Tag Archive | bible-study

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 79

Mar19

    Day 79 —  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 79 – Deuteronomy 28 – 29 (Blessings, More curses, God’s glorious Name, Admonitions, Willful sin, Secret things.)

What a joy it is to read the “Blessings” God will shower on faithful people in Chapter 28.  “If you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.” 

(Yes, he is speaking of Israel, but it sounds a little like what America was in the beginning. Why have we forsaken the God of our forefathers?)

  • God promised Israel fruitfulness of the womb, in the fields, vineyards, and barns.
  • He promised to bless all their goings and comings, their fights against enemies, and in all they would undertake.
  • He promised He would establish them as a people, holy (separated) unto Himself. 
  • All nations would see this, and fear them.
  • They would abound in prosperity. 
  • They would get good rain in season, and have such an abundance that they would lend to other nations and never have to borrow.  WOW!

If only they would obey Him and not go after other gods to serve them.

BUT…..if they would NOT obey Him and keep His commands…. then all these horrific and terrible curses would assail them.

  • They would experience the plagues of Egypt that they had earlier escaped. 
  • There would be drought and their soil would turn to iron and powdery dust.
  • Their enemies would easily defeat them and their dead bodies would become the food of the birds and beasts of the earth. 
  • They would experience deadly, despicable, and painful, physical disease.
  • They would become captives, their children taken as slaves, and they’d be driven mad by the things their eyes would see happen.
  • They would eat their own children out of intense hunger, even the most refined and tender men and women would do this.
  • Extraordinary, severe, grievous and lasting diseases would cling to them and not be cured. 
  • Trembling hearts, failing eyes, languishing souls. Day and night they will be in dread of their life.

All because they were not careful to 1) do all the words of God’s law, and 2) they did not fear this glorious and awesome name, the “LORD your God.” (28:58) 

In Chapter 29, Moses reviewed the covenant the that LORD made with them at Mt. Sinai, and how He miraculously took care of them.  He reminded them that Israel was standing that day on the brink of their destiny, on the edge of the Promised Land, and that ALL the people of Israel were to join into this Covenant with their God.

“Beware,” he warned, “lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, on the one, when he hears good words of the sworn covenant, that he… “blesses himself in his heart saying, ‘“I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.”   

Oh, this is presuming on Almighty God, and even today we do this! Beware…. “the LORD will not be willing to forgive him… but will blot out his name before heaven.“

29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law. “

Could those “secret things” that God will carry out in the future be the completion of His so great a salvation for sinners in the work of salvation through Jesus, the Messiah?

 

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 77 & 78

Mar18

    Day 77 & 78—  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!  (Note: SUNDAY’s reading is combined with MONDAY’s)

   Day 77 – Deuteronomy 21 – 23 (Unsolved murders, Captives, Firstborns, Rebellious sons, Hangings, Neighborliness, Exclusions, Andy Gump,  )

Wow! Moses gives a list of eclectic rules and laws for community life in Israel in the Promised land (like tying up loose ends). Chapter 21 tells how to atone for an unsolved murder, the kindnesses required in marrying captive women, the undeniable birthright (double portion) of the firstborn son, no matter from loved or unloved wives, and then how to deal (very harshly) with a rebellious, unrepentant son – by stoning.

Lastly in this chapter, Moses mentions putting a criminal to death and then hanging him on a tree as a public display of the consequences of sin. Hanging on a tree is considered “a curse” by God, and their body cannot stay there over night.   Paul mentions this in regard to the death of Jesus in Galatians 3:13. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a cruse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”

Chapter 22, list the sorts of things that are “neighborly” – helping someone out, finding a animal or possession and returning or keeping it safe for a neighbor, building a parapet around your roof so no one falls off.  He also mentions unequally yoked animals together (ox & donkey) for they would just go round in circles, with the ox pulling hardest.  Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:14 urges believers in Jesus, “do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship has light with darkness.”

Chapter 23 looks at some hard things, such as the exclusion from gathering before the presence of the Lord to worship Him, and participation in the religious rites at the Tabernacle and later the Temple. They were to exclude those with crushed testicles or cut off male organs, any man born of a forbidden union, no Ammonite or Moabite. Why?  Often frenzied pagan worship rituals would involve male mutilations. And Moses explained that these two nations did not help Israel, but instead hired Balaam to CURSE them.

