Numbers 2

Introduction*

Even though we should be moving into 2 Chronicles tonight, I want instead to spend time in Numbers 2.

And my reasoning is this: 1 Chronicles gave us the family work structure that David established in his kingdom … David recognized that with God growing his kingdom, he needed to organize things.

And Ezra wanted to give the returning exiles he was writing to the knowledge they needed to do the same based on the family responsibilities dating to David, but also much further back to the Exodus.

In like manner, the LORD Jesus, through His Apostles, established order within the church.

Many people claim that too much order threatens to push the Holy Spirit out of things, meaning too much order can stifle spontaneity.

But, it is actually a difficulty to refer to the Holy Spirit as operating in spontaneity, when God knows all things and all things are according to His will … in other words, God operates in His order.

The Holy Spirit, Who is the third person of the godhead, does nothing apart from The Father and The Son.

So then, the Holy Spirit does not operate in willy-nilly spontaneous fashion, but according to the will of the Father … and the Holy Spirit will, like the Bible, always point us toward Jesus.

Many people try to use the Holy Spirit as an excuse for their own foolish behavior which draws attention to the person rather than to Christ.

That cannot be … and is not the Holy Spirit.

God has, like the Israelites ordered the church and given individuals different jobs within the church.

But, like Israel, God has given the church one particular ultimate task … and that is to put the Gospel on display before the world.

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God is a God of order and pattern, though, as we’ve discussed in the past God will hide Himself and His word behind what seems to be random.

Usually, He does that when responding to human rebellion against Him.

I think a great example of this is found in Exodus in the plagues God sent upon Egypt when Moses contended with the Pharaoh over the captivity of Israel.

We can read that account and because we are looking at it in scripture from an outside perspective we might conclude that Pharaoh was just ignorant or daff ... Because in the midst of these plagues, he seemed to recognize the hand of God in them, but then after the fact would harden his heart and deny God’s work.

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I’m pretty sure that while during the plague Pharaoh may have understood that God’s hand was in it ... Acting against Egypt on behalf of Israel ...

After the fact, Pharaoh would convince himself that the plague was a random event or even a trick, and not the work of God ... Because to a certain point his own sorcerers could pretend to replicate the plague and offer up explanations for how it happened.

We saw something very similar play out in our lifetimes ...

Think back to August 29th of 2005 when the deadliest and most destructive hurricane since 1928 struck Louisiana, sending water 8-12 miles inland ... Causing the levee system in New Orleans to fail, flooding 80% of the city and outlying areas and killing over 1,800 people.

Immediately following that event, there was the suspicion among people that God’s hand was at work, chastising this nation for her rebellion against Him … yet not soon after, that event was relegated to being some random weather phenomenon.

Think back to September 11th, 2001 and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center buildings, bringing the two large buildings crashing down and killing over 3000 people.

Immediately following those attacks, churches were filled as people cried out to God for protection and forgiveness and yet within a year ... Most of those had once again rejected God and decided the terrorist attack was just a random terrorist attack.

It will be interesting to see what happens when this Covid pandemic eases up.

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Indeed, God does often hide Himself and His chastisement behind what appears to be random or natural phenomenon.

As people continue to harden their hearts against Him, as that Pharaoh did, each subsequent act of God looks more like randomness.

Yet, those whose hearts are soft toward the Lord recognize that He does allow calamity to befall those who reject Him ... He will pull back His hand of protection so that the object of His love will be chastised and turn back to Him.

Speaking to the church, Jesus said:

Revelation 3:19 NKJV

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

Jesus said this to the Church at Sardis which, in the book of Revelation is symbolic of the Protestant church.

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The city of Sardis was set on a hill, had only one entrance, and was considered to be impenetrable and yet had fallen twice because of guards that had fallen asleep.

In this letter to Sardis, Jesus basically says, “You need to wake up” and “You need to live up to your own publicity ...”

There is an interesting trend among churches these days to use catchy action names like “Alive Church” and “Courageous Church” and “Action Church” ...

... And churches have become very good at using Social Media and hype to create an appearance of being “The Church that Does Everything” and “The Church that is Going to Change the World” ...

