Lives That Reflect the Smoke
Shalom and welcome to the book of Numbers. Today we are in chapter 1:1-4:20, called BaMidbar. YHVH is speaking to Moshe here from inside the Tabernacle in the wilderness. It gives you a specific date this took place, the first day of the second month in the second year. We know that if it says the first day of the month, a New Moon Festival has just taken place. We see a numbering taking place here of all males twenty years old and over. They were numbered by their tribe with a leader appointed from each tribe to assist in the count. The first tribal name listed was Elitzur. His name means YHVH is my protector. The last name mentioned was Ahira the son of Enan, which is synonymous with 'eye'. These names are to make you recall the verse, He protected them like the pupil of his eye (Deu. 32:10). The people chosen begin with the offspring from Leah, then Rachael, then Bilhah and last Zilpah.
It's amazing how organized YHVH makes everything! It's our job to uncover that organization! These men were counted as the ones who were able to go out to war. The one miraculous thing we see here is the number of this counting totaled six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. What's miraculous about that you ask? It just happens to be the same number that was recorded back in Exodus before the Tabernacle was built. Remember when they took a half shekel for the counting that was used to make the sockets of the Tabernacle? Isn't it a miracle these two numbers came out identical? Remember also, the Levites were not counted in this last numbering because they never went out to war. Now the tribes were to be settled in around the Tabernacle by their tribal banners. Each three tribes had one banner, but each individual tribe had their own flag with their insigna on it. There were four main tribes encamped around the Tabernacle with three other tribes encamped around them. Does this remind you of YHVH'S throne where the Scripture says it has four encampments of angels around it? On the banners it was said to have the letters when combined spelled out the names of the Patriarchs. The first letters on all the banners spelled out Abraham, the second letters Isaac and the last letters spelled our Jacob.
Notice in chapter two, verse fourteen, you see a man named Reu-El. It is common in Scripture that names are not merely sounds to identify someone, but in actuality tells about their mission in life or the characteristics. You'll see this same man mentioned in the first chapter as Du-El. Ru-El is a contraction of 'thoughts of God', while Ru-El is a contraction of 'Knowledge of God'. So both names show you the closeness he had to YHVH. Let's take a look at how the tribes were set up around the camp. On the East side was Judah, the south side was Reuben, the west was Ephraim and on the north was Dan. Of course they each had three tribes with them. It's interesting the name Dan is symbolic of darkness or hidden. It was in Dan's territory that King Jeroboam placed a national idol, trying to wean the people away from their pilgrimages to the Temple. Dan's descendants set up the notorious Graven Image of Micah in their land (Judges 18:31). Dan was said to follow out after the Tabernacle last, not fourth, as the other tribes had been numbered, first, second, third. But instead of fourth, it says Dan was last. Any tribe dealing in idol worship truly is coming in 'last' with YHVH. Next we see the Levites being appointed to be YHVH'S honor guard for the Tabernacle (sure beats being a guard for Buckingham Palace).
The Kohanim and Levites encamped closely around the Tabernacle. YHVH wanted the Levites brought personally before Aharon and designates them formally as servants to the Priests. Commentaries say the Levites would sing and play instruments as the offerings were being brought. We know of another man appointed as a Priest that was alive at that time, but not appointed as of yet, that was Phineas, the grandson of Aharon. YHVH appointed him a Priest after he courageously saved the nation from a plague. (Num.25:12-13) In this new status, the Levites were taking the place of the firstborn. When Moses brought offerings the day after the Ten Commandments were given, the service was performed by the 'youths of the children of Israel' (Ex: 24:5). Those youths were the firstborn. So we see now another census being taken. This time it is the Levite males from one month old and up. This counting of males at such a young age, shows you their spiritual mission as Levites in life was not dependant upon age or strength. The census from thirty to fifty indicated the maximum physical and emotional maturity when they could best perform their duties in the Tabernacle. Their reward was as if they had served YHVH all their lives, from the time they were one month old. Example; Samuel was accredited as having judged Israel all the days of his life, yet he was in reality only a judge ten of the fifty-two years of his life. The Torah gives the assignments of the three Levite families in carrying the Tabernacle when they traveled. The holiest items were the province of the Kohathites. The next holiest went to the Gershonites and last came the Merarites. The Kohathites carried the Ark, the holiest of all the vessels. However, only Aharon and his sons could take down the covering veil and cover the Ark with it. Actually, they were the ones who must cover the Ark, the Table of Faces, the Menorah and any other pieces of the sacred furniture. Only after Aharon and his sons had covered everything, could the Kohathites come in and begin to move the items (no calling Two Men and a Truck for moving here:). If it was in this day and age they could use my method of moving items, you tie the item on the roof of your car, or hang a red flag on it and let it hang out the trunk:. Oh, I see you've used this method yourself once or twice since you're smiling. Getting back on the subject 'you thought I had forgotten about', before the items were covered, the movers could not touch, nor look upon them. We know that Kohath was Levi's second son, not his firstborn. Yet the kohathites were given the honor of carrying the Ark. We see over and over again in Scripture where it was the second born who was blessed. Look at Isaac and Ishmael and Jacob and Esau.