And finally, he told Israel that the LORD “walked in the midst of their camp to deliver them,” so the camp must be holy and “decent.”  Therefore they were to go outside the camp, take a trowel, and dig a hole for their “poop” and cover it up when they were done. God is so practical!

 

Day 78 – Deuteronomy 24 -27  (More miscellaneous laws, Levite marriage, offerings, and the curses from Mt. Ebal)

In Chapter 24, Moses gives more eclectic laws that show the goodness and kindness of God and also His holiness and  justice. There is protection for a woman divorced, leniency for a newlywed man, mercy for poor debtors, and safety for the parents of a murderous son. God, through Moses’ words, promotes generosity for the “sojourner, the fatherless and the widow, and even a prodding ox.

In Chapter 25, he lays out the special rules for marriage among the Levites, the rightness of fair weights, and a sworn duty to annihilate the Amalekites.

In Chapter 26, Moses reviews the required offerings and tithes, and ends with a glorious promise for Israel if they will be faithful. “And the LORD has declared today that you are a people for His treasured possession, as He has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, and that He will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that He has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God as he promised.”

Chapter 27 begins the explanation and command of the dual pledge of God and Israel together once they cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. He names half of the Twelve tribes that are to go up on Mt. Ebal and then names the other half that will go up on Mt. Gerizim, with the Levites standing between and calling out curses and blessings.  All the tribes, first on the North, then those on the South are to respond with “AMEN” (so be it).  In this chapter, Moses lists TWELVE curses that are to be called out.  TWELVE “Amens” are to be the answers.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 69

Mar9

    Day 69—  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, it’s 100% likely that we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 69 – Numbers 35 – 36 (Provisions for Levites, manslayers, young women)

God does not forget about the Levites and their material possessions. In Chapter 35, He tells Moses to assign 48 cities with some pastureland around them – within the Promised (and Bonus) Land – for the Levites to live and care for the animals & equipment they have. They are evenly distributed throughout small & large tribes.

Six of these cities – evenly spaced in the land – were to be Cities of Refuge, safe places for a person who accidently killed someone to run to and have safety from the diseased person’s Avenger (nearest male relative). The manslayer would need to live within the city from then on.  If he stepped outside, the Avenger could legally kill him.  He had to stay there until the High Priest died, a sort of atonement for the killed one. These were not prisons, more like a “witness-protection” locations today.

But God also makes it clear, that if a person intentionally, pre-meditatively, kills someone, his life would be required of him from the family Avenger. He could NOT seek a City of Refuge.

Chapter 36 revisits the case of women survivors in a man’s family, perhaps losing their inheritance in the Promised Land by marrying outside the tribe.  The problem was solved when Moses commanded the women in these cases to marry withing their tribe.  No inheritance could be transferred from one tribe to another.

These two last-minute situations (murder and marriage) were solved while the people were still camped on the plains of the conquered Moab, East of the Jordan River.  The NEXT book – Deuteronomy – is Moses reaffirming and repeating and clarifying all the laws and rules of God for the people, and challenging them to keep them and be blessed, or fail to obey and be cursed, before they officially stepped into Canaan.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 67

Mar7

    Day 67—  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, it’s 100% likely that we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE your habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 67 – Numbers 31 – 32 (War on Midian, The questionable spoil, Special request of some tribes.)

In Chapter 31, the LORD speaks to Moses to go to war against the Midianites, as an act of divine vengeance.  WHY??  You remember in previous chapters how, when he couldn’t “curse” Israel, that Balaam told the king to “conquer” Israel by deviate actions. If they sent their seductive women (with their Baal idols) into the camp, Israel would grab the women and forsake their God.

This happened, and you remember the outcome. Death and plague, and Phinehas’ bold move in killing an arrogant leader with a pagan woman.

Now, Israel was to get a taste of what they would be doing once inside the Promised Land – fighting, conquering, destroying the pagan Canaanite peoples to purify worship of the one and only true God. 12,000 soldiers (with our hero Phinehas) are sent against Midian and they kill every male, including the five kings and their chief men. AND…the false prophet, Balaam got his due as well.

