Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 1:17-45. Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%201&version=NASB1995
I quote only the following verses.
“So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, and they assembled all the congregation together on the first of the second month. Then they registered by ancestry in their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, head by head, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
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, their numbered men of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.
Of the sons of Simeon, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, their numbered men, 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, their numbered men of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.
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These are the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, with the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each of whom was of his father’s household. So all the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war in Israel, even all the numbered men were 603,550.” Numbers 1:17-23 and 44-46.
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We know that the LORD did not intend to create pride in the sons of Israel by numbering “whoever was able to go out to war in Israel”.
We remember the time when David was moved to number Israel, and “God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel.” 1 Chronicles 21:7.
We also remember the many times that the LORD reduced the number of the sons of Israel to fight a particular battle so that God would be given credit for the victory. One example is the time of Gideon, when the LORD used only 300 of the sons of Israel, to give the victory to Israel. “The LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’” Judges 7:2.
We do know from the next chapter that the LORD organized the sons of Israel into camps and how they should set out when they moved. “Now the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance. … Thus the sons of Israel did; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, every one by his family according to his father’s household.” Numbers 2:1-2 and 34.
We do know that God is not a God of confusion, but God is a God of peace and order. “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. … But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.” 1 Corinthians 14:33 and 40.
But, most importantly, we do know that we need to trust and obey.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5.
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