Numbers 18:7a says, "You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil." The ark, which was within the veil, contained three items: the testimony of God (the law), the hidden manna, and the budding rod. Two cherubim were on the cover (lid) of the ark. On the day of propitiation the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled on the cover of the ark. All these matters were under the charge of the priests.
"I give you your priesthood as a service of gift" (v. 7b). The priesthood, as the highest service rendered by God's people to God, was a great gift given by God to Aaron and his sons. This was the reason Korah was ambitious to seek it (16:10).
A reward, or compensation, was given to Aaron and his sons as the priests (18:8-20) and to the serving Levites (vv. 21-32). This reward (v. 31) was altogether Christ. The priests and the Levites had no portion other than Christ. Christ was their house, their inheritance, their land, their clothing, their food, and their everything.
Today, in the New Testament, the Levitical service is combined with the priesthood. There is no difference between the priests and the servants of the priests. This means that the believers in Christ are both the priests and the serving Levites. The only reward, the only compensation, for our priestly and Levitical service is Christ.
To Aaron and his sons were given all the holy portions of the sons of Israel reserved from the fire (vv. 8-10). Every item of these holy portions signifies a certain aspect of the riches of Christ.
In the New Testament the expression "riches of Christ" is used only once, by the Apostle Paul (Eph. 3:8). God gave Paul the grace to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ as the gospel. In the New Testament we can see that Christ is light, life, the divine attributes, and the human virtues. However, the New Testament does not tell us in detail what the riches of Christ are. If we would know the details concerning the riches of Christ, we need to come to the Old Testament and study all the types of Christ.
The holy portions given to the priests were reserved from the fire (Num. 18:9). All the portions of the sons of Israel were given to God for His enjoyment. These offerings were offered to God through fire and were consumed by holy fire as a satisfying fragrance to please God and make Him happy. However, God reserved some parts of the offerings from the fire that they might become the portion of the priests. This means that the priests enjoy the same thing that God enjoys.
God enjoys Christ. When the Lord Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke from the heavens, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I delight" (Matt. 3:17). This indicates that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is God's delight, enjoyment, and satisfaction. As God's portion, Christ satisfies God and makes Him happy. God saves part of His portion for us, His priests, to enjoy with Him. Therefore, both God and we, the priests of God, are enjoying the same thing—the all-inclusive Christ.
The holy portions of the sons of Israel reserved from the fire included the meal offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering (Num. 18:8-10). All these offerings are types of Christ.