Day 25 Numbers 1–5; Psalms 103–108; John 1–3
The book of Numbers begins with a census of the men of Israel who are fighting age 20 and up. There are over 600,000 men fit for soldiering. Instructions on how to camp with the tabernacle in their midst are given, Three tribes to the east, three to the north, three to the west and three to the south. The tribe of Levi which includes the priesthood, Aaron and his sons, camp in a similar fashion near the tabernacle. The Levites are made up of three clans plus Aaron's clan. Moses, Aaron and the priests camp to the east of God's tent, the Kohathites to the north, the Gershonites to the west and the Merarites to the south.
God chose the tribe of Levi be set apart from the others. "I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me...(Lev. 3:12)." Their inheritance is the Lord. Their descendants will serve the tabernacle and later temple. There is order and duty given to each clan.
There is symmetry, order and everyone has a place and a function in God's Israel. It is beautiful how God arranged for His presence among them. When the cloud lifted and moved onward into the desert, the Israelites now had a plan and procedure to follow. They broke camp and moved out, each under his own banner or standard. And the Levites carefully dismantled and packed away the tabernacle and all it holy objects.
As they begin to set out from Sinai, they sing a psalm that recounts their history.
Remember the wonderful works He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments He has pronounced,
You offspring of Abraham His servant,
Jacob's descendants —His chosen ones.
"I will give the land of Canaan to you
as your inherited portion."
He opened a rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed like a stream in the desert.
For He remembered His holy promise
to Abraham His servant.
He brought His people out with rejoicing,
His chosen ones with shouts of joy. (Psa. 105:5-6, 11, 41-43)
And so continues the history of God. Now with the people upheld by the law that gives life, a priesthood and an organized army, they begin a new chapter...the wilderness journey into the Promised land. God is in their midst and leads them.
John writes his late account of the good news about Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, the One and only Son of God full of grace and truth. John says that Moses gave the law, but Jesus brought us grace and truth. All who believe and receive Him are given the right to become the children of God. According John the very same Word spoken at the dawn of creation is now taking up residence among us (Jn 1:14). Literally the Word became flesh and "tabernacled" among us.
Sound familiar? A new exodus is occurring in Jesus Christ amongst a new Israel. The twelve apostles are gathered just like the twelve tribes of Jacob. First came Andrew and John(?), Simon Peter, Philip and Nathaniel. Later the others would join Him. They came and saw the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29, 39).
Moses turned water into blood and Jesus turns ritual water fro cleansing into delicious wine marking that the old covenant under Moses is now surpassed by the presence of the Son of Man on whom the stairway to heaven now rests (Jn. 1:51; Gen 28:12, 17). The apostles travel with Him as the Israelites followed the cloud of God's holy presence...into promise.
Jesus met a leader among the Judeans, Nicodemus, who recognizes that Jesus is sent from God because of the miraculous works of Jesus. Jesus tels him that no one can see the kingdom of heaven unless he is born again, born from above or by the Spirit. Jesus says, you may see that I am from God, but you cannot see who I really am apart from a spiritual rebirth. God gives the Spirit in overflowing abundance to this who believe. And this gift of the Holy Spirit leads us onward into places of promise to receive the inheritance God has for all His children.
"Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever!" (Psa. 106:1)
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