The Lord said to me,.."I will test my people with a plumbline. Amos 7:8 (TLB)
The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.
The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.
The Birth of A Nation #1
Overview: With the Law given, the priests ordained, and the sacrificial system which provided for forgiveness of sin instituted, it was time for God's people to move on. Israel had come to Sinai exactly three months after leaving Egypt. On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year out of Egypt they would set out again (Numbers 10:11). From this point on, Israel would be responsible to God for the choices individuals, groups, and the whole community made. Despite punishments for disobedience along the way, this generation did not learn the vital lesson of obedience. When the time came to make life's most significant choice, these people would hear God's voice, and turn away.
A very significant statement about God is found in this section of Scripture: "The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished" (Numbers 14:18). God is love. But persons are responsible to Him for their choices.
Responsible: This was the issue confronting Israel at the beginning of the Book of Numbers. This people had been redeemed from slavery by God's great power. The people had been taught God's will in a Law that revealed much of His character. And provision had been made to cleanse the Israelites from the sins that would inevitably come. The door to God was held open, guaranteed by the tabernacle, sacrifice, and the priesthood. The forgiven people had been instructed how to live in fellowship with their God. The message that came then to Israel was simply this: "You have been provided with everything you need to live a holy life. Now you are responsible." The people of Israel were about to face difficult and challenging circumstances. But there could be no excuses for failing to respond to God. In each situation Israel was now responsible for the choices the people made—and also responsible for the results of those choices. What happened now would inevitably be a direct consequence of Israel's decision to follow—or to reject—the leading of God. Some of us learn the lesson of responsibility only after a great deal of pain, as wrong choices work out their results in our lives. Some of us learn quickly, from others. In this section of Scripture we have lessons on responsibility that we can learn from others, and thus avoid the pain of learning the hard way. 1Cor. 10:11-12 tells us that "these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us. . .So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" It's comforting to understand our position in Christ as forgiven people. But it is important to realize that, however exalted our position, as we live our daily lives we must accept responsibility for all our choices and act as redeemed people—lest we fall.
A Nation: Numbers 1-10: Here is where we see the first indication that the great mob of people who swarmed out of Egypt are now to be treated as a responsible nation. A census was taken, with the men of military age numbering 603,550. This figure is given in several different texts, though in some it is rounded off (Exodus 12:37; Exodus 38:26; Numbers 1:46; Numbers 2:32; Numbers 11:21). The later census of Numbers 26:51 shows similarity, but also some change over the 38-year period. The total population of Israel now ready to leave Sinai probably ranged between 2 and 2.5 million people.
Tribal marching and camping positions were set.The duties of the Levites were defined, and a system of trumpet calls was set to signal assembly, the order of departure, alarms, etc. As the people of Israel marched they were to respond to the direct leading of God. The pillar of cloud and fire which had appeared as Israel left Egypt (Exodus 13:21) now rested over the tabernacle. When the cloud rested, the people remained in camp. But when in the morning the cloud lifted up, the people set out and followed it as God led them where He chose. As the Bible says, "At the Lord's command they encamped, and at the Lord's command they set out. They obeyed the Lord's order in accordance with His command through Moses" (Numbers 9:23). Even in this, the people were being taught to respond to God. God's people must always look to Him for guidance, and go or wait at His command.
Chart: Israel Marching: When The Pillar of Fire/Cloud moved to change locations God instructed Moses to line-up the clans for advancing forward according to the following order. This was not a suggestion but a command.
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
Gershon and Merari*
Reuben
Simeon
Gad
Kohath*
Ephraim
Manasseh
Benjamin
Dan
Asher
Naphtali
*The Levites were divided into two companies (See Numbers 10:14-27). The sons of Gershon and Merari carried the tabernacle itself, while the Kohathites carried the holy articles from the tabernacle. With the order of march arranged as it was, the carriers of the tabernacle had time to set it up before the holy things arrived.
Organization of Camp by Tribes:
A very significant statement about God is found in this section of Scripture: "The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished" (Numbers 14:18). God is love. But persons are responsible to Him for their choices.
Responsible: This was the issue confronting Israel at the beginning of the Book of Numbers. This people had been redeemed from slavery by God's great power. The people had been taught God's will in a Law that revealed much of His character. And provision had been made to cleanse the Israelites from the sins that would inevitably come. The door to God was held open, guaranteed by the tabernacle, sacrifice, and the priesthood. The forgiven people had been instructed how to live in fellowship with their God. The message that came then to Israel was simply this: "You have been provided with everything you need to live a holy life. Now you are responsible." The people of Israel were about to face difficult and challenging circumstances. But there could be no excuses for failing to respond to God. In each situation Israel was now responsible for the choices the people made—and also responsible for the results of those choices. What happened now would inevitably be a direct consequence of Israel's decision to follow—or to reject—the leading of God. Some of us learn the lesson of responsibility only after a great deal of pain, as wrong choices work out their results in our lives. Some of us learn quickly, from others. In this section of Scripture we have lessons on responsibility that we can learn from others, and thus avoid the pain of learning the hard way. 1Cor. 10:11-12 tells us that "these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us. . .So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" It's comforting to understand our position in Christ as forgiven people. But it is important to realize that, however exalted our position, as we live our daily lives we must accept responsibility for all our choices and act as redeemed people—lest we fall.
A Nation: Numbers 1-10: Here is where we see the first indication that the great mob of people who swarmed out of Egypt are now to be treated as a responsible nation. A census was taken, with the men of military age numbering 603,550. This figure is given in several different texts, though in some it is rounded off (Exodus 12:37; Exodus 38:26; Numbers 1:46; Numbers 2:32; Numbers 11:21). The later census of Numbers 26:51 shows similarity, but also some change over the 38-year period. The total population of Israel now ready to leave Sinai probably ranged between 2 and 2.5 million people.
Tribal marching and camping positions were set.The duties of the Levites were defined, and a system of trumpet calls was set to signal assembly, the order of departure, alarms, etc. As the people of Israel marched they were to respond to the direct leading of God. The pillar of cloud and fire which had appeared as Israel left Egypt (Exodus 13:21) now rested over the tabernacle. When the cloud rested, the people remained in camp. But when in the morning the cloud lifted up, the people set out and followed it as God led them where He chose. As the Bible says, "At the Lord's command they encamped, and at the Lord's command they set out. They obeyed the Lord's order in accordance with His command through Moses" (Numbers 9:23). Even in this, the people were being taught to respond to God. God's people must always look to Him for guidance, and go or wait at His command.
Chart: Israel Marching: When The Pillar of Fire/Cloud moved to change locations God instructed Moses to line-up the clans for advancing forward according to the following order. This was not a suggestion but a command.
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
Gershon and Merari*
Reuben
Simeon
Gad
Kohath*
Ephraim
Manasseh
Benjamin
Dan
Asher
Naphtali
*The Levites were divided into two companies (See Numbers 10:14-27). The sons of Gershon and Merari carried the tabernacle itself, while the Kohathites carried the holy articles from the tabernacle. With the order of march arranged as it was, the carriers of the tabernacle had time to set it up before the holy things arrived.
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| Click on chart to enlarge |
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