Numbers 1:1-4:20
Hosea 2:1 – 22
John 1 - 2

BeMidbar – “In the Desert”
Being Numbered for War

The book of Numbers begins with, “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head.” This is one of the few times in the Scriptures that Yahweh takes a census of His people. This Scripture portion study will reflect on the numbers and what they means and then ultimately what they mean to us as a people set apart to the One, True and Living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The first point that I noticed in this teaching that Yahweh, who rarely outwardly numbers His people and of course we know that it is not for Him but for us and His enemies, charges Moses to count the males of the children of Israel. He makes it very clear in Zechariah 4:6, it’s not by might nor by power, but by His Spirit that things occur. So again Yahweh numbering is not for Him, but for those who are not Him to see and experience how He accomplishes all things by His Spirit. Saying that let’s get into the deeper ‘sod’ level of this Scripture portion. Let’s begin with the gemetria:

Position of the Tribes around the mobile Tabernacle:

East side (Moves out first) - Yehudah next to him is Yissaskar and then Zebulun Total Army on East 186,400 Calculated down 10

South side – (Moves out Second) Re’ubĕn, next to him is Shimon and then Gad Total Army on South 151,450 Calculated down 7

West side – (Moves out Third) Ephrayim next to him is Menashsheh and then Binyamin Total Army on West 108,100 Calculated down 10

North side – (Moves out Last) Dan next to him Ashĕr and then Naphtali Total Army 157,600 Calculated down 10

Notice that the calculated down numbers are ten and seven which ten always refers to testing and trials as in the ten plagues placed on Egypt, the Ten Commandments or Table of Contents, the ten tribes that broke away in rebellion to make the northern kingdom of Israel in 930 B.C. Then the number seven always represents Yahweh and the Work of His Hand i.e., the seven days of creation, in Judges 6:1 Yahweh gave the children of Israel over to the Medians for seven years because they did evil in His Sight, The word Sabbath means seven as this is the day that Yahweh proclaimed as the day of rest, and finally there are seven messengers that bring seven bowls and there are seven plagues to come according to the book of Revelation. Looking at the numbers ten and seven in reference to the mobile tabernacle and the tribes, It states emphatically that Yahweh is making a statement that He is counting Israel and that Israel is being tested and tried while in the desert.

The Levites are not included in these numbers as they are the ‘given’ ones to Aaron and His sons for the work of the ministry of the tabernacle (In Hebrew ‘nathan’ Brown-Driver Briggs Lexicon 5414 which
means to: give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend, appoint or assign), but Yahweh states in Numbers 3:10 the priest are to guard their priesthood or duty and if a stranger comes near the priesthood or duty then the stranger is put to death. I think that this speaks volumes concerning the duty of the priest, first that they are regarded as being The Almighty’s and that Yahweh is their inheritance, which means total provision for them and that Father esteems their position greatly as He would put to death anyone who attempts to disregard their position of favor. This does not mean that they are elevated above the Law, but it means that they are held to a higher standard according to the Law as the Scripture states in Luke 12:48, “And everyone to whom much is given, from him much shall be demanded. And to whom much has been entrusted, from him much more shall be asked.” So the priests always pay the highest penalty they always give the greater sacrifice. Being esteemed highly in Father’s Eyes will cost you something…food for thought.

Let us continue and break down the priest’s numbers. Notice in the reading that the other tribes are registered for war from 20 years old (every male) and above, but the Levites are registered from 1 month old up. Why, because they are born into their duty as Father selected that tribe for Himself. In the book of Exodus, Moses comes down the mountain and the people are worshiping a golden calf. He destroys the calf and grinds it into powder puts it in the water for them to drink and then after a short while those whose bellies swell and their thigh rots (according to the laws of jealousy read Numbers 5 Chapter) would be in contempt and those would be the ones who took part in the golden calf incident, but what happens next was what esteemed the Levities, In Exodus 32:26 Moses ask” Who is for Yahweh, come to me” the Levities stepped out and further in that same chapter Moses says that they are ordained to Yahweh since they stepped out and destroyed anyone who was in contempt of the Law. So the sons of Levi have been set apart for a great work.

