Wandering: A Study In Numbers预览

What does it say?

God instructed Moses to take a census of all men who were twenty years or older except for the Levites, who were to be responsible for the Tabernacle. He also gave instructions for the tribe to serve Aaron's family and descendants. 

What does it mean?

What was the reason for this census? Did God know how many people there were in Israel? Of course He did! Jesus told us that God even knows the number of hairs that are on each person’s head (Luke 12:7). God instructed Moses to count the number of men that were able to serve in the military, so the Israelites themselves would know how vulnerable they were to the established militaries of the nations in the Promised Land. It would also serve as a baseline for showing later generations how much God would bless them as they grew into one of the mighty nations of the earth.

How should I respond?

Are you feeling outnumbered or overwhelmed as you face the challenges of life this week? Have you taken a census, so to speak, of your human abilities and strengths only to realize that what you have does not seem as strong as what faces you? Paul told us that God’s power is perfected in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). He specializes in giving us the ability to face life’s challenges no matter how strong they seem. When David faced the giant, Goliath, God gave David the confidence to proclaim, “the battle belongs to the Lord” (1 Sam. 17:47). Does your “battle” today belong to the Lord?