BUT!!!! Another lesson needed to be taught. The now available pagan women with their idols were once again inside God’s holy nation!  NO!  Moses was angry with the commanders and ordered all of the women killed. Young male children as well. YIKES!  Only the young girls could be eventually, safely, assimilated into the nation.

WOW.  Sounds harsh, right?  But think of the invasiveness of sin. If you know some future history of Israel, you know how just a few idols could lead to massive national disobedience.  Like us, sin must be nipped in the bud.

Once the commanders obey, they take stock of the plunder. Lots of gold etc., animals and persons (16,000). The spoil was divided among the tribes (a process that continued in all their wars), and a portion set aside for the Levites, as well as that offered to God.

And in the fray, NOT A SINGLE ISRAELI SOLDIER was killed!

In Chapter 32, we see Moses angry again. (He’s probably just wanting to die and be done with these people!!)  The tribes of Reuben and Gad (farmers & ranchers at heart) see the lush hills of Gilead on the East of the Jordan/Promised Land, and want to settle their tribes there.

Moses thinks they are rebelling, just like the 10 spies 38 years previously had coerced them not to enter the Land, but to turn back.  He rants and rails on them, but they say, “No, we are not turning back. We promise that all our soldiers will go into the Promised Land and fight with our brothers until they are all settled in their areas. Just let our families and animals settle here.”

Moses finally agrees but makes them VOW before the LORD that they would do as they’d promised. If not, they would be sinning against God, and to be sure, “your sin will find you out.”  And so, Moses gave to Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh the kingdoms of King Sihon and King Og and all their territories and cities as their permanent possession.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 61

Mar1

    Day 61—  Today we begin the THIRD month of Bible reading! We’ve been reading for over a 1/6 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that we will continue.

   Day 61 – Numbers 16 – 17 (Rebellion among the elite & Aaron’s budding staff)

Yesterday, we left the camp of Israel defeated, despondent and angry. They’d been promised the Promise Land, but failed to enter. Now they face 40 LONG years of desert wandering. (The one year at Sinai was bad enough!) They’d even tried to elect a new leader and go back to Egypt.

Grumble, grumble.  In Chapter 15, the rebellion goes to a higher level, to the Levite priests, to the elitist of priests, the ones responsible for the holy objects in the Tabernacle, including the Ark of the Covenant. The Kohathites, led by Korah.

They assemble themselves against Moses and Aaron. “You’ve gone too far!” They claim.  All the congregation is holy, not just you!

In response does Moses argue? No!  He falls on his face (in horror?) He says that God will decide in the morning whom He chooses.  “You’ve gone too far, sons of Levi.”  It’s against God you grumble, not Aaron.

“Who made you a prince over us?” they yell back.

Next morning Korah and all his gang meet at the entrance to the Tabernacle.  God’s glory appeared  to them all, and God told Moses and Aaron to separate themselves and all the “innocent” congregation from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan & Abiram (leaders in the high-rebellion).

Moses then puts a test before them.  If nothing happens to these, then you will KNOW that I am not sent of God. But if the LORD opens the ground and swallows up them and all of theirs, then you will KNOW that they have despised the Lord.

Immediately the earth under them opened and swallowed the three men up, with their households and all the people and goods that belonged to them.  Then the earth closed over them completely.  And fire from God came down and consumed the 250 Kohathites with them who were falsely offering incense. Yikes!

AND STILL!!! the people grumbled against Moses & Aaron. God send a plague that quickly spread through the came.  Moses told Aaron to take fire and incense from the alter and go among the people.  He did, and as High Priest stood between the living and the already dead. And the plague from God that had killed 14,700 Israelites stopped.

Plagues!!  These were supposed to be on the Egyptians, not the Children of God. Oh, how far they had strayed.

In Chapter 17, God further affirms Moses and Aaron as His chosen leaders before the people.  A staff (a dry wooden pole) was gathered, one each from all the heads of tribes. These twelve, along with Aaron’s were placed in the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle – next to the Ark of the Covenant, where the presence of Almighty God dwelled.  The next day, the one marked with Aaron’s name had brought forth buds, blossomed, and bore ripe almonds. Overnight. Fruit from a dead stick. Proof positive.

