Numbers 1:1-54

Don’t you just love the start of a new book of Scripture?

👉 The opening words of the book of Numbers…

“The Lord spoke to Moses…”

How often have we read those words in Scripture – “The Lord spoke…”?

I can’t help but wonder if we have lost the wonder of it.

The God who spoke creation into existence – the God who spoke to the raging sea – the God who, with a word, called dead men back to life – that same God speaks to his people.

Right there – in the middle of a wilderness – somewhere in between the bondage of Egypt and the blessing of the Promised Land – somewhere in between deliverance and delight – there in the midst of the already but not yet – already in the Kingdom but not yet in glory – right there…The Lord spoke.

👉 He told them to count their men.

No surprise here, right? That the book of Numbers would begin with…numbers.

There are a lot of men over the age of 20 – 603,550 to be exact. These men are evidence of the faithfulness of God who promised Abraham descendants as numerous as the grains of sand.

I also like to think that it was a beautiful reminder – there in the midst of a desert – that God was aware of each individual person. We are not a mass of nameless faces to our Father. He knows us individually and he sees each of us as if we were the only one.

👉 Interesting Information

• Judah was the largest tribe. David and Jesus would come from this line.
• Joseph was given a double portion (Genesis 48:5). So Ephraim and Manasseh are both the tribe of Joseph.
• The tribe of Levi are set apart as priests responsible for the care of the tabernacle and are not counted among the men able to go to war.

This book is going to be good, friends.

You are loved.