Numbers 1:1-1 8
AS WE leave the book of Leviticus we are made to feel what a precious book it is, so filled with wonderful types and shadows of Christ. There the Spirit of God occupies us with the tabernacle, God’s dwelling place, and ours now through grace. Now, in the book of Numbers it is the desert through which the redeemed of the Lord are passing. For this reason it is sometimes called “The Wilderness Book.” It is a history of the wanderings of the children of Israel in the wilderness for about 38 years and 10 months beginning with their first setting out after the tabernacle was set up. What a story it is of the Lord’s patient, tender and unwearied care of His people, ever prone to murmur and rebel.
The waters of the Red Sea flowed between the children of Israel and Egypt the land of their former bondage. The Lord had redeemed them and brought them to Himself, and now they find themselves in “a waste howling wilderness.” The cross of Christ separates us from the world and Satan’s power, and the world becomes to us a wilderness through which we must travel on our way to our heavenly home. Our trials and testings, and alas our murmurings too, answer to those of Israel, so that God’s ways with them are deeply interesting and instructive to us. These trials and temptations of the way bring out the heart of man, but also the heart of God.
Thus the wilderness is a subject of deep interest to our hearts. In no place do we so learn the sympathies and tenderness of the Lord Jesus as there, where faith and patience are tried and tested — where God leads and feeds, and trains His people in obedience and brokenness of will, for the heavenly warfare of the land.
“And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai,... sang, Take ye 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 male by their poles; from twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.” The first thing then presented in the early chapters is the numbering of those that were fit for war. Those numbered were from twenty years old and upwards, able to bear arms. But we shall find that this numbering was also for other service as well. Twelve men or captains, were also chosen, one from each tribe, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel. These men, expressed by their names, stood with Moses and Aaron in numbering the armies of Israel.
This numbering of the people tells us of the care and interest God takes in every one that belongs to Him. Not one is forgotten by Him. These men were numbered for earth, but it is sweet to think that we are numbered for heaven. We are journeying on to that heavenly land, our eternal home, and not one of God’s chosen ones will be missing in that day.
But it also says of these men that “they declared their pedigrees after their families.” They could say with all assurance they were of the stock of Israel and belonged to the congregation of the Lord. And every Christian ought to be able to say, “I know in whom I have believed...” The language of faith is, “we know"; “we know that we are of God"; “we know that we have passed from death unto life.” Until one can with assurance “declare his pedigree,” he can hardly make progress in his life and walk as a Christian. Thus we are told: “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” 1 Pet. 3:1515But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15).
ML-02/04/1973