Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and now the fourth book of the Old Testament- Numbers!
For a man good in math and trained as an engineer this should be an easily understood part of The Bible for me. Right? Not!
I can’t begin to think like the Lord or comprehend the full meaning of His Word in terms of me or the world. Where is this story of numbers going and how does it evolve into the 247 countries and 7.5 billion citizens of the world we have today?
Did God order a census or a draft?
All the congregation of Israel by their families, and houses, and the names of every one, as many as are of the male sex, from twenty years old and upwards, of all the men of Israel fit for war, and you shall number them by their troops.
To be merely counted or to assemble those that are fit for war?
This appears to be the first form of organization with roles and responsibilities. The basis for future civilizations.
And each man shall know to what burden he must be assigned.
Every one according to their office and burdens
Moving the tabernacle, various pieces, tear down, set up with credentials—Let not others by any curiosity see the things that are in the sanctuary before they are wrapped up, otherwise they shall die.
The first project and the first warning that curiosity may not only kill the cat but curiosity may kill you.
As my Godmother once said when she asked me a question about what is going on with young people in the world—“I am not interested, I am only curious!”
Curiosity is fine, unless it leads me to temptation, which may lead me to sin, which always creates some sort or sense of separateness from God, The Father, Jesus Christ, His Son and my Personal Savior and The Holy Spirit.
We see the first documentation of tithing and its destination of the clergy and the church organization.
All the firstfruits also, which the children of Israel offer, belong to the priest…
273 of the firstborn at five sickles per head, thou shalt give the money to Aaron and his sons; 1365 sickles.
And then, out of the blue, or out of the desert, we come upon jealousy.
The man whose wife shall have gone astray, and contemning her husband…
Learning a new word ‘contemning’—which means to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt. I know the sin but not the word.
Because she was not found in the adultery; the spirit of jealousy; a sacrifice of jealousy; whereon he hath heaped curses with execration; these most bitter waters, on which I have heaped curses, shall not hurt you; these curses shall light upon thee.
The priest shall take from her hand the sacrifice of jealousy; and the woman shall be a curse, and an example to all the people. But if she be not defiled, she shall not be hurt, and shall bear children.
Some sort of ritual to determine if a woman was an adulteress?
This is the law of jealousy.
Earlier, the spirit of jealousy.
Spirits and laws of jealousy, a sin, a character defect.
A law I get, but not the spirit.
When I hear that a terrorist was “inspired” by… whatever I yell at the TV.
I don’t think we can be inspired to do evil, or commit a sin, or be jealous or terrorize another human being in any manner, especially death.
To me The Spirit, to be ‘inspired,” filled with The Spirit is referenced to and attributed to The Holy Spirit, which is our One God—God The Father, God His Son Jesus Christ, and God The Holy Spirit within all of us.
The Holy Spirit does not inspire anyone to do evil.
Give credit where credit is due—Satan tricks us into doing evil, from the simple, innocent, and apparently harmless sin to taking the life of another human being, even our life.
The Spirit of The Holy Spirit, like the Power of God and the Love of Jesus Christ endures forever and inspires us to do good.
All the Numbers Add Up to God The Father, Jesus Christ, & The Holy Spirit!
Day 45: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; All the Numbers Add Up to God The Father, Jesus Christ, & The Holy Spirit!
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Numbers Chapters 1-5.
Bible Notes:
This Book is so called, because it begins with a census of the Hebrew nations.
It describes their departure from Mount Sinai, their journey to Moab, and gives various rules for distribution of the Promised Land.
Numbers Chapter 1: God orders a census; Princes of the tribes; Census of the tribe of Ruben, Simeon, Gad, Juda, Issachar, Zabulon, Ephraim, Manasses, Benjamin, Dan, Aser, & Nephtali; Number of the children of Israel; Levites exempted from the census.
The second year of their going out of Egypt
All the congregation of Israel by their families, and houses, and the names of every one, as many as are of the male sex, from twenty years old and upwards, of all the men of Israel fit for war, and you shall number them by their troops.
The princes of the tribes
Ruben, 46,500
Simeon, 59,300
Gad, 45,650
Juda, 74,600
Issachar, 54,400
Zabulon, 57,400
Ephraim, 40,500
Manasses, 32,200
Benjamin, 35,400
Dan, 62,700
Aser, 41,500
Nephtali, 53,400
The twelve princes of Israel
603,550 total children of Israel
Levites exempted from the census
They (Levites) shall carry the tabernacle (appointed over the tabernacle of the testimony) and all the furniture thereof…
Guard the tabernacle of testimony
Numbers Chapter 2: Order of the tribes in camp; On the east side; On the south side; Instructions for moving the tabernacle; On the west side; On the north side; The camp assembles.
All the children of Israel shall camp by their troops.
Juda, on the east side with Issachar and Zabulon, 186,400 and they by their troops shall march first.
Ruben, on the south side with Simeon and Gad, 151,450 and they shall march in second place.
Ephraim, on the west side with Manasses and Benjamin, 108,100 and they shall march in the third place.
Dan, on the north side with Aser and Nephtali, 157,600 and they shall march last.
603,550
Numbers Chapter 3: Sons of Aaron; Levites are given to Aaron and his sons; Sanctification of firstborn; Census of the Levites; The charge of the Gersonites; Eleazar appointed chief of the Levites; Duties of Merarites; Place for Moses and Aaron; Number of the Levites; Census of the first born; Redemption of the first born.
Generations of Moses and Aaron
These the names of the sons of Aaron the priests that were anointed, and whose hands were filled and consecrated, to do the function of priesthood.
For every firstborn that openeth the womb
They are mine. I am the Lord.
Every male from one month and upward
Gersonites, 7,500, the tabernacle of the covenant
Kindred of Caath, 8,600, guard the sanctuary and camp on the south side
The prince of the princes of the Levites, Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be over them that watch for the guard of the sanctuary.
Merarites, 6,200, camp on the north side, boards of the tabernacle.
Moses and Aaron camp on the East side with the sanctuary.
Levites, one month and upward, 22,000
Firstborn males, one month and upward were 22,273.
273 of the firstborn at five sickles per head, thou shalt give the money to Aaron and his sons; 1365 sickles- first tithing?
Numbers Chapter 4: Duties of the sons of Caath; Duties of the Gersonites; Duties of the Merarites; Number of the sons of Caath; Number of the Gersonites; Number of the sons of Merari; Number of Levites.
From 30 years old and upward, to 50 years old.
A cover of violet skins
Let not others by any curiosity see the things that are in the sanctuary before they are wrapped up, otherwise they shall die.
And each man shall know to what burden he must be assigned.
People of Caath, thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old,2,750
Gersonites, 2,630
Neriani, 3,200
Levites, 8.580
Every one according to their office and burdens
Numbers Chapter 5: The unclean are removed from the camp; Confession of and satisfaction for sins; Trial of jealousy.
That they cast out of camp every leper, and whosoever hath an issue of seed, or is defiled by the dead
Lest they defile it when I shall dwell with you.
When a man or a woman committed; by negligence; transgressed; offended; confess; restore the principal itself…
All the firstfruits also, which the children of Israel offer, belong to the priest…
The man whose wife shall have gone astray, and contemning her husband…
Contemning—to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt.
Because she was not found in the adultery
The spirit of jealousy
A sacrifice of jealousy
Whereon he hath heaped curses with execration
These most bitter waters, on which I have heaped curses, shall not hurt you
These curses shall light upon thee
The priest shall take from her hand the sacrifice of jealousy
And the woman shall be a curse, and an example to all the people. But if she be not defiled, she shall not be hurt, and shall bear children.
This is the law of jealousy.
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