The Promise is Near

Today's Reading: Numbers 1

The Setting-

From the Bible Knowledge Commentary-

After the making of the covenant and the giving of the Law at Sinai, the Lord instructed Moses to take a census of all the tribes of Israel by clans and families (v. 2). This enumeration of militarily fit males only and from 20 years (v. 3) of age and older was commanded on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Exodus (v. 1). This was exactly one month after the tabernacle was erected at Mount Sinai (Ex. 40:17). One man from each tribe was to assist Moses (Num. 1:4); their 12 names appear in verses 5-15.
Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Nu 1:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Personalize it method (Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word): Lord please reveal yourself in your Word today and show me the application for my life. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Why the Census?- 

Numbers 1:1–3 (ESV)1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. 3 From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.

Jeff, see that I am bringing my people together for war. I have given them a promise through Abraham…

Genesis 15:5–6 (ESV)5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 

Genesis 15:18 (ESV)18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,

Genesis 17:1–6 (ESV)17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, ² that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” ³ Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, ⁴ “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. ⁵ No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. ⁶ I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.

And now more recently I brought a covenant through Moses in the law… 

Exodus 24:7–8 (ESV)⁷ Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” ⁸ And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

I created a means for them to relate to me and to be aware of my presence in the tabernacle…

Exodus 25:8–9 (ESV)⁸ And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. ⁹ Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

Now it is time for them to assemble in faith to take action and claim my promise of the land across the Jordan! There are also other reasons, or benefits, to this census being taken at this exact time. One is so that they will plainly see that I have kept my promise to multiply Abraham's family…

Numbers 1:44–46 (ESV)44 These are those who were listed, whom Moses and Aaron listed with the help of the chiefs of Israel, twelve men, each representing his fathers’ house. 45 So all those listed of the people of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war in Israel— 46 all those listed were 603,550.

From the Matthew Henry Commentary-

Why was this account ordered to be taken and kept? For several reasons. 1. To prove the accomplishment of the promise made to Abraham, that God would multiply his seed exceedingly, which promise was renewed to Jacob (Gen. 28:14), that his seed should be as the dust of the earth. Now it appears that there did not fail one tittle of that good promise, which was an encouragement to them to hope that the other promise of the land of Canaan for an inheritance should also be fulfilled in its season.
Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Nu 1:1–16). Peabody: Hendrickson.

From the Holman Concise Bible Commentary-

God had fulfilled His promise to Abraham of numerous descendants. With such an army Israel was well equipped to take the promised land. To facilitate moving and encamping such a vast force, explicit instructions as to tribal, clan, and family organization became mandatory.
Dockery, D. S. (1998). Holman concise Bible commentary: Simple, straightforward commentary on every book of the Bible (53). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

One reason for the census was to identify my people as distinct from amongst the multitudes that also dwelled with them. I choose my children and I grant them faith even today Jeff. 

From the Matthew Henry Commentary-

It was to put a difference between the true born Israelites and the mixed multitude that were among them; none were numbered but Israelites: all the world is but lumber in comparison with those jewels. Little account is made of others, but the saints God has a particular property in and concern for. The Lord knows those that are his (2 Tim. 2:19), knows them by name, Phil, 4:3. The hairs of their head are numbered; but he will say to others, “I never knew you, never made any account of you.’ ’
Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Nu 1:1–16). Peabody: Hendrickson.

Jeff, these messages are also for you today…It is time to fight! It is time to claim the promise! It is time to be a man of action and show your faith in your sovereign God!

Jacob's Vision and Blessing Fulfilled- 

Numbers 1:32–33 (ESV)32 Of the people of Joseph, namely, of the people of Ephraim, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 33 those listed of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.

