Why was the tribe of Levi chosen for the priestly class?

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hvizsgyak

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Exodus 13:1-2 has God giving the commandment (or religious law) that every first born Israelite male should be consecrated to Him. Now I’m going on two of the dictionary’s definitions for “consecrate” : to be holy and to dedicate one for service. So if you go with those definitions for “consecrate”, wouldn’t Rueben (Leah and Jacob’s firstborn son) or Joseph (Rachel’s firstborn son) be consecrated to God and thus be the rightful tribe to be considered for the priesthood in Numbers 2:47-54? Now, I understand that Rueben kind of messed things up by sleeping with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine but the next in line is Simeon.

Of course, I could have this wrong where the Levites were only chosen to care for the Dwelling Place for God. Is the priests only from the descendants of Aaron?
 
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" 1 Peter 2:9
God’s intend was for all His people to be priests. And we see that in the new testament for those who are born again. This verse refers to all believers in Chirst.
 
Okay, but the original question was about the ministerial priesthood of the Old Testament. You didn’t answer the question, you answered another question by avoiding the question.
 
Holy means to be “set apart” for God’s purposes.
 
I thank you both for responding so quickly. I wish you both a blessed Easter. Christ is risen; Indeed, He is risen (Christos Voskrese; Voistinu Voskreses).
 
You’re conflating two concepts – the notion of “holiness” or “being set apart” and the identity of the priestly class under the Mosaic law.

All of the People of God were called to be “set apart”, so the fact that the first-born were also “set apart” doesn’t create a new requirement. (The fact that they’re identified to belong to God exclusively, such that they must be redeemed, is.)

On the other hand, the reason that the tribe of Levi was chosen to be the priestly class is that they’re the only ones who responded to Moses’ call for “those who are for the Lord, come to me” during the Golden Calf incident in Exodus 32. So, Moses names them as the exclusive source of priests under the covenant.

Christos voskrese!
 
Amen. Yes I think they are the only ones who responded the call.
 
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). Peter is here echoing the words spoken by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:6). Did the Israelites take this to mean they were all priests, either at the time of the Exodus or later on, in Jerusalem? I don’t think so. They knew very well who was a kohen and who wasn’t.

In both cases, the usual interpretation is that Israel (in Exodus) or the Church (in 1 Peter) stands in relation to the rest of the world as a priest stands in relation to the laity, interceding with God on their behalf.
 
Originally the first-born were deputed to the service of God and could offer sacrifices. However, as @Gorgias posted, the tribe of Levi (i.e. his own tribe) were the only ones who responded to his call:

 
Because when Israel sinned in the Golden Calf Incident, the Levites were the ones who rallied to God and Moses. According to Jewish tradition, the 3000 who were put to death were the only ones who actually committed idolatry, but all Israel was guilty of tolerating it, and except for the tribe of Levi, they wouldn’t even assent that they were “for the Lord” by rallying to Moses. Had Israel not sinned thus, it would have been the firstborn sons of every family of Israel who served in the sanctuary, rather than all Levites regardless of birth order.
 
Gorgias said:
On the other hand, the reason that the tribe of Levi was chosen to be the priestly class is that they’re the only ones who responded to Moses’ call for “those who are for the Lord, come to me” during the Golden Calf incident in Exodus 32. So, Moses names them as the exclusive source of priests under the covenant.
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I can see that to a certain degree now that you pointed that out and I read Exodus 32:25-29 but now that brings up another question, which is why was Aaron made head priest if he was the one who created the golden calf for the Israelites. And the Levites slew 3000 of the Israelites who participated in worshipping the golden calf, why didn’t they slay all of them including Aaron?
 
I admit I usually try to find logic and connections in the Bible (it helps me to understand and feel why God does what He does) but in some cases (like this one) you have to go with what God says.
 
mythbuster1 said:
Because when Israel sinned in the Golden Calf Incident, the Levites were the ones who rallied to God and Moses.
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That’s correct.
hvizsgyak said:
Of course, I could have this wrong where the Levites were only chosen to care for the Dwelling Place for God. Is the priests only from the descendants of Aaron?
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The tribe of Levi served the temple in various capabilities (guards, construction, care and matainance, etc). If you look at Numbers 18, you can see where the descendants of Aaron were directed as the Priestly cast and the larger tribe of Levi were dedicated to assist Aaron and his descendants, but not to approach the sacred vessels.
 