... Yet many of these churches are about Pragmatism or the idea that if it works, then it must be right, whether it contradicts the Bible or not.

It may increases their influence in the community but at the cost of watering down the gospel ... And so, what slips in through the gates are teachings and works that are more about people, society and new cultural relevance than about Jesus and the gospel.

And so Jesus says to the church, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

Do not read below:

Revelation 3:1–2 NKJV

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

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In tonight’s message ... Among other things we are going to look at duty.

God organized Israel and assigned duties.

And God has organized the church and assigned duties … but we are all called to a primary duty.

That primary duty is what is found in Matthew 28:

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

It is impossible to make disciples of Christ without holding to the full counsel of God and teaching the un-compromised gospel.

And I believe that there are many on again off again wishy washy Christians who will run to church when disaster strikes and then fall away ... because after years of on again off again obedience and rebellion, they have hardened their hearts to God.

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Looking back to the Pharaoh, I believe that God was reaching out to him and to Egypt, giving them many chances to repent and turn to Him ...

... Yet they refused and with each subsequent refusal, their hearts were hardened and God allowed their hearts to grow hard until even after all the firstborn had died ...

... And when Israel was released to leave, the army of Egypt chased them down only to be destroyed.

When those walls of water of the Red Sea which God had held back to allow Israel to escape came crashing down on them as God withdrew His hand and allowed a catastrophe of water to destroy the army.

God contends with man to repent and turn to Him, but there comes a time when there are no more chances.

I wonder if back in Egypt the destruction of the army was relegated to being a random natural disaster.

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I believe we see God’s hand at work today and I also believe that many Christians are not seeing it because they have hardened their hearts.

I’m saddened by the blindness that I am seeing in the people of this country ... Spiritual blindness and willful ignorance of sin and the consequences of sin.

But God may yet get our attention and there may well be a great revival in this nation ... What that’s going to take is not big church, but big Christians.

Big Christians who will live their faith before others, marching it out in their lives where people look at them and see the gospel portrayed before them, not distracted by endless conspiracy theories, but keeping our primary duty at the forefront.

The church should be marching as if in the formation of the cross of Christ.

And so with a few hints and allusions to what we are going to discover in tonight’s study, let’s dig into the second chapter and probably the third chapter of Numbers.

But first, let’s pray:

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Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for everyone here this evening. Thank You that You know each of us by name and have caused us to walk with You. Lord, we open up Your word desiring to hear from You ... not man's word or wisdom, but Your Words and Wisdom. Please soften our hearts to receive from You.

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V1-2

At this point after leaving Egypt Israel had been traveling for more than a year.

During this time, they had assembled pretty much however they wanted to.

But now, God is preparing them to enter into the promised land and is instructing them on organization.

We need to take note here that there was a “Bakers Dozen” of 13 tribes of Israel rather than 12 ... and no, I’m not speaking of there being some lost tribe of Israel.

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The phrase, “A bakers dozen” came about from an edict of King Henry III that brought sever penalties against any baker who cheated customers ...

... And so bakers would thrown in one extra to insure against being accused of cheating someone.

Okay, we have this bakers dozen of tribes of Israel ... Why is it then that we only see twelve tribes listed in the Bible?

Well, hang with me here and we’ll figure this out .

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Jacob had twelve sons, each becoming the founder of one of the twelve tribes.

The twelve tribes are: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin.

Now, remember that Joseph was sold into slavery and subsequently emerged as the prime minister of Egypt.

While in Egypt, Joseph married Asenath and had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Then, when Jacob brought the family to Egypt to escape the famine, Jacob adopted Joseph’s two sons as his own.

And so, alternating between Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, we have this bakers dozen of 13 total tribes.

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The twelve tribes of Israel are listed twenty times in the Old Testament.

They are listed by mother, by their numeration, by their encampment, their order of march, and their geographical relations ...

... and, in the New Testament, in Revelation 7, we find the 12 seemingly listed in random order.

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Now, let me also point out that in Revelation 7 as well as other listings, we find the tribe of Dan omitted and one of the two sons of Joseph added in.

In Judges 18, we find that the tribe of Dan was the first to fall into Idolatry ... and they reveled in it ...

