Numbers 1

 

 

Preparing the Wilderness Church for War (Numbers 1:1-4, 44-54)

 

Verse 1: “the LORD spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of

the second year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt.”

 

 

 

While the Book of Numbers derives its name from the Septuagint's title, its original Hebrew title was "In the Wilderness."

The two names summarize the contents of Numbers well. The main stage of Numbers is the wilderness.

If we only follow the Exodus journey, we can call Exodus the first part and Numbers the second part.

Exodus contains the preparation for the Exodus and the contents from the Exodus to Mount Sinai, and Numbers contains

the preparation for leaving Mount Sinai and the journey from departure to the plains of Moab with Canaan in sight.

In particular, Numbers records the events that explain why God trained the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years

and why Moses could not enter Canaan.

 

 

1. The First Chapter of Numbers Begins with a Census.

1) The passage is about 14 months after the Exodus.

2) The total number of those counted was 603,550.

3) If there were about 600,000 men, the total population would have been over 2 million.

4) God is beginning to organize God's army, starting with the census.

 

 

2. The Levite Tribe Was Excluded from Conscription.

1) Although the Levite tribe was not conscripted as soldiers, they were given a greater role.

2) Verses 50-53 are also the role that we must play today.

3) Spiritual warfare and evangelism are neither easy nor difficult.

4) We, who always live with the Lord, must examine ourselves well.

 

 

3. Relationship Between Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers

1) Genesis to Deuteronomy are called the Pentateuch.

2) After the Exodus, Israel arrived in the Wilderness of Sinai in three months.

3) Numbers tells us about training to obey God's commands.

4) The Israelites were receiving training in obedience in the wilderness.

 

 

Conclusion: Preparing the Wilderness Church for War and Our Pilgrim's Progress

1) The journey of Israel toward the land of Canaan is by no means easy.

2) Our lives today, like the wilderness church, are like Israel's.

3) The church must cultivate many 'soldiers who can go to war.'

4) The church cannot help but be defeated if it does not fight the spiritual battle.

 

If you have accepted Jesus and been baptized, consider that you have obtained a ticket to go to heaven, and if you are living

a religious life pursuing worldly things, you will inevitably be defeated. In that sense, Numbers is giving us an important message. Numbers is not the story of the Israelites 3,400 years ago, but the Word of God given for our victory today. The pilgrim's

progress of all believers who believe in Jesus and live on this earth is in fact the same as Israel's wilderness journey.

Salvation of believers in Christ is received by grace, but believers are still people who wait for the completion of salvation

and go to the heavenly city. The stage we live in in between is the wilderness. If the Israelites of the wilderness church were

pilgrims walking between the Exodus and the promised land, so are the believers. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

that you will always be victorious as warriors and evangelists fighting spiritual battles.