Numbers 1:1-54

 

I.      Introduction.

A.  Course of Events.

1.   The tabernacle is completed at the end of the book of Exodus.

2.   The book of Leviticus is given no more than a 30 day period.

3.      Num. 9:1 - The first month of the second year the Passover is observed.  (The first Passover was observed in Egypt.)

4.      Num. 1-8 - The arrangement of the Camp of Israel.

5.      Num. 10:11 - Israel leaves Mt. Sinai on the way to the promised land.  (Compare Ex. 19:1 - They came to Sinai on the same day they left Egypt {at midnight on the 14th after the lamb was eaten, facing 7 days of unleavened bread}, except in the 3rd month.)

B.   The book of Numbers.

1.   So named because it contains two census.  (Chapter 1 and 26).

2.   The book of Numbers covers about 40 years.  There is detail of about 2 years, there is a gap between chapter 19 and 20 of about 37 years.

3.      This is a book of walking by sight, not by faith.  A book of rebellion and judgment (paying for sins.)

4.   All places of travel are not mentioned, for they are in rebellion.

 

II.   The numbering of Israel - takes place immediately after the passover is observed for the second time.

A.  A chain of command is established.

1.      Verse 3 - Moses and Aaron is in charge of everything.  The specific command is to number the able bodied fighting men of Israel (from the age of 20 and upward, that are able to go to war).

2.      One man (the head of that tribe is chosen from each tribe.

a.   The tribe of Levi is not included because they are not to go to war.  They are to continue the worship of God that Israel might have the victory.

b.   Joseph is divided between his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

3.      Verse 17-19 - If we compare these verses with Numbers 10:11-13, we are lead to the conclusion that the work of census taking is not limited to Moses and Aaron and the 12 chosen men.  The work is distributed to all the people of Israel, thus the work was finished (and some other work was finished) in twenty days.

4.      Verse 19 - As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

a.      It is important to note that it isn’t wrong to number the Israelites.

b.      It isn’t wrong to know how many Israelites there are that are able to go to war.

c.      We should all count the cost before entering into any project.  Luke 14:28.

d.      II Sam. 24:1 - It was wrong for David to number Israel because he wasn’t doing it for the right reason.

B.    The numbering itself.  The wording is the same for all tribes.

 

1.

Verse 20,21

Reuben

46,500

2.

Verse 22,23

Simeon

59,300

3.

Verse 24,25

Gad

45,650

4.

Verse 26,27

Judah

74,600

5.

Verse 28,29

Issachar

54,400

6.

Verse 30,31

Zebulun

57,400

7.

Verse 32,33

Ephraim

40,500

8.

Verse 34,35

Manasseh

32,200

9.

Verse 36,37

Benjamin

35,400

10.

Verse 38,39

Dan

62,700

11.

Verse 40,41

Asher

41,500

12.

Verse 42,43

Naphtali

53,400

Totals

Verse 45-46

Total

603,550

 

C.   A total population of about 2 million is very conservative.  If each warrior had a wife and two children, the total population would be about 2.5 million.  But most couples had more than two children, and the men that were unable to go to war (not including Levites) were not counted.

D.  Verse 47-51 - The Levites shall not be numbered for their job is to keep the worship in the Tabernacle.  All that interfere with their work shall be put to death.

E.   Verse 52-54 - The command for everybody to be in their own place.  This adverts the judgment of God.  The exact thing hold true in churches today.