Numbers 1:17-54: From freedom to war

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The lists of numbers in the book of Numbers can be somewhat overwhelming. The first chapters are talking about how they are to count and assemble an army, not the entire community. We don’t pay attention to Numbers 1 because it is “just a bunch of names and a bunch of numbers,” but these were real men who had to be ready to fight in a real war (Num. 1:17-54).

This verse struck me like a bolt of lightning:

“So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,” (Numbers 1:17 NASB)

This is why I went through all the trouble to go through each man’s name on this list (Numbers 1:1-16) last week. The meaning of their names and their order tells us all about the Messiah. 

The purpose of this list is shown in Numbers 1:20 where it says: 

“Now the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,…” (Numbers 1:20 NASB)

In a spiritual sense, we are to always to be ready to go to war. The Messiah is building an army. We think of the Messiah as a Lamb but once He receives the scroll, He is no longer a Lamb, but a Lion. Lions attack and consume, to kill and devour. That may be harsh but the job of the Messiah is a tough job. 

Each of the descendants of the 12 tribes were counted as those who were old enough to go to war above the age of 20 years old. This is what the Messiah is building, a fighting force, an army. 

They were not gathered to protect the tabernacle but to be ready to move from place to place. When God tells us to move, we will move.  

“These are the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, with the leaders [literally, princes] of Israel, twelve men, each of whom was of his father’s household.” (Numbers 1:44 NASB)

It’s the job of kings and princes to lead their men in war. 

“The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe.” (Numbers 1:47 NASB)

The Levites were not joined with the army but they are joined to the Commander-in-Chief. It was the job of the tribe of the Levites to teach the “army” of Israel how to be holy, how to be righteous. 

The point is that God uses these specific names to teach us about the Messiah. Moses and Aaron did exactly what they were told to do. God has an army. 

The lack of a tabernacle or temple in our day and age does not reduce the significance of Numbers 1. 

Reader: Jeff. Speaker: Richard Agee. Summary: Tammy.