Moses’ spokesperson Aaron was a Levite - And Aaron had been made a high priest… and from the Levites sprung the Aaronic Priesthood.

The books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers maintain that Aaron received from God a monopoly over the priesthood for himself and his male descendants (Exodus 28:1). The family of Aaron had the exclusive right and responsibility to make offerings on the altar to Yahweh.

The rest of his tribe, the Levites, were given subordinate responsibilities within the sanctuary (Numbers 3). Moses anointed and consecrated Aaron and his sons to the priesthood, and arrayed them in the robes of office (Leviticus 8; cf. Exodus 28-29). He also related to them God’s detailed instructions for performing their duties while the rest of the Israelites listened (Leviticus 1–7, 11-27).

Aaron and his successors as high priest were given control over the Urim and Thummim by which the will of God could be determined (Exodus 28:30).[1] God commissioned the Aaronide priests to distinguish the holy from the common and the clean from the unclean, and to teach the divine laws (the Torah) to the Israelites (Leviticus 10:10-11). The priests were also commissioned to bless the people (Numbers 6:22-27).[31][32]

When Aaron completed the altar offerings for the first time and, with Moses, "blessed the people: and the glory of the

LORD appeared unto all the people: And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat [which] when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces" (Leviticus 9:23-24).[33] In this way, the institution of the Aaronide priesthood was established.[34]
 
So it is with the New Covenant: During the Exultet, the deacon refers to himself as a Levite, because he exercises the ministry that the Levites exercised under the Old Covenant, and priests are ordained from among the deacons.
 
On a connected note i.e., The Priestly Class…

Jesus Has Become The Great High Priest

Since therefore we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to the religion we profess.

For ours is not a high priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who, because of his likeness to us, has been tested every way, Or: who has been tested every way, as we are. only without sin. Let us therefore boldly approach the throne of our gracious God, where we may receive mercy and in his grace find timely help.

↑

FOR EVERY HIGH PRIEST is taken from among men and appointed their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to bear patiently with the ignorant and erring, since he too is beset by weakness; and because of this he is bound to make sin-offerings for himself no less than for the people. And nobody arrogates the honour to himself: he is called by God, as indeed Aaron was. Ps.2.7.]

So it is with Christ; he did not confer upon himself the glory of becoming high priest: it was granted by God, who said to him, ‘Thou art my Son; today I have begotten thee’; [ Ps.110.4. ] as also in another place he says, "Thou art a priest for ever, in the succession of Melchizedek.’ In the days of his earthly life he offered up prayers and petitions, with loud cries and tears, to God who was able to deliver him from the grave.

Because of his humble submission his prayer was heard: son though he was, he learned obedience in the school of suffering, and, once perfected, became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, [ Ps.110.4. ] named by God high priest in the succession of Melchizedek.
 
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Well, Moses himself was a Levite as was Aaron, who were chosen to speak on behalf of God during the Exodus. Also, it was the Levites who inflicted God’s wrath on the rest of the assembly of Israel when Israel began engaging in idol worship during Moses’ time on Mount Sinai with God. Ultimately, it comes down to God’s choice in election. He gets to decide whom he will set apart for his purposes.
 
mythbuster1 said:
So it is with the New Covenant: During the Exultet, the deacon refers to himself as a Levite, because he exercises the ministry that the Levites exercised under the Old Covenant, and priests are ordained from among the deacons.
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I’ve never though of the priest being from among the deacons with relation to the old testament, though Deacons are certainly tied to the Levites in more than just the Exultet. It is also in the consecratory prayer of a deacon:
As ministers of your tabernacle you chose the sons of Levi and gave them your blessing as their everlasting inheritance. … Lord, look with favour on this servant of yours, whom we now dedicate to the office of deacon, to minister at your holy altar.
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