... and as a result we find in the scriptures that the tribe of Dan is often omitted ... The names of his sons omitted in genealogies, as well as being mentioned last.

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In Revelation 7 where it lists the number of those sealed from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, Dan is omitted and Manasseh included instead.

But, there is a great picture of grace in this ... You see, while the tribe of Dan didn’t deserve to be included ...

... In the final chapter of Ezekiel, chapter 48, which is about the time when Jesus is in His kingdom.

... God's city will have a new name, YHVH Shammah ... The LORD is There.

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Included in this chapter is the last listing of the tribes of Israel ... when God is listing out the division of property ... and do you know who is listed first?

Dan.

You see, when we might look at someone and say, they went too far ... They are hopelessly lost ...

... Even when all the signs indicate their doom to be true ...

... God steps in and pours out His undeserved grace.

Perhaps that’s a good reminder to those of us who have friends and family who are rejecting God and living a lifestyle of idolatry.

Don’t give up on them ... God is in the business of showing grace to all who call on the Name of Jesus.

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Back to the Bakers Dozen, nearly each time we find the tribes listed in the Bible, they are listed in a different order, but each time totaling twelve tribes.

That’s because of God creating this “bakers dozen” of tribes ...

The Levites were exempt from military duties, so when Israel is listed in marching order, there are only 12 tribes listed because Levi didn’t march and ...

... The tribe of Joseph is divided into two, Ephraim and Manasseh and those are alternately used in listings of the twelve.

(Levi is thus omitted on four occasions. In a similar manner, Dan is omitted on three occasions, the most notable one in Revelation 7.)

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You may find this interesting and encouraging ... The listing in Revelation seven may seem to be without a particular order ...

... But that’s because we don’t speak Hebrew.

When you read that list of names according to what their names meant in Biblical Hebrew, you find this:

Judah: Praise the Lord

Reuben: He has looked on my affliction (and)

Gad: Granted good fortune

Asher: Happy am I,

Napthali: My wrestling

Manasseh: has made me forget my sorrow.

Simeon: God hears me

Levi: has joined me

Issachar: purchased me (and)

Zebulun: exalted me (by)

Joseph: adding to me

Benjamin: the Son of His right hand.

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So, back to our text, the tribes were commanded to pitch their tents around, but not real near to the Tabernacle ... This was to make room for the camps of the Levites.

V3-16

God told them to camp with the Tabernacle in the middle, in the four cardinal directions ...

... according to their banners and according to their houses, with space between them and the Tabernacle.

To the East was The Camp of Judah and the tribes that were to camp there were Judah, Issachar and Zebulon, totaling 186,400 people capable of battle.

This was the first to break camp whenever God told Israel to pick up camp and move to a new location.

Their tribal standard was the Lion.

To the South was the camp of Reuben and the tribes that were to camp there were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, totaling 151,400 people capable of battle.

This was the second to break camp when God told Israel to move.

Their tribal standard was Man.

V 17-31

The Tribe of Levi, who were the priests serving in the Tabernacle camped in the middle of the other camps with the Tabernacle.

They were to pack up and take with them all the things of the Tabernacle and were to travel remaining in the middle of the camps.

In fact, all of Israel was to travel in the same manner and position in which they made camp according to their standards, with the tabernacle and the Levites in the middle.

On the west side was the camp of Ephraim and the tribes that were to camp there were Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, totaling 108,100 people capable of battle.

They were to be the third to break camp when God told Israel to move.

Their tribal standard was the Ox.

On the North side was the camp of Dan and the tribes that were to camp there were Dan, Naphtali and Asher, totaling 157,600 people capable of battle.

They were to break camp last and their standard was the Eagle.

V32-34

All of these things are very interesting and demonstrate how God cares for and instructs those who are His ...

... And we can see that God is a God of order, design and pattern ...

... Yet there seems to be something even more interesting about the order and design which God commands them to camp and to travel in.

First, let’s take note of these tribe standards, the lion, the man, the ox and the eagle.

In the Manner in which the tribes camped, starting from the East we have the Lion, in the West the Ox, in the South, the Man and in the North the eagle.

