Numbers

 

In life we fight with God against evil so that we and those we love can live lives of blessing that God desires for us. We fight against unbelief, against worry, against things that stop God's flow of blessing.

 

He fights the battles for us. Therefore we must be in contact with Him.

 

   Numbers gives ten offenses of the people that broke the Israelites contact with God. In this it teaches us how not to break contact with God so that He can lead us into the great life of blessing He has for us where He gives us all the desires of our hearts.

 

   The book begins with tribes of Israel assembled and camped around the tabernacle at the four compass points, North, South, East, and West. Flags that represented four different facets of the Messiah were raised at each of the four locations.

 

  • ‘Bemidbar’ is the Hebrew name for this book. It means ‘in the wilderness.’ It typifies man’s journey into God’s blessing.
  • Ephesians 6:12 We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

 

 

                                             Numbers 1

 

God has spoken

 

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt saying, 2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every man head by head; 3 from twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go to war in Israel: you and Aaron are to number them by their armies. 4 A man from every tribe will be with you; every one head of the house of his fathers.

 

  • Notice that twenty was age that the males were considered fully responsible adults.
  • War risks ones life.
  • Eternal life is longer and therefore more important than temporal life, So would not God also consider 20 to be the age where God holds a person accountable for a decision about eternal life?


5 And these are the names of the men that will stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur. 6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 8Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. 10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni. 12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. 14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan. 16 These were those called from the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

 

  • God named their leaders.
  • He told them what to do. God knows the hearts.
  • God is intricately detailed.
  • Acts 15:8 And God, who knows the hearts…
  • Matthew 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

 

17 So Moses and Aaron took these men that had been called by their names: 18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they registered by ancestry according to their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, head by head. 19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

 

  • God made all mankind in His image.
  • Man is the only creature in the universe made exactly like God with a head, shoulders, torso, arms, hands, legs, and feet.
  • That image is described in Ezekiel 1:26-28.

 

20 And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 21 Those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were 46,500. 22 Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 23 Those that were numbered of them, the tribe of Simeon, were 59,300. 24 Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 25 Those that were numbered of them of the tribe of Gad were 45,650.

 

  • God created all these in his own image— all the people that have ever lived (Genesis 1:27). God calls forth the generations.
  •  Isaiah 41:4 Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

 

26 Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 27 Those that were numbered of them of the tribe of Judah were 314,600. 28 Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 29 Those that were numbered of them of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400. 30 Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 31 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400. 32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 33 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500. 34 Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 35 Those that were numbered of them of the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200. 36 Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 37 Those that were numbered of them of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400. 38 Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 39 Those that were numbered of them of the tribe of Dan were 62,700.

 

  • Part of being made in the image of God is freewill.
  • God allows freewill. Some men and angels choose evil.
  • Their pride, their self-centered nature will not allow them to kneel before their Creator.
  • Pride takes all rights to self and allows no rights to others.
  • Someone has to say STOP to the ruin this brings! Therefore there will be war.
  • In all of mankind’s recorded history there has only been 200 years of peace on earth.
  • If God had never allowed war, none of us would be here.
  • Evil would have consumed the planet in the first generations.
  • God has armies.
  • He is the eternal warrior defending us against evil.
  • He is sovereign over life. He says who lives and who dies.
  • When Israel's heart was trusting Him, no one died in battle.
  • Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without evil, just and right is he.
  •  James 4:1-3 From where do wars and fightings among you come from? Do they not come from here, even from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and do not have: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask, and do not receive, because you ask badly, to consume it on your lusts.
  •  Exodus 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

 

40 Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 41 Those that were numbered of them of the tribe of Asher were 41,500. 42 Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war; 43 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400. 44 These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers. 45 The total of those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war in Israel, 46 all that were numbered were 603,550.

 

  •  Satan started evil it in Eden (Genesis 3); God finishes it (Revelation 19).
  •  Revelation 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a garment dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword to strike the nations: and he will rule them with a rod of iron: he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

 

47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48 For the LORD had spoken to Moses saying, 49 Only you will not number the tribe of Levi, or take the sum of them among the children of Israel: 50 But you will appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all its utensils, and over all things that belong to it: they will carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; and they will minister to it, and will camp around the tabernacle. 51 And when the tabernacle sets forward, the Levites will take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites will set it up: and the foreigner that comes near will be put to death.