It's the 'spiritual first born' that counts, not the physical one. There was another miracle that happened we hear little about. This was the fact that even during traveling, the fire never went out on the altar. A copper pot was placed over it to keep it from burning its covering. If you remember, this fire was lit from Heaven in the beginning. Did you think Moses and Aharon were out there rubbing two sticks together to get it burning:? It's only our human fires that go out, when YHVH sets something aflame, it burns until He's ready to put it out. No wind or water can touch it. That was another miracle that happened at the Tabernacle. Even if the wind billowed, or the rain gushed down, it never extinguished the fire on the altar. The smoke always rose straight up, the wind never affected it. If only we could get our spiritual lives to burn as consistently as the flames on that altar and could walk out our daily lives as straight as the smoke that always rose upwards! We should you know, after all, WE are the tabernacle now! Shalom
It's amazing how organized YHVH makes everything! It's our job to uncover that organization! These men were counted as the ones who were able to go out to war. The one miraculous thing we see here is the number of this counting totaled six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. What's miraculous about that you ask? It just happens to be the same number that was recorded back in Exodus before the Tabernacle was built. Remember when they took a half shekel for the counting that was used to make the sockets of the Tabernacle? Isn't it a miracle these two numbers came out identical? Remember also, the Levites were not counted in this last numbering because they never went out to war. Now the tribes were to be settled in around the Tabernacle by their tribal banners. Each three tribes had one banner, but each individual tribe had their own flag with their insigna on it. There were four main tribes encamped around the Tabernacle with three other tribes encamped around them. Does this remind you of YHVH'S throne where the Scripture says it has four encampments of angels around it? On the banners it was said to have the letters when combined spelled out the names of the Patriarchs. The first letters on all the banners spelled out Abraham, the second letters Isaac and the last letters spelled our Jacob.
Notice in chapter two, verse fourteen, you see a man named Reu-El. It is common in Scripture that names are not merely sounds to identify someone, but in actuality tells about their mission in life or the characteristics. You'll see this same man mentioned in the first chapter as Du-El. Ru-El is a contraction of 'thoughts of God', while Ru-El is a contraction of 'Knowledge of God'. So both names show you the closeness he had to YHVH. Let's take a look at how the tribes were set up around the camp. On the East side was Judah, the south side was Reuben, the west was Ephraim and on the north was Dan. Of course they each had three tribes with them. It's interesting the name Dan is symbolic of darkness or hidden. It was in Dan's territory that King Jeroboam placed a national idol, trying to wean the people away from their pilgrimages to the Temple. Dan's descendants set up the notorious Graven Image of Micah in their land (Judges 18:31). Dan was said to follow out after the Tabernacle last, not fourth, as the other tribes had been numbered, first, second, third. But instead of fourth, it says Dan was last. Any tribe dealing in idol worship truly is coming in 'last' with YHVH. Next we see the Levites being appointed to be YHVH'S honor guard for the Tabernacle (sure beats being a guard for Buckingham Palace).
The Kohanim and Levites encamped closely around the Tabernacle. YHVH wanted the Levites brought personally before Aharon and designates them formally as servants to the Priests. Commentaries say the Levites would sing and play instruments as the offerings were being brought. We know of another man appointed as a Priest that was alive at that time, but not appointed as of yet, that was Phineas, the grandson of Aharon. YHVH appointed him a Priest after he courageously saved the nation from a plague. (Num.25:12-13) In this new status, the Levites were taking the place of the firstborn. When Moses brought offerings the day after the Ten Commandments were given, the service was performed by the 'youths of the children of Israel' (Ex: 24:5). Those youths were the firstborn. So we see now another census being taken. This time it is the Levite males from one month old and up. This counting of males at such a young age, shows you their spiritual mission as Levites in life was not dependant upon age or strength. The census from thirty to fifty indicated the maximum physical and emotional maturity when they could best perform their duties in the Tabernacle. Their reward was as if they had served YHVH all their lives, from the time they were one month old. Example; Samuel was accredited as having judged Israel all the days of his life, yet he was in reality only a judge ten of the fifty-two years of his life. The Torah gives the assignments of the three Levite families in carrying the Tabernacle when they traveled. The holiest items were the province of the Kohathites. The next holiest went to the Gershonites and last came the Merarites. The Kohathites carried the Ark, the holiest of all the vessels. However, only Aharon and his sons could take down the covering veil and cover the Ark with it. Actually, they were the ones who must cover the Ark, the Table of Faces, the Menorah and any other pieces of the sacred furniture. Only after Aharon and his sons had covered everything, could the Kohathites come in and begin to move the items (no calling Two Men and a Truck for moving here:). If it was in this day and age they could use my method of moving items, you tie the item on the roof of your car, or hang a red flag on it and let it hang out the trunk:. Oh, I see you've used this method yourself once or twice since you're smiling. Getting back on the subject 'you thought I had forgotten about', before the items were covered, the movers could not touch, nor look upon them. We know that Kohath was Levi's second son, not his firstborn. Yet the kohathites were given the honor of carrying the Ark. We see over and over again in Scripture where it was the second born who was blessed. Look at Isaac and Ishmael and Jacob and Esau.
It's the 'spiritual first born' that counts, not the physical one. There was another miracle that happened we hear little about. This was the fact that even during traveling, the fire never went out on the altar. A copper pot was placed over it to keep it from burning its covering. If you remember, this fire was lit from Heaven in the beginning. Did you think Moses and Aharon were out there rubbing two sticks together to get it burning:? It's only our human fires that go out, when YHVH sets something aflame, it burns until He's ready to put it out. No wind or water can touch it. That was another miracle that happened at the Tabernacle. Even if the wind billowed, or the rain gushed down, it never extinguished the fire on the altar. The smoke always rose straight up, the wind never affected it. If only we could get our spiritual lives to burn as consistently as the flames on that altar and could walk out our daily lives as straight as the smoke that always rose upwards! We should you know, after all, WE are the tabernacle now! Shalom