In Leviticus, we had, we may say, God’s word given to us. In Numbers we are starting on our journey, taught by Him. There are unforeseen dangers in the way, but we are now to put into practice what we have learned, and we shall find in so doing, if we are really converted to God, some painful lessons about ourselves, while learning confidence in Him.
A year almost, has passed at the base of Mount Sinai, the mountain of the law, and a wilderness is mentioned now, in verse 1. A count is to be made of all the people who are able to go out to war, for God well knows what Satan intends to do. How interested God is in all His people, not only in bringing them safely to glory, but their present needs and cares are always before Him; there is nothing in a believer’s life about which He is not concerned.
Verse 18. Can my reader give his pedigree? In other words, Can you say, on the authority of God’s Word,
O, how many, dear to Him, have not fully trusted in Him! They think salvation cannot be sure in this life, and that it is proper to humbly doubt. O do trust His unfailing word, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36).
It is not only for war,—for watchfulness against a great and powerful enemy who knows our weaknesses very well, but also for service to God, that the people are, in this first chapter, set apart.
The Levites are not numbered; theirs is not to fight the enemy, though that be under the eyes of God, but to be associated with Him in a very near place, where He should set His name, and therefore, He will not have them counted as an earthly army, for, typically, heaven is their home. And in the picture, He would have us see, in this first chapter of Numbers, the Levites are the same people as the already counted twelve tribes. So the Christian has two sides,—that towards God, and that towards the world. In both he must be what the Word of God will make him. You cannot he a Christian by trying to be one.