Numbers 10:11-28

Hey, hey, good morning, good morning, good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions is where every day you and I, we get together. We have a little bit of coffee. We get into God's word and we grow in our love for the Lord together. And this year, 2023, Lord willing, we'll make it through the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy and Hebrews. So glad to be with you today. Why don't we have some coffee? We'll pray. We'll get into God's word. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for what a blessing it is to get to read your Word. Please help us now as we read it to understand it. Please care for us. Lord, we pray that you would please teach us and apply it to our lives in Jesus' name. Amen.
Well, hey, before I forget, uh, Presbytery starts tomorrow. And so, well, maybe in two days, something like that. But anyways, I'm going to be out of town for a while, busy at Presbytery. So I probably, maybe, I don't know, won't, I can't guarantee nothing. Right, so I don't know if I'll be able to get to this this week while I'm on the road or not. If I am, that'll be bonus material. If I cannot, then we'll be back together sometime next week. So why don't we go ahead and open and got the word now for this time in Numbers chapter 10. Numbers chapter 10, and let's see here, we are reading verses 11 through 28. Here we go, Numbers chapter 10, beginning at verse 11.
Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month in the second year that the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel set out from the wilderness of Sinai on their journeys. Then the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. So they started out for the first time according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses. The standard of the camp of the children of Judah set out first according to their armies. Over their army was Nashon, the son of Amenadab. Over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nathaniel, the son of Zohar. And over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab, the son of Helen.
Then the tabernacle was taken down. And the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle. And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out, according to their armies. Over their army was Eleazar the son of Shadur, over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shulmiel the son of Zerushadai, and over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaf the son of Duul. Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things. The tabernacle would be prepared for their arrival.
And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set out according to their armies. Over their army was Elishamah, the son of Ammihad. Over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel, the son of Pahadahazzar. And over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidin, the son of Gideon. Then the standard of the camp of the children of Dan, the rearguard of all the camps, set out according to their armies. Over their army was Ahisr, the son of Amishadai. Over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel, the son of Okron. and over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Anan. Thus was the order of the march of the children of Israel according to their armies, and they began their journey. Well, we need to ask ourselves our normal questions. A, what is this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize this? And C, what are we called to do about this? What is this about? Well, we have been dealing with a long time, right?
I'm talking about like, Before Exodus chapter 20 when they came to the Mount Sinai and they heard the Ten Commandments from the mouth of the Lord, right? Before that they had been there at the Mount and for this whole time, whole year, They've been making the tabernacle, doing the stuff, but they've been camping in one spot. I mean, by this point, the KOA is giving you the eviction notice, right? You've been here too long. But the Lord, the cloud lifts. It's the first time it's happened. They had set up the tabernacle, the fire came down, the cloud descended, and they were there for a year.
And this was the first time we had, in the first part of Numbers, dealt with the order of the camps and how this was going to happen. And now Judah arises. And then after him, the Mararites and the Gershonites, right? So the Eastern camp arises and goes, and then the Levites go with the tabernacle stuff. And then after them, the next guard goes, right? Another three tribes begin their march. And after that, the Kohathites go. and they're the ones who are on their shoulders, right, with the acacia poles, overlaid with gold, carrying the showbread, overlaid with the different types, or covered over with the different types of furs and fabrics and things like that, because if the Kohathites even looked upon the stuff, they would die. And then after them comes another guard, and then Dan brings up the rear guard, and it's the first march. And listen to the God. God was leading them. He was the one who was commanding his forces to get up and go, and they went. They obeyed him. They went when he went.
What's the best verse to summarize this? Well, in my Bible, I would probably underline verse 28. Thus was the order of the march of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they began their journey. Isn't that interesting? Now their journey begins. It was a flight out of Egypt. Now they're an army. It was just a mob of people coming out with Moses. But now they're ordered by ranks, by families, by camps. They have their marching orders and they have their leader, the God of Israel, their Redeemer himself.
How does this apply to us? What's your place in God's kingdom? Where are you in the marching orders? When he says go, do you listen? When he says arise, do you go? When you are called and you're sent, are you like Jonah and you say, no, I don't want to go there and you run the other way? Or do you follow his leading? When you read in his word, The ways in which he tells us now we are the church militant. Here we go. Fighting against sin. Fighting against...
The rulers and the principalities of this world and the ruler of the air, Satan himself, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ, are your feet shod with the gospel of peace? Have you donned the armor of God? Do you wear that helmet of salvation? Have you strapped on that breastplate of righteousness? Do you take up your shield of faith? Is your waist girded with a belt of truth? Is your hand upon the sword of the Spirit, His very own word? Are you ready to march out with His people? Are you ready to follow your God into this world, knowing that He's doing an amazing work?
Let's pray. Father, we thank you that you have called us. Lord, we don't fight against flesh and blood. But Lord, we seek to follow you. We seek to walk in your ways. Lord, we pray that you would please help us to know where the battles are and to know that our commander-in-chief, Jesus Christ, gives us our marching orders. has promised us victory and leads your army. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Well, may God bless you. May you follow after your King of Kings, your Lord of Lords, your Prince of Peace, the Commander of Righteousness, and the Redeemer of your soul. I'll see you next time. Bye.
Thanks for listening to this week's message from God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in rural southeast Iowa. We pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith and your life this week. If you'd like to get more information about us, feel free to go to the website, SharonRPC.org. We'd love to invite you to worship with us. Our worship time is 10 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue. Morning Sun, Iowa, 52640. May God richly bless you this week.