The Overseer

 Having good organization is necessary to have things run smoothly in any institution. Everyone involved must understand their duties and carry them out in the right way. However, there is one more essential element for things to go well all of the time. There must be an overseer. Someone must see the big picture of how everything works and watch over the whole operation to ensure that everything gets done.

When it came to the tabernacle that was very true. There were so many parts, and they were constantly moving. So Moses appointed an overseer. (Numbers 4:16) The appointed duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the daily grain offering, the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, of all that was in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings. Sounds like a huge job to me.

Today, we do not have the tabernacle which moves around. We have churches and church buildings. There are many people involved in the ministries of the church, and there are many parts to the building and a lot of furnishings for the buildings. We know the people are to operate in unity and function as a coordinated body. For that to happen there must be an overseer. That person is the pastor of the church, even if he delegates a lot of the oversight to others under his supervision.

Yes, I know the word "pastor" emphasizes the spiritual care and leadership of the flock of God. I also know that a lot of times we think of the pastor mainly as a "preacher" or teacher. All of that is true, but please don't leave out the role of being the overseer. I Timothy 3 makes this very clear. Every church needs a person who can make sure that what they need is there and that everyone is doing their part to do the work of the ministry. Please, pray for our overseers. It is a big job, and a great blessing.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Numbers 5-7.