THE FOURTH BOOK OF MOSES

 CALLED

 NUMBERS

 Chapter  1

 "Numeration and Order of Service."

   

     The title, "Numbers" comes from the Greek name in the Septuagint Version dealing with the numbering of men from Numbers chapters 1-3, and chapter 26.  But from the Hebrew text the name is called ""Bemidbar", meaning "in the wilderness".  The wilderness is where the events of this book takes place; it starts in the wilderness of Sinai, at the base of mount Sinai.  The books of Leviticus and Numbers took place at the same time, about 1490 B.C.; but the book of numbers will follow the travels of the children of Israel as they wander for 38 years in the wilderness.  The book of Numbers details the numbering of the people, the men available for soldier duty, and of the priests and their families.  It is a book of sojournings, the forth book of the Pentateuch, thus in Biblical numerics, four stands for earth: thus it matches the fourth part of the book of Psalms, (90-106), in its types of Christ; the Son of Man here on earth being four.

 

  1).  Bread of Life, 11:7-9  (John 6:57,58)

  2).  Water of life,  20:11  (I Corinthians  10:4)

  3).  Lifted up, 21:9   (John 3:14, 15)

  4).  The coming star out of Jacob,  24:17  (Luke 1:78; 2 Peter 1:19; and Revelation 2:28, and 22:16)

 

    Notice that the book starts out with the word "And", this is to point out that all the five books of Moses are as a whole, in five sections.  So the book of Numbers is a continuation from the book of Leviticus.  Both books happened at the foot of mount Sinai, right after Moses had made his trips up the mountain to receive the laws, commandments and other instructions dealing with the temple, the priesthood, and the order of the tribes, their encampment, and duties.  So this is where we start this book of Numbers.  God is numbering the men of Israel that are of fighting age, that can be counted on in a war; for God is preparing these people to go into the Promise land and take the land and claim it for themselves.  God will lead them, and set the conditions to where they will win each and every battle.

 

     In chapters 3 and 4 it deals with the numbering of the Levites, and that numbering starts with an male infant at one year of age.  Their numbering is for a different purpose, than the other tribes for God does not expect His priests to be fighting men.  These Levites were divided into three different families for the sake of their duties to God. 

 

     It will also be told in the book of Numbers why God condemned an entire generation to die in the wilderness, because of their willingness to believe the lies of ten spies, and losing their faith in God and His ability to see them through to victory, and giving them the land of the giants.  Some of the leaders of the tribes turned their backs to God and followed Korah.  These men even tried an uprising to put in a new form of government and turn their backs on Moses and Aaron.  God dealt with those men harshly, as we will read of in the sixteenth and seventeenth chapters.  We will see that even Moses did not make it to the promise land, but only Joshua and Calab, the two spies that returned with the honest report:  so why is it so important that we should be studying this book of Numbers; the old law, and actions of those ancient people? 

 

          This is answered by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 10 of the New Testament. 

 

I Corinthians  10:1-3   "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;" [1]  "And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;" [2] "And did all eat the same spiritual meat;" [3]

 

     "Ignorant" as used in the Greek text is "agnoeo"; meaning "to not know, or to forget".  God was in that cloud, and it was a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  Paul is using the books of the Old Testament to reminding us that when the children of Israel came out of bondage of Egypt they all come through the Red Sea on dry ground.  Paul doesn't want you to forget that event.  They made it through the sea when they believed and had faith in the Father, and He brought them through the Red sea walking on dry ground.  The point here is that each of learn to trust in the Lord, and seek guidance and protection from Him in our lives.  They prayed when the food ran out, and God gave them spiritual meat, the manna from heaven to sustain them.

 

I Corinthians  10:4, 5  "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." [4] "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness." [5]

 

     We will see from Numbers 20:13 that God gave the Israelites the "Water of Meribah", "waters of contention" when Moses struck the Rock twice; God told him once, out came the water.  Moses paid dearily for not following God's instructions, for God would not allow him to enter into the promise land.   The Israelites carried this Rock with them, and Paul is telling us here that that Rock was Christ."  That Rock was Jacob's pillar, the pillow that Jacob used the night that he had his dream of the ladder with angels ascending to, and descending from heaven. 