(His staff was then stored in the Ark along with the tablets of stone and the jar of manna…. as a remembrance.)

And the people wail that they are “undone” by what they had … done. “Are we all to perish?” they cry.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 60

Feb29

    Day 60 —  We are still in the second month, but we’ve begun a new book! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 60 – Numbers 14 – 15, Psalm 90 – (Turning Back, Defeat, Promise, and a psalm of Moses)

Yesterday we saw the rebellious Israel turning from the Promised Land out of fear of the “giants in the land.”

Numbers 14 take up where we left off.  Not only does Israel fear to go into the Land, the want to kill Moses, choose a new leader and GO BACK to Egypt.  (Are you guys crazy??)

Joshua and Caleb plead with the people to enter the land, testifying that their God will surely give them victory. But the people decide to stone them.  Only the appearance of the Shekinah Glory of the LORD stops them. God offers Moses a SECOND chance to become the progenitor of His people, and he refuses, stressing God’s honor and glory that is involved. He begs that God will PARDON their sin according to the greatness of His mercy.

God hears Moses’s intercession for these rebellious ingrates, and pardons them. But there is a consequence they must endure – 40 years of desert wanderings until THAT generation (age 20 and up) all die. Only their teen and young children will have the chance to receive that Promised Land. (Joshua & Caleb and their families will also be exempt.)

So, TURN AROUND and head into that dry and barren land……

But still the people rebel!!  “No, we were wicked,” they confess. “We will go in as directed!”  But it is too late. As they swarm forward – against God’s word, without Him, the Ark of the Covenant, and Moses – they suffer absolute defeat from the Amalekites and Canaanites, giving those pagan enemies a chance to gloat, deride, and shame the LORD God Almighty.

Can’t you just see God dusting his hands of them all and turning his back on Israel? But no. God, our God, is ever faithful to his promises and his people. Instead in Numbers 15, He speaks of WHEN the people of Israel come into the Land to inhabit it, which HE is giving them.

Whoa! Such grace and mercy. Sure, they will endure consequences of their sin. Sure, it will be their children who go in and conquer the land.  But God does not utterly desert them.  He even describes the offerings they will make to Him with the produce of that Land.   He also distinguishes unintentional sins from outright defiance, giving grace to the one and harsh punishment to the other.

He reaffirms the importance of keeping the Sabbath sacred to Him, as He’s directed. And He tells ALL the people of Israel (not just priests) to make tassels on the corners of their garments, with a blue cord binding them, to remind them of all the commandments of the LORD which they are to obey and so be a holy nation go God.

Psalm 90 is the only psalm written my Moses. He writes of the eternality of God, and fact that man is made from dust. (Remember Moses wrote the book of Genesis too.)  He writes of God’s majesty and man’s sins (even the secret ones). Man’s life – in contrast to God’s everlasting existence – is but 70-80 years, and is full of toil and trouble, and ends with a sigh.  He asks God to teach his people how to “number” their days and apply their hearts to wisdom.  Then he ends with pleas for God’s presence and love and power and favor to be with and on his children.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 58

Feb27

    Day 58 —  We are still in the second month, but we’ve begun a new book! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 58 – Numbers 8 – 10 (Levites,, Passover, the Cloud, Bye-bye Sinai)

In chapter 8, Another ceremony is instigated of setting apart of the whole tribe of Levi, as the representatives of God’s “first born.” God also sets the age of retirement for priests at 50 years old. They may still guard the Tabernacle, but no long serve in it.

In chapter 9, the whole of Israel celebrates Passover the first time since the original one the night of their escape from Egypt. Some people were worried, that if they had become unclean from, say touching a dead body, they weren’t able to celebrate on that day. God gave lenience and said they, and whoever might be on a long journey, could celebrate it a month later. (How kind is our God!)

Directions were made clear also about the “cloud” or visible presence of God with Israel. When it rested, covering the Tabernacle, they were to remain in that encampment.  However, if it lifted, they were to pack up and follow wherever it led. Whether it rested in one spot two days, a month, or even longer, Israel was not to move, but to always to look to God for their direction.