See that I list Ephraim with reference to Joseph and his numbers are greater than his brother Manasseh…

From the Matthew Henry Commentary-

Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, are numbered as distinct tribes, and both together made up almost as many as Judah; this was in pursuance of Jacob’s adoption of them, by which they were equalled with their uncles Reuben and Simeon, Gen. 48:5. It was also the effect of the blessing of Joseph, who was to be a fruitful bough, Gen. 49:22. And Ephraim the younger is put first, and is more numerous than Manasseh, for Jacob had crossed hands, and foreseen ten thousands of Ephraim and thousands of Manasseh. The fulfilling of this confirms our faith in the spirit of prophecy with which the patriarchs were endued.
Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Nu 1:17–43). Peabody: Hendrickson.

So Jeff know that while the prophet foresees what is to be, I speak what is to be as sovereign king of all creation. I chose to bless Ephraim as I will give grace to whom I will give grace…

Exodus 33:19–20 (ESV)¹⁹ And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. ²⁰ But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

See how I explain that none can see my fullness without being destroyed and it is by my grace that I reveal some of myself and by mercy that I create a way for you to behold me without perishing.  This illustrates my power and sovereignty and evidences that I have the power and authority to give both grace and mercy as I freely choose without cause for judgement by the recipient or non-recipient of either. It was by man's own choice that the communion with me was lost and that now we are separated by sin and death.

It may not make sense to you always but do not subject me to your reasoning as you attempt evaluate my actions…know that I am the LORD! 

A Special Call for a Special People-

Numbers 1:47 (ESV)47 But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe.

See that I had something special for the Levites Jeff...

Numbers 1:50 (ESV)50 But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle.

This tribe had proven themselves faithful. They had already fought their fight and they did it through great tears with nothing but faith and trust in me…

Exodus 32:26 (ESV)26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 

Moses and Aaron were Levites Jeff and their family held together in spite of Aaron's sin in making the golden calf for the other tribes to worship. Their call, however, was not an easy task…

Exodus 32:27–29 (ESV)27 And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’ ” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29 And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

See how the Levites have  proven themselves as guardians for my kingdom. So now I place them as guards over my tabernacle that they would not only serve in the tabernacle but would kill any non-Levite that would approach the tabernacle to defile it as I have specifically called them to serve as priests.  But do not misunderstand Jeff, the Levites did not earn my favor but it was my good pleasure to grant them this faith and this resolve to stand with Moses before me.  See that I had declared Aaron and his sons to serve in the priesthood even as this idol worship was getting started at the bottom of the mountain. This spilling of blood was the Levites consecration into my service that I had already determined. 

Numbers 1:51 (ESV)51 When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death. 

Numbers 1:53 (ESV)53 But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.”

From the ESV Study Bible-

The Levites’ task was to ensure God’s continuing presence with Israel. They dismantled, carried, and reassembled the tabernacle (vv. 50–51). They also guarded it from intruders. Entry to the tabernacle by laypeople could lead to divine wrath breaking out and the death of many Israelites, so the Levites were told to execute any outsider breaking in (vv. 51–53).
Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (266). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

So too Jeff, guard your heart (my tabernacle on earth) as holy and do not let it be defiled. Keep it pure and do this by abiding in me and allowing me to maintain your heart and to renew your mind, to transform your mind. Subject yourself to my influence rather than the world for this transformation...

Romans 12:2 (ESV)² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

See that both conforming and transforming are passive actions Jeff. You do not do it by your will or your might…it is a byproduct of what you subject yourself to. So you choose to either subject yourself to the influence of the world or the influence of my Son and the conforming or transforming will surely follow!

Application and Prayer:

• Today I will remember how God keeps His promises and that he calls me to go to battle to claim them
• Today I will acknowledge that it is not always an easy or pleasant road to battle
• Today I will trust that you have me under your sovereign care regardless of my circumstances
• Today I will give thanks for whatever you have for me Lord, knowing that it is your good pleasure to hold back the only thing that I actually deserve
• Today I will guard my heart and will not allow this tabernacle to be defiled

Thank you Lord for loving me and for speaking to me as I seek you in your Word. Let me apply this lesson today and may you be glorified in me today.  I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!

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