The Theme of Numbers Part 1
The book of Numbers gets its name from the numbering of the people. There are many numberings in the book, and the book starts out with numbering some of the people.
Num 1:2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of [their] names, every male by their polls;
Num 1:3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
If you are going to understand the book of Numbers you need to understand the principle of numbering. And to understand the numbering of the people you have to understand two things.
First numbering speaks of ownership. I cannot go into the president’s house and number all of His music CD’s. Why? Because I have no right to. They are not mine. I do not own them so I have no right to number them. And I cannot order someone else to number them. I have no authority to number them. Numbering speaks of authority.
Here we have God ordering the numbering of the people. He can do it because he has the right of ownership over them.
These people were bought by the blood of the Lamb. God redeemed them out of Egypt by His power. They are His redeemed people and He has a right to tell them what to do.
It is the same with us. We are His redeemed people, saved by the blood of The Lamb and He has the authority and right to tell us what to do.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1Co 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
God does have the right to tell us what to do. God has the right to number us because He has the right of ownership. God has the right to number us. God even numbers your every hair.
Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
The numbering of the people is tied to ownership. This is why King David got in so much trouble when he numbered the people.
2Sa 24:10 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
2Sa 24:15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.
Some people don’t understand this because David did not get into trouble the first time he had the people numbered. The reason that he did not get in trouble the first time is that it was according to God’s command and God has the right to number them.
David was king, he was ruler, but David did not have the right of ownership. That belongs to God and God alone so David did not have the right to number the people.
The second thing to know about number is that numbering is also done for the purpose of assigning service. And because God has the right of ownership he can assign service. God has the right to have a plan for your life.
Verse 3 tells us that this first numbering was for the service in the army.
Num 1:3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
Those that where were too young to serve in the army were not numbered. And those that were too old were not numbered. It was not God’s plan for them to be in the army so He did not number them for that service.
And the Levites were not numbered in this first numbering because God had a different plan for their life. Sometimes numbering does have to do with assignment of service.
Num 1:47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.
Num 1:48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,
Num 1:49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:
And the reason why he was not to number them with the rest is given in the next verse.
Num 1:50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that [belong] to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.
The Levites were to be a Holy tribe engaged in spiritual warfare and being thus engaged they were discharged from military war.
The Levites were numbered later when they were assigned the service of the tabernacle because that was God’s plan for them.
Num 3:15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
Num 3:16 And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.
And what follows is the name of each family, their number, and what service they were to perform. The families of the Levites were assigned a specific job when the tabernacle was moved. So they were numbered when the job was assigned.
Numbering has to do with ownership and assignment of service.
And everyone was numbered in some group or another. This teaches us that God has a plan for everyone. God has a plan for you. He has numbered your every hair.
In chapter two you have a long list of families and their number, and along with the number the exact place that they were to camp.
Num 2:10 On the south side [shall be] the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben [shall be] Elizur the son of Shedeur.
Num 2:11 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, [were] forty and six thousand and five hundred.
God numbered them for their job, and God numbered them right down to where they were supposed to sleep at night. He numbered them for worship and He numbered them for their daily lives.
God had a plan for every one of them and His plan was good. His plan was to take them to the land of milk and honey.
And it was God’s plan that He should come first.
It is in the book of numbers that the rule was given that when the tabernacle and their camp was moved, that the tabernacle had to be the very first thing that was set up. The tabernacle came before their own household. It had to be set up first. God was telling them that He is to come first in all things. That was His plan for them and that is His plan for us. Jesus said:
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.
Numbering has to do with ownership, and assignment to service. It has to do with God’s plan for their lives. And of course each person once they knew what God’s plan for them was, had the free will to accept it and follow it or not.
We will not get to the overall theme of the book of Numbers until next week. Today we just want to establish what the numbering is about which is that God has a right to assign service. He has the right to have a plan for everyone’s life. And you will see next week how everyone still has a free will to accept God’s plan for them or not.
Every book of the Bible has an overall theme. A main purpose if you will. But each book also teaches individual truths. Some of them have aspects that relate to the overall theme and some of the truths stand on their own.
Numbers is no different.
One truth that Numbers teaches that does relate to its theme is in chapter 14.
By Chapter 14 the 10 spies had given their evil report and Joshua and Caleb gave a good report. The people believed the 10 spies and refused God’s plan for their lives.
Instead of going into the promise land in faith, they rebel, and say some evil things against Moses and God’s plan. The opportunity for blessing and service according to God’s perfect plan was refused.
This was a repeated offence. Over and over and over they in one way or another refused God’s plan for their lives.
They finally crossed a line and God had Moses tell them that they could no longer go into the promised land. They were going to have to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until all the men of age die except Joshua and Caleb.
Num 14:39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
Num 14:40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.
When they were told that they had pushed God too far, they show up and say we will take that opportunity now. We want God’s plan for our lives now.
Num 14:41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.
Num 14:42 Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.
Num 14:43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.
Num 14:44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
Moses says it is too late. Opportunity is now gone. Now remember they have provoked God 10 times before this. God is patient and long suffering with His people, but He is not forever suffering. They do not listen to Moses again and go up anyway.
Num 14:45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
Their attempt failed badly. The opportunity to do God’s will was lost. This teaches that we should quickly seize the opportunity to follow God’s will for our lives and if we repeatedly refuse that opportunity can be lost.
I have seen this happen to many Christians. They do not lose their salvation, but they end up spending all of their Christian lives just wandering around in the wilderness and never get to live a victorious Christian life.
Another truth in Numbers that is not as directly related to its theme is found in Numbers chapter 12.
Num 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
Miriam was upset that Moses had married an Ethiopian. Her being mad about this is wrong on many levels. Who her brother marries is really between her brother and God. It is not her business. But the real bad sin here goes far deeper.
Miriam is being prejudiced. Her complaint is not about the woman’s personality, or how she treats others. Her complaint is based upon where she was born. Her culture and the way she looked.
Of course God hears it and He is not pleased. God is very angry with Miriam’s sin.
Num 12:4 And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
Num 12:5 And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
Num 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
Num 12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
Num 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
Num 12:9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
Num 12:10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
Num 12:11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
Num 12:12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.
God strikes Miriam with leprosy. God wanted His displeasure of prejudice displayed for all to see and had it recorded for all time. God loves everyone. Regardless of where they were born or what they look like. They are all His creation. There is zero room in Christianity for any kind of prejudice.
Num 12:13 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
Num 12:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.
Num 12:15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
Miriam had seven days to think about her sin. She was healed and was received in again. I believe she learned her lesson. You never read of Miriam sinning like that again.
The people had to sit and wait until Miriam was healed. Her sin held everyone back.
Num 12:16 And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
In numbers you learn that it is no room in God’s will for prejudice. God struck the first person with leprosy who was against a mixed marriage.
I am thankful for powerful lessons like that in the book of Numbers. Next week we will look at the overall theme of the book of Numbers.
See more lessons on the themes of Old Testament Books