I am so excited as we begin the book of Numbers! I am always on the lookout to learn new things as I read and study the Bible and today was a treasure chest. Since Numbers is a difficult book to read I wanted to share some insights and info I learned.
The book of Exodus covers about a year's time; the book of Leviticus about a month's time and the book of Numbers covers a span of about 38 years-which includes the wilderness wandering. In fact in Hebrew the name of this book is called Bemidbar which means "In the Wilderness". I have read the book several times and always read pretty fast through the parts of the divisions and listing of names but I learned today some important facts about how the tribes were placed.
The focus for the people has turned (even though they were delayed by disobedience) from receiving the law to heading to and taking the Promised Land. God's order and organization is so prominent as He tells them exactly how to be arranged. Chapter 1 reviews the census and Chapter 2 discusses the organization of the camps. Catch this...Judah is mentioned first (remember who comes from the tribe of Judah-Jesus!). They are camped on the east side and will move out first. Two other tribes are placed with Judah. The author (probably Moses) continues to describe the placement of the others. They make basically a square (three tribes on each side) around the tabernacle of God which is in the middle of the tribes. The tribe of Levi then make an "inner square" around the tabernacle and are also placed in a particular order with the priests being on the east side. The word unauthorized is used often in Chapter 3 indicating the holiness and importance of what God is saying to them. Israel was not powerful because of their size but because of their God - who was at the center of the nation.
A comment from the She Reads Truth CSB Bible says of Numbers: "The principal character in the book of Numbers is the Lord, the God of Israel. He is sovereign over the affairs of all people from all nations."
Now I also learned something cool for those who like to go even deeper in study. Each tribe had a banner (Numbers 2:2). Judah's banner was a lion which is where we get 'a lion from the tribe of Judah' describing Jesus!! The banners for the four sides (based on rabbinical information) were a lion, an ox, a likeness of a man, and an eagle - which were also the four creatures mentioned in Revelations 4:7 worshipping around the throne. That's just too good not to share!
See how beautifully the Bible is tied together-Old Testament fitting into the New Testament. The Bible is filled with stories and wisdom and yet has one overwhelming theme of God's love and redemption. God is not a God of disorder but of peace-1 Corinthians 14:33
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