Numbers 10. Also, because they were to be traveling, God told Moses to tell them about a series of trumpet blasts, as a sort of message, especially to those camped at a distance.  Different trumpets and blasts would be used to summon the people together (say for an important meeting), and at other times, the blasts would signal the breaking of camp. And also, the different blasts would signal how each of the four encampments would set out – decently and in order, as aways.

And finally, just after Passover (as in the first time) the now “nation” of Israel (complete with spiritual leaders and army) was to set out in stages from Mt. Sinai towards the Promised Land. Judah, with Issachar and Zebulun set out first,  Next the Gershonites and Merarites, two of the Levite clans, would leave with the Tabernacle structure . After them, Reuben with Simeon and Gad left, followed by the Kohathites caring the Holy furnishings of the Tabernacle. (Except the Ark of the Covenant, which would lead everything.) Next Ephraim with Manasseh and Benjamin would follow, and finally Dan with Asher and Naphtali would march out, as Israel’s rear guard.

And so they set out on a three-day journey. I can imagine the great joy and excitement they felt, as the newly consecrated and organized people of God, with His laws and ordinances firmly set in their minds, finally realized they were now heading toward their destiny, the Land that God had promised to Abraham so many years before.  It was happening at last!  What could go wrong?

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 56 & 57

Feb26

   Day 56 & 57 —  We are still in the second month, but we’ve begun a new book! We’ve been reading for a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue. (SUNDAY’s reading is combined with MONDAY’s)

   Day 56 – Numbers 5 – 6  (Confession & restitution, a test for Adultery, The Nazirite Vow)

God again tells Moses to instruct Israel on how to deal with uncleanness, and how to make restitution for sins against others. They must confess and then make things right.

Also in chapter 5, are the details solving the problem of jealousy by a husband towards what he thinks may be his cheating wife. It’s a bit frightening, involving certain offerings and a drink of holy water mixed with dust from the floor of the Tabernacle, and ink that the curses were written in. It was called “the water of bitterness that brings a curse.” The suspected adulteress was to take an oath. When she drank the water, THE LORD ALONE KNEW HER GUILT OR INNOCENSE, and would judge her with … 1) nothing, which proved her fidelity, or 2) a curse of bitterness, swollen bowels and a rotted thigh. (Definitely a strong deterrent to sleeping around)

Chapter 6 covers the rules concerning whether a man or woman wants to voluntarily make a special vow to the LORD, the Nazirite Vow. The requirements for keeping this vow are even more strict than the ones governing the priests’ lives. Grapes (any part and in any form), hair cutting, and being near a dead body were all forbidden. If any of that happened, the person would have to begin the period of their vow again from the start.  Samuel, Samson, and John the Baptist were men in scripture with life-time Nazirite Vows.

     Day 57 – Numbers 7 (Israel’s offerings)

The very long chapter 7 covers in DETAIL the many varied and abundant offerings that the people brought to the House of the LORD, tribe by tribe, for it’s use and the support of the Levites.

First the chiefs of all the tribes brought six wagons and twelve oxen to pull them. Two wagons with their oxen to the Gershonite clan of Levi (They were the ones who transported all the cloth materials of the Tabernacle and courtyard). Four wagons with their oxen went to the Merarite clan of Levi (They carried the poles, bases, and structural pieces of the Tabernacle). No carts or oxen was given to the Kohathite clan, for they were to carry the holy objects on their shoulder by the attached poles.

After that EACH TRIBE (listed in order they were set in camp, Judah first) gave THE EXACT SAME THINGS for the support of the Levites and the Tabernacle — a silver plate and bowl full of fine flour and oil (a grain offering); a golden dish full of incense; a bull, ram, male lamb for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs for the peace offering.

And then Moses went into the Tent to speak with the LORD, and the voice of the LORD spoke to him.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 55

Feb24

    Day 55 —  We are still in the second month, but we’ve begun a new book! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 55 – Numbers 3 – 4 (Counting Levites for service, delegating duties)

Yesterday, only the other twelve tribes of Israel were counted (20 years and up) for military service. Today the Levites will be counted in two ways.

