service through a drawing held in the presence of King David, the nation's leaders and representatives of all the families involved.

The working range of the Levites was also defined by lottery. That procedure encouraged each of them to give his best contribution, regardless of having been scheduled to work on days of national festivity or on ordinary ones.

The impartial manner in which priests and Levites were scheduled to work points to the fact that God has no favorites. He treats everyone equally. We, as His followers, should act the same way encouraging fellowship and cooperation among co-workers.

Heavenly Father, help me to treat others with the same consideration that You treat me.

Jobson Santos
Adventist Media Center
Brazil