They are the same four faces that Ezekiel describes on the Cherubim in his vision recorded in Ezekiel 10.

Do not read below:

Ezekiel 10:14 NKJV

Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

And we find these same images in the description of cherubim around the throne of God in Revelation 4.

Do not read below:

Revelation 4:6–7 ESV

and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.

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Each time we encounter a view of the throne of God, we notice these cherubim somehow involved in the guarding of His throne and proclamation of His Holiness.

It would seem that the order of the camp of Israel, with the tabernacle in the middle, is a picture or even a model of the throne of God.

We have His presence in the center (the Tabernacle), encircled by the four faces, and all surrounded by His people.

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Now, it’s also interesting that from the early church age, each of the four gospels has been associated with each of these four standards.

In Matthew, we are presented with Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

In Mark, we are presented with Jesus as the suffering servant or the Ox.

In Luke, we are presented with Jesus as the Son of Man.

And in John, we are presented with Jesus as the Exalted One or the Eagle.

Christians also, as being Christ Like, bear some resemblance to these four standards ...

We have delegated authority and a message from the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

As for the standard of the Ox, we are made new creations in Christ to serve.

Dwight Moody once said, “The measure of a person is not how many servants he has, but how many people he serves.”

The standard of the man shows that we are ambassadors of Christ to mankind and we are commissioned for this work and have no need to fear.

We can serve God as we are without having to put on a mask or pretend to be someone else.

Finally, just as the Eagle is free to fly so Christians are free from the bondage of sin and death and free to live for Christ.

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Those are some pretty awesome things, but there's even more.

I find there to be one more unanswered question.

Why the specific numbers for the encampments and why retain that structure both when camped and when marching?

Well, again God is a God of order and pattern and many times we find, after we have kept His instruction, that His instructions were more than we thought.

We’ve seen how some of the parables and other teachings of Jesus seem to operate on more levels than just face value ...

But instead seem to ascend with truth stacked on top of truth ... And we see this same pattern throughout scripture.

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It’s what is sometimes called the Holographic Nature of the Bible.

Holograms have a very interesting quality to them in that information can be removed from them and the hologram will still retain the full image.

In much the same way, the Bible that we possess has this nature to it.

The gospel is in every piece and part of the Bible.

You can remove any part of the Bible and you still have the fullness of God’s gospel in it’s pages.

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And so, what we are about to see in the camps of Israel and in their marching structure is really quite remarkable.

You, see, it just so happens that when you consider the numbers of people in each camp, and their placement around the Tabernacle ...

... and visualize just what that camping and marching order would look like from a distance ...

... That you find the cross.

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And in like manner, people should be able to look at our lives and see the cross ... To see the gospel played out and demonstrated ...

... To see God at work in us producing Christlikeness, to see our deeds matching up to our words ...

... To see salvation being worked out in our lives, producing good fruit and casting light into darkness so that as we Christian soldiers march ...

... The world sees the cross of Christ.

So, Israel would camp in the fashion of the cross.

Which it so happens is also the form of the throne room of God as depicted in Revelation 4.

The Gospel is on every page of scripture … it is given not only in words but in pattern.

And we could learn something about how we are to live our lives … putting the Gospel on display to the world, both in the pattern of our lives, in word and in deed.

Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your love. We thank You for Your grace. We thank You for Your mercy. Your name is holy in our hearts and we pray that Your name would be holy in all the world, to all people and in all nations. Lord, we pray for the leaders of this nation … that You would be holy in their hearts. As a church body, we desire Your kingdom and we seek to do Your will. You have provided, and we know that You will continue to provide according to our needs and we thank You. As You love us, teach us to love one another. And as You have forgiven us, help us to forgive one another. Lord, help us to have our treasures in heaven, rather than seeking after our selves here on earth. We ask that You would establish us in all good things. We ask that You would guard our hearts and keep our hands from evil and that You would protect us from the deceptions of our enemy the devil. Thank You for the trials that You graciously see us and grow us through. May You be glorified in our trials. Thank You for being our Great High Priest. Lord, we place ourselves before you to do Your will. Lead us in victory, and use us to spread knowledge of Jesus Christ to the unsaved world.