Gĕreshon – 7,500 – Camped behind the Dwelling Place Westward
Duty - The Dwelling Place tent with its covering, and the covering of the door of the Tent of Meeting and the screens of the courtyard and the covering of the door of the courtyard, which is around the Dwelling Place and the altar, and their cords, according to all its service

Qehath – 8,600 - Camp on the South side
Duty - The Ark with the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the utensils of the set-apart place used in the service, and the covering, and all its service

Merari – 6,200 - Camp on the North side
Duty - The Boards of the Dwelling Place, and its bars, and its columns, and its sockets, and its utensils, and all its service, and the columns of the courtyard all around, with their sockets, and their pegs, and their cords.

Adding all of them together calculates down to 7 set apart to Yahweh.

Mosheh and Aharon – Camped on the east in front of the dwelling Place
All the first-born males – 22,273 Calculated down = 7

All of this counting will make your head swim, but Yahweh did this for two reasons; 1. To show the enemy that He was the God above all others and it was not a huge army that had defeated them, but a small one, and 2. To show Israel that they were not to look at the number and they were not victorious because of who they were but because of Whose they were. As long as they were obedient they would not loose one. No matter how great the opposing army was the Israelites were victorious. This tells us that no matter what the battle is; Yahweh will always be the Triumphant One. If we are truly on His side and belong to Him then we will be victorious. The problem rises when we think that we are fighting the battle or we are in covenant with someone/thing else. We have to know Who we are in Covenant with and who is the Master. The numbers seven and ten are perfect in this Scripture portion because it shows that they were fitted for war by Yahweh and that they were going to be tested and tried to prove themselves to trust Yahwheh and follow His commands so that they would be victorious. This is so powerful to me, as we go through tests and trials we have to know that if we understand that Yahweh is in control then we will always be victorious in battle because we are being fitted and counted for war.

The Covenant of Yahweh is Clear and Pure and if we want to be in covenant with Him so that He will fight the battles of life; we have to follow the rules that He has set in place, and they are for our victory. We benefit from following them. He makes the rules, we follow them and we get the victory, HalleluYah! Father speaks into our future in the book of Hosea 2:19, “And I shall take you as a bride unto Me forever, and take you as a bride unto Me in righteousness, and in right-ruling, and kindness and compassion. Notice that He does not say that He will take us in kindness and compassion which translates to ‘grace’ only, but that He will take us in righteousness which is His Law and Right-Ruling which is His Judgment. Too many times we think that we only get the grace part, but this is not so…Rabbi Shaul (Paul) states in Romans 6:1, “What, then, shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, to let favour (grace) increase? Let it not be.” He goes on to say, how will we who have died to sin still live in it? So now I ask you what is sin…sin is anything outside of God’s Commandments, if you are living outside of the Laws of God you are living in sin, for His Laws and His Word are synonymous they can not be divided. Messiah said in Matthew 12:25, “a House divided against itself can not stand.” Father’s House stands forever and His Word is Him as stated in John 1:1, 4, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim…In Him was life, and the life was the ‘light’ of men.” Since the heavens and earth have not passed away we know that not one jot or tittle of His Word has been made void.

Light – Greek is Phos pronounced foce. This word actually means light as a heavenly light such as
The light that surrounds angels when they appear on earth also of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it, and the power of understanding especially moral and spiritual truth. This completely describes the Laws of Yahweh/Yahshuah.

The Hebrew word for Regulation/Law, knowledge and Wisdom is ‘Dath’ and Yahweh says in
Deuteronomy 4:5 -6 “See, I have taught you laws and right-rulings, as Yahweh my Elohim commanded me, to do thus in the land which you go to possess. And you shall guard and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these laws, and they shall say, ‘Only a wise and understanding people is this great nation!” The Light is the Truth and it is Father’s Word/Law. It rules and was in the beginning and will be forever.

Psalm 119:11 I have treasured up Your “word” in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
Psalm 119:80 Let my heart be perfect in Your “laws”, So that I am not put to shame.
(Word in this Scripture means Torah or Laws, and Laws/Statutes mean decrees and laws)


Blessings and Shalom!

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Replies to This Discussion

Great teaching ! We bless the LORD for Him choosing us and not man into the marvelous Light!
Shalom!

Blessings on you! We have been called in His Light and not the light of man. His Commandments are Light and they keep us in right relationship with our Wonderful Maker. HalleluYah!

Blessings and Shalom!
Shalom again, you have great 'Dath' :-) Thank you for the enlightenment. It is quite nourishing, encouraging, and liberating.

Numbers the chapter that has always been tedious to look forward to reading will no longer be that way in my eyes. Like I said before, Scripture proclaims 'All Scripture profitable' and once more you've proved it. Wow! :-)

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