Numbers 3. First, every male Levite from 1 month up was to be counted and dedicated to God in place of all of Israel’s first born sons. The slight overage in number of first born sons from the other tribes would each pay the “redemption money” of five sanctuary shekels to Aaron and his sons. In this way the whole of Israel would have a part in the religious activities and service to God.

Chapter 4.  Secondly, the Levites were to be counted according to their clans (the three sons of Levi), all of the men from 30 years old to 50 years old, and be given specific duties in the care and service and transport of the Tabernacle.

The Kohathites were to be in charge of the Most Holy things – all the “furniture” in the Tabernacle itself and the courtyard.  When the camp set out, Aaron and his two sons would go into the Tabernacle and cover the holy pieces with different colored cloths and goat skins. When this all was done. The Kohathites would carry these things by their poles (taking extreme care not to touch them themselves).

       Aaron’s son, Eleazar the priest, would be in charge of the holy oil for light and for anointing, and the holy incense, as well as have oversight of the packing of all that is in the Sanctuary and its vessels.

The Gershonites would be in charge of packing up and carrying all the curtains and coverings and cords of the Tabernacle as well as all the hangings of the outer court.

The Merarites (largest of the three clans) would be in charge of packing and carrying the frames, bars, pillars, bases, and pegs of the Tabernacle and outer courtyard.

       Aaron’s son, Ithamar, the priest would oversee the Gershonites and Merarites in packing up & carrying of the curtains, linens & skin coverings, as well as the frames, pillars, bases, etc.

All would be done “decently and in order” according to the exact instructions of the LORD to Moses.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 54

Feb23

    Day 54 —  We are still in the second month, but we’ve begun a new book! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 54 – Numbers 1 – 2 (Counting men fit for service, arranging the camp)

I’m more of a “words” person than a “numbers” person, so I’ll give you that name of this book in the Hebrew Torah.  It is called “In The Wilderness” and that pretty much describes it, except for the census here and at the end.

In chapter 1, God TELLS Moses to count the men of Israel who are 20 years and up and able to go to war. They will serve as Israel’s army when they enter the Promised Land. God assigns a man from each of the 12 tribes to assist him in the registration. Right away, Moses and Aaron gathered the whole congregation together, and with the help of the twelve heads of tribes, held the first national draft.

Numbers then lists the amount of able soldiers from each tribe, naming them in birth order, and giving two tribes for Joseph (as Jacob adopted Ephraim & Manasseh back at the end of Genesis). The tribe of Levi is not counted because they were to serve the LORD in the Tabernacle, not in the army. Judah’s tribe (a Prince among his brothers”) is the largest.  The total number of eligible men from all twelve was 603,550. (In a whole congregation of about 2 million people.)

Chapter 2 explains how the entire group of people would be divided and arranged. The Tabernacle, with the visible symbol of God as fire and cloud, would be in the CENTER of the camp.  Around that would be  Moses, Aaron, & the priests on the East, and the three clans of priests on the other sides.

After that, on the EAST side, facing the entrance to the Tabernacle court and tent, were to be the leading Tribe, Judah, along with Issachar and Zebulun. Judah and these two would lead out any march, just behind the Ark of the Covenant.

On the SOUTH, Ruben and his two brothers Simeon and Gad would camp.  On the WEST (backside of the Tabernacle) would camp Ephraim with Manasseh and Benjamin. (These were the three smallest tribes.)  And finally on the NORTH, were Dan with Asher and Naphtali.

When the pillar of fire/cloud (symbol of God’s presence) would rise, the Levites would disassemble the Tabernacle (by specific directions). The Ark would lead the march, followed by Judah and his brothers. Next would come the Levites carrying the Tabernacle, it’s furniture, and courtyard items. Then, like a circle uncoiling, Rueben’s group on the south, Ephraim’s on the West, and finally Dan’s on the North would follow, Dan’s group (the second largest) bringing up the rear guard.

When it came time to set up camp, they would circle, setting up the Tabernacle – it becoming God’s presence in the center – with the tribes extending out to the four directions again…. much like a cross.