Prepare
Opening Prayer
Father, thank you for this day and your Word. Help us read and understand it, and instruct not only our minds but our lives; teach us to love you. In Jesus' name, amen.
Read
Scripture Passage
The almost full census 32 These are the ones who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses. All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. 33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses. 34 Thus the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; so they camped by their standards and so they broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers’ houses. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Nu 2:32-34
A — About
What Is This Passage About?
The chapter concludes with 603,550 numbered fighting men, the Levites excluded as commanded, and Israel obediently camping and marching by tribal standards and families.
B — Best Verse
A Verse That Summarizes the Passage
Numbers 2:34
Distilled from the devotional exposition; the speaker did not explicitly name a best verse.
Bryan does not explicitly select a best verse. Verse 34 captures his emphasis on Israel's obedience to God's commanded census, encampment, and marching order.
C — Called or Christ
C — Called to Do
Live in the light of God's promised presence. Obey the covenant King, walk in the ways he has shown, and seek to bring him glory throughout your life.
Devotional Study
Transcript of the devotion. Minor transcription errors may remain.
hey hey good morning good morning welcome to coffee and devotions this where every day you and I we get together we have a little bit of coffee we get into God's word we grow in our love for the Lord together and this year 2024 Lord willing will'll make it through Numbers Deuteronomy and through the book of Hebrews also glad to be with you today let's have some coffee we'll pray and we'll get into God's word let's pray father we thank you so much for this day we thank you for your word please father help us to read it please help us to understand it and father we pray that you would not just let it teach us in our minds but also instruct us in our lives teach us to love you in Jesus's name amen okay so we are finishing up the Book of Numbers Chapter 2 so chapter 2 not the book of numbers but Numbers Chapter 2 here we go these are the ones who were numbered of the children of Israel by their father's houses all who were numbered according to their armies or the forces were 6 3,550 but the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel just as the Lord commanded Moses thus the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses so they camped by their standards and so they broke Camp each one by his family according to their father's houses so here they obeyed right the Lord told them to do a census to Camp by their tribes and the Lord did this and the numbers are massive right now I could get why people say ah this causes problems right the numbers are so big and and there's there's textual problems with this may maybe thousands just meant troops something like that or or units and I understand that I'm just not convinced of it because it seems to be a very clear historical document but I I understand why people would have sensitivities towards that all that to say there are some interesting things here right number one that they obey right the L I think this is a historical truth this is not just a a fanciful story I don't think it's just myth and so this God gives this to us to the people of Israel through Moses and they obey right that's a miracle in and of itself that they obey and it's interesting too right some of the rabbis think that when it says that they were underneath their standards it's possible that the the standards were different colors maybe they have an emblem on them I don't know maybe they had a writing on them you know Camp of Dan or something I don't know uh but they some rabbis think that the colors matched the different stones that were going to be in Aaron's breastplate right that had the 12 different stones on it we don't know that for certain but that's what some of the rabbis think maybe that could have been and it sure it could have been who knows what was on these standards but it was clear they knew what army they were a part of what tribe they were a part of and who they were going to be with the point here is right God commanded Israel obeyed God made a covenant with Abraham all the way back right go all the way back to to Genesis 12 Genesis CH 15 Genesis CH 17 God made a covenant and God made it good he hadn't forgotten and now there's 63,000 fighting men even if you just take this as these are tribes right you still got tens of thousands of fighting people Ready for War the Lord is good he remembers his Covenant he redeemed his people and now is in the heart of his people he's in the midst of them as they're encamped around the center around the Tabernacle around the tent of meeting it's there that God's presence is with them as they March God marches with them he's never going to leave them he's never going to forsake them he's fighting for them as their Covenant King and so we have to ask ourselves are we are we part of his people has he numbered us has he adopted us has he elected us has he chosen us to be with him is he in our midst today hope that's true of your life and hope you live your life in the same type of obedience that the people had here being numbered by Moses for this first census of the fighting men let's pray father we thank you so much for the presence you have promised us and the presence you have given us Lord we pray that we would walk knowing that you are with us that our entire lives would be lived in the light of your promise of who you are as our covenant King and that we would walk in the ways that you have shown us we pray these things in Jesus's name amen well may God bless you may you take enjoyment in in in your God and in bringing God glory in your life I'll see you next time bye thanks for listening to this week's message from God's word for you a Ministry of sharing RP 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 Sharon rc.org we'd love to invite you to worship with us our worship time is 10:00 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue Morning Sun Iowa 52640 may God richly bless you this week [Music]