Numbers

I am not sure if I have expressed this in my blog yet, but I am going to read through the entire Bible.  I don't have a time frame necessarily, but if I get it done by the end of the year, that would be fabulous.  So I have definitely stepped it up in reading through the Word and trying to really understand what God is teaching me through this.  I have been a Christian now for almost 13 years and have never read through the entire Bible.  I have a Life Application Bible that helps me understand what is going on.  Plus I have an amazing, intelligent husband whom God has gifted with an abundance of wisdom when it comes to almost anything!

Because I have finished with Leviticus, I went straight to Numbers.  Now Numbers is somewhat like Leviticus in that it is repetitious and a little mundane.  Numbers is basically a census of all the people.  God tells Moses to go and count all the different tribes that will be traveling to the Promised Land.  After he gets done numbering everyone (and this is just the men who can fight in battle) the total is 603,350!  Let me stress that this is just the MEN!  Not including the women and children.  However, if they were to have counted everyone (minus the Levites) the number would have been more than two million Israelites!  HOLY COW!  I am so amazed at this number.

God tells Moses to count all the 12 tribes and then he gives them an arrangement of how He wants them to be around the Ark of the Covenant.  Below is a diagram of how the camp was set up.

Can you imagine being apart of this camp?  In modern times this camp would have taken up 12 square miles to just set up the tents for the men...again not including the women!

Moses didn't count the Levites because they were given specific duties within the camp and taking care of the Ark.  They counted them later on, but it wasn't important in the beginning for setting up camp.

Being a teacher I have had on average 19 kids in my class and because I am specialized and just teach Reading, Language Arts, and Social Studies, I switch with the Math/Science teacher and I have another 19 kids.  That's a lot of kids to keep up with!  Think about Moses.  He had to keep track of ALL these people!  I think he was probably very good at delegating.

This brings me to a conclusion that our God is an almighty God who brought these people out of Egypt and to the Promised Land.  Eventually.  They did some complaining and were disobedient and so it took a lot longer to get there, but they did.  God fulfilled His promise.  God tells us to ask for things and it will be given to us.  He may not give it to us right then and there, but I do believe that God will either change our heart or He will follow through when it is His timing and His will.

Abba, I pray that Your will be my will.  I want what You want for my life and nothing more.  Help me to have a heart of worship towards the things You have already given me and be obedient to the things You have called me to.  Use this message today to speak to someone else.  Amen.