CENSUS IN THE WILDERNESS

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on February 24, 2010 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group; February 24, 2010

Numbers 1:1-54

Theme: An introduction of the book of Numbers.

This chapter brings us to the first numbering of the children of Israel after they had left Egypt. The second generation of Israelites will be numbered again nearly forty years later—just before entering the promised land (see chapter 26); but this is the first numbering of the first generation.

The timing, we’re told, is “on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt” (1:1). The tabernacle was erected in the first day of the first month of the second year (Exodus 40:17). The book of Leviticus details for us the events between the construction of the tabernacle and the numbering of the Israelites. And so, Numbers is properly viewed as picking the story up from where it’s left off at the end of Exodus (although it is most directly linked to Leviticus 27:34). Note that all the events of chapters 1-10 occur during twenty days after the census was taken; and that it was on that twentieth day that the people of Israel began their march to the promised land.

I.. THE CENSUS ORDERED (vv. 1-3).

A. The story begins with telling us that the events of this chapter occur “in the Wilderness of Sinai”. The people of Israel were an illustration, at this time, of our own experience in Christ. We are destined for heaven; but we are still on this earth. Yet, it was “in the tabernacle of meeting” that God spoke to them.

B. God ordered Moses and Aaron to take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel. This is different from the census that King David took later in Israel’s history (see 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21)—and for which he suffered punishment—because this was a census directly ordered by God. The purpose of this numbering was to help establish the families of Israel in order to prepare for the allotment of land (see 26:52- 56) according to population. But it also had the purpose of establishing a standing army.

C. Note that another “numbering” had already occurred—mentioned in Exodus 30:11-16 and 38:25-26. But that one was for the purpose of taxation in order to provide for the materials of the tabernacle.

II. THE LEADERS ESTABLISHED (vv. 4-16).

A. Remember the names of the men mentioned in this section! They appear again as the leaders of the camps (chapter 2), as those who represent their tribes in the offerings of all the individual tribes for the service of the tabernacle (chapter 7), and as the leaders of the armies in their march to the promised land (chapter 10). Note that man did not select these leaders—God did!

B. The tribes appear to be given in a particular kind of order. Verses 5-9 give the names of the men born to Jacob through Leah; verses 10-11, the names of the men born through Rachel, and verses 12-15, the names given through the men born through Leah’s and Rachael’s handmaidens. Of special note is the name of Judah’s leader, Nashon (1:7). He stands out as the great-great-great grandfather of David (Ruth 4:18-22); and as the descendant of the Lord Jesus according to the flesh (Matthew 1:4). Nashon’s father, Amminadab, was the father of Aaron’s wife (Exodus 6:27), which means that Nashon was Aaron’s nephew by marriage.

III. THE CENSUS TAKEN (vv. 17-46).

A. The numbers that were recorded concerned the same sub-group of each tribe; that is, those who were “from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war”. Their numbers were:

of Reuben (through Leah) 46,500

of Simeon (through Leah) 59,300

of Gad (through Leah’s maid Zilpah) 45,650

of Judah (through Leah) 74,600

of Issachar (through Leah) 54,400

of Zebulun (through Leah) 57,400

of Ephriam (through Rachael; the son of Joseph) 40,500

of Manasseh (through Rachael; the son of Joseph) 32,200

of Benjamin (through Rachael) 35,400

of Dan (through Rachael’s maid Bilhah) 62,700

of Asher (through Leah’s maid Zilpah) 41,500

of Naphtali (through Rachael’s maid Bilhah) 53,400

TOTAL 603,550*

*(Note that Levi was Jacob’s son through Leah; but that his tribe was not included in the numbering. Leah also bore Joseph a daughter named Dinah, who is not represented in the numbering.)

B. A sobering fact is that none of those who were numbered entered the promised land! All died in the wilderness—with the exception of Joshuah and Caleb (see 26:54-55). Being in the number was no guarantee that they would remain faithful!

IV. THE LEVITES EXEMPTED (vv. 47-54).

A. The Levites were not numbered with the armies of Israel. Their task was the sacred care of the tabernacle—which work would have been defiled if they had contact with the dead. But nevertheless, they were carefully numbered later (see 3:14-39).

B. Note that God was concerned with the holiness of every aspect of life. The closing words of this chapter emphasize obedience!

* * * * * * * * * *

The lesson to learn from this chapter is that God knows those who are His. Their names are written down in His record book (see Luke 10:20; Revelation 3:5; 21:27); and God knows them by name (2 Timothy 2:19).