Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
In our “Grand Narrative” journey through the Bible, we’ve reached a pivotal moment. We began the last week of July looking at what God was doing in eternity past BEFORE the Genesis 1 creation story. Then we carefully followed the story of Genesis, which is the foundation of the entire Bible and the human journey. Yesterday, we concluded the remarkable Exodus story as Moses completed assembling the Tabernacle for the first time at the base of Mount Sinai on the first day of the first month, one year after God had delivered the Hebrew slaves from Egypt. (Exodus 40:1,2,33,34)
As you may know the Bible does not always follow a clear chronology. The book which follows Exodus is Leviticus and it contains the details of God’s explanation to Moses and Aaron regarding the sacred functions of the priesthood including the offerings, the festivals and other regulations.
While an important part of God’s instructions regarding the uniqueness of His people and their worship practices, let’s follow the story of Moses and the people at Sinai and the chronology of what God was doing with them as they learn to live as God’s people.
Numbers 9:1-5 tell us Moses, and the people celebrated the Passover, right on schedule, at Sinai! You may recall that meant each family selected a one year old lamb on the 10th day of the first month, (Ex. 12:3) cared for it until the 14th day of this first month and then slaughtered it as part of their remembrance of God’s rescue of them exactly one year before (Ex. 12:6) when they had done the same thing and splashed that lamb’s blood on the door frames of their homes (Ex. 12:7) in anticipation the angel of death would pass over their home when seeing the blood. (Exodus 12:12,13)
Next, Numbers 1 gives us the account of a census God instructed Moses to take on the first day of the second month, of all males, age 20 and older, who would be eligible to serve as soldiers if needed. The total was 605,550 men. (Number 1:46) This census was significant for three main reasons….
1. First this called all Israelite men to view part of their privilege as being an Israelite was to join together in defense of their people if called upon. This united them as one people, Israel!
2. Second, notice please the tribe of Levi was excluded from this military census! Why? Because Numbers 1:47-54 explains God selected this tribe to care for the dismantling, transportation and reassembly of Tabernacle. And also, to put their lives on the line by camping closest to the Tabernacle as guardians of the sacred presence of God.
3. Third, notice Joseph’s two sons Ephraim and Manasseh were considered two of the 12 tribes of Israel in this census, (Numbers 1:32-35) for Jacob had reckoned or ‘adopted’ them into his family even though they were born in Egypt to Joseph by Egyptian mothers. (Gen. 48:3-6)
Following the census, Moses gives us a fascinating development in Numbers 2. It is God’s plan for the orderly housing arrangement of this huge throng of more than 1 million people! And also, their relocation plan whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tabernacle and the entire city needed to pack up and move to a new location! It’s well worth your read and may I challenge you to take a piece of paper and try to draw a diagram of the layout of this tent city as described by God in Numbers 2?!
Probably along the journey of your life somewhere, you’ve heard this very famous blessing which God gave to Moses and Aaron to pronounce on the Israelites. Maybe it’s even been spoken over you: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.” You’ll find this blessing in Numbers 6:22-26, immediately following the remarkable description of a person wholly consecrated to God with a Nazarite vow. (Numbers 6:1-21)
Numbers 7 describes the remarkable 12 days of dedication of the Tabernacle at Mt Sinai with each Tribe of Israel bringing a prescribed special offering. And then finally we arrive at Numbers 10 which is the exciting description of the first time the cloud of God’s Presence lifted up from the Tabernacle and the people packed up and started their journey away from Sinai toward the Covenant Land God had promised to Abraham nearly 500 years before!
Numbers 10:11 reports this historic moment: “On the 20th day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the Tabernacle of the covenant law. Then the Israelites set out…and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest…” I doubt any of us can imagine the excitement, but also the anxiety, as they headed out into the desert, leaving Sinai where they had spent almost an entire year with God!
The cloud of God’s Presence led them by day and His pillar of fire by night, but as they traveled all they saw was sand in every direction! Food and water drew scarce, tempers flared, God provided but also poured out judgment with a plague in response to their grumbling as Numbers 11 reports. And then the cloud settled, and the people made camp with Moses receiving an exciting message from God.
Moses was to select 12 respected leaders, one from each tribe, and send them on a 40-day reconnaissance mission investigating the land of God’s promise! They were to scout out the land to discern its suitability as the new home for these 1 million Israelites. They were to bring back to Moses their report so the people could prepare to claim and move into this land as their new, God provided home!
Numbers 13:1-25 gives us the account of their reconnaissance and tomorrow, along with Moses, we’ll receive their report and watch the response of the people! Let’s pause right here and reflect on all God has done at Sinai to help these people understand how much He loves them and what it will mean for them to live as God’s people with God’s Presence among them as the cloud hovers over the Tabernacle.
Let’s consider our own lives and what sense we have of being God’s people and living with His Presence with us? How do we follow or doubt or rebel against God’s lead each day? Are you well connected with others of God’s people either in your family, your church or even your community? What is God doing among you these days?
Again, additional study notes are available at the “Grand Narrative” link below. I wonder if during those 40 days the people sang a song, something like this one. It’s one that may be familiar to many of you, is it your anthem? And I’ll meet you here tomorrow as we hear the ‘recon’ report from the 12 leaders sent to scout the land of God’s promise.
Today’s Scripture: Numbers 1-13.
Choose below to read or listen.
Numbers 1-7
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Numbers 8-13
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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