 

  • God is holy; we are not.
  • Until Christ paid for our sins, no sinful being could be in the presence of God.
  • God surrounded Himself with His ministers.
  • This protected strangers until they knew the right way to draw near Him.
  • It sounds harsh, but it taught the people to respect God’s holiness.
  • Everyone was warned about this.
  • There is no danger at a railroad crossing if we do not try to cross in the path of an oncoming train.
  • Do we get mad at the railroad company for putting up warning signs?
  • In the same way we should not consider God harsh for warning us not to approach His holy presence unclean.
  • Exodus 19:10-12 And the LORD said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, 11 And be ready the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people on mount Sinai. 12 And you will set boundaries for the people around it saying, Beware that you go not up into the mountain, or touch its border: whoever touches the mount, death, death…

 

52 And the children of Israel will pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their armies. 53 But the Levites will camp round about the tabernacle of testimony, so that no wrath come on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites will keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. 54 And the children of Israel did all that the LORD commanded Moses, they did it.

  •  In Christ we may approach our holy God without fear. Because Christ died for our sins we are clean before God. When God sees us, He sees His perfect Son rather than our imperfect selves.
  •  Matthew 27:50-52 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks split in pieces; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose...

 

                                             Numbers 2

 

God set His people in order around Him

 

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying, 2 Every man of the children of Israel will camp by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: they are to pitch their tents far off around the tabernacle of the congregation. 3 On the east side toward the rising of the sun those of the standard of the camp of Judah are to pitch their tents throughout their armies: Nahshon the son of Amminadab will be captain of the children of Judah. 4 His army and those that were numbered of them were 74,600. 5 And next to him will be the tribe of Issachar: Nethaneel the son of Zuar is to be captain of the children of Issachar. 6 And his army, those that were numbered were 54,400. 7 Then the tribe of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon will be captain of the children of Zebulun. 8 And his army, those that were numbered of it were 57,400.

 

  • These numbers are the number of men ready for battle (Numbers 1:3).
  • The standard was a flag with the symbol of their tribe on it.
  • The flag flew high so everyone could see it and set up their tents with their own tribe.
  • Judah’s standard was a green flag with a lion.
  • The book of Matthew pictures Jesus Christ as the lion or ruling king.
  • God wins the battle against evil.
  • He wins in our hearts if we let Him.
  • He wins in the world, regardless.
  •  Exodus 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

 

9 All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were 186,400, throughout their armies. These will set out first. 10 On the south side will be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben will be Elizur the son of Shedeur.

 

  • The numbers of fighting men listed are the number in each tribe and then the combined total number of men on the each side.
  • God assigned the order they marched in.
  • The tribes set out as they camped.
  • It was done the same way each time.
  • Reuben was on the south.
  • His flag was red with a man on it.
  • This is symbolic of the humanity of Jesus Christ.
  • The book of Luke is written to highlight Jesus, God, as a man.

 

11 And his army, and those that were numbered of it were 46,500. 12 And those that camp beside him will be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon will be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 13 And his army, and those that were numbered were 59,300. 14 Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad will be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. 15 And his army, those that were numbered were 45,650. 16 All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were 151,450, throughout their armies. And they will set out in the second rank. 17 Then the tabernacle of the congregation will set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: they are to set forward in the same order that they camp, every man in his place by their standards. 18 On the west side will be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim will be Elishama the son of Ammihud. 19 And his army, those that were numbered were 40,500. 20 And by him will be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh will be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 21 And his army, those that were numbered were 32,200. 22 Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin will be Abidan the son of Gideoni. 23 And his army, those that were numbered were 35,400. 24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were 108,100 throughout their armies. And they will go forward in the third rank.

 

  • God desires to dwell in the midst of His people.
  • His tabernacle was placed in the center of His people.
  • He dwells in our hearts by faith.
  • He is the temple in the eternal city.
  • On the west side was the tribe of Ephraim.
  • Their flag was gold with a calf on it symbolizing Messiah the servant as depicted in the book of Mark.
  • Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
  • Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple in it: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

 

25 The standard of the camp of Dan will be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan will be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And his army, those that were numbered were 62,700. 27 The tribe of Asher will camp by him: and the captain of the children of Asher will be Pagiel the son of Ocran. 28 And his army, those that were numbered were 41,500. 29 Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali will be Ahira the son of Enan. 30 And his army, those that were numbered were 53,400. 31 All those that were numbered in the camp of Dan were 157, 600. They will go behind with their standards. 32 These are those that were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their armies were 603,550. 33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. 34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: they camped by their standards, and they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.

  • The tribe of Dan camped to the north of the tabernacle.
  • Their flag was red and white with an eagle on it.
  • Like the book of John it represented Messiah, the Son of God.
  • God’s leading is perfect.
  • The presence of God stayed with His people in the pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire over the tabernacle at night.
  • When the cloud or pillar of fire moved, the children of Israel broke camp and followed God.
  • Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
  • Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

 

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SUMMARY: Numbers 1-2

 

  • God has spoken to man
  • God has spoken to His people
  • God assembles His troops
  • He is the eternal warrior
  • He fights for us
  • God sets His people in order around Him