 

     However, as we will see from Numbers 14:29 there was a rebellion against God, and the Israelites would not trust God or Moses' instructions to them, and for this an entire generation that was about to enter into the promise land died off in the wilderness.  We are in the wilderness of this earth age of flesh man that will come to a close at the seventh trump, however there is an entire generation that will spiritually die off and not receive their rewards at their entering into that promise land of Christ's kingdom here on earth. 

 

     Why? in ignorance our generation will simply not take the time to prepare themselves to seal the truths of God's Word in their mind.  They will listen to those men and women of false report, as they spout their false teaching, just as those ten spies did.  However there will be a few that do their home work, to study the Word to know the events of our day, so they will not be deceived by Satan at His arrival.  Those that do, are just like Joshua and Calab, they lived to be of service to God, and receive their rewards in the promise land.    

 

I Corinthians  10:6 - 8  "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted." [6]  "Neither be idolators, as were some of them; as it is written, "The People sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." " [7]  "Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand." [8]

 

    These things that happened way back in the wilderness were examples, or types for you and I today.  After the children of Israel crossed the Red sea and got into the wilderness, in a very short time they lusted for all those things that they had back in Egypt.  They took their eyes off the promises of God, and focused on their own fleshly desires, food and other comforts.  It came to a point where they wanted to appoint themselves a captain to lead them back into Egypt.  Verse seven is in reference to Exodus 36:25, that time when Moses went up on the mount, and Aaron and the people had molded a golden calf, and fell down and worshipped it.  This idolatry did not end in Exodus, but it will be present through out the book of Numbers.  Verse eight is in reference to Numbers 25:1-9.  Here the children of Israel even worshipped the Moabite diety, "Baal-peor", and because of this heathen worship twenty four thousand that died in the plague that followed.  The same features of that ancient Baal-peor worship, is creeping into what we call Christianity today, and as we study it, pay attention to what these Israelites were doing.                

 

I Corinthians  10:9-12   Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents."  [9]  "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." [11]  "Where let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." [12]

 

       There is a double witness here by Paul, that those things that happened and are written of in the Old Testament are examples for those "upon whom the ends of the world are come."  In the Greek text it is speaking of those people (whom) who live in the generation, of  time of the end of this earth age of flesh man.  Paul is telling you and I that we had better pay attention to all of these things, for they prepare each of us for facing the destroyer, or Satan, and his serpents, those Kenites and fallen angels that will try to deceive people very shortly. 

 

     "Tempt" as used here means "to put to the test"; and Paul is reminding us that we are not to put Christ to the test as those Israelites did.  Why? In doing so many Israelite people were Killed by those serpents.  This is in reference to Numbers 21:6, when the Israelites were trying to go around the land of Edom, rather than trusting God's promise and going through it.  God told us that we will be here when Antichrist is here on earth, and we were to keep ourselves willing and able to allow the Holy Spirit to witness through us when we are delivered up to speak.  No it will not be from our mind, but the Holy Spirit will give us words to say at that time.  It is not time to run for the cover of a rapture, for no one is going anywhere, and if you are taken at the sixth trump, it will be by Satan. Don't tempt the Lord with your men's tradition that go against the Word of God. 

 

     So as we have seen, all these things happened and were recorded to be examples to those of us that are living in these end times.  We are living in that end generation today, for many of the signs of the end times are recorded in our history books today.  The Jews have returned to the promised land, and their nations is over 50 years old, the one world system now has chartered every nation in the world, and the four hidden dynasties control every part of our lives.  It is important that we read this book of Numbers, and have some understanding of it, for those things that we are now going to read about, are examples of the things we will face now and in the near future. 

 

     When the ten spies came back from the promise land they lied and said that they could not conquer those powerful giant peoples, and the Israelites believed them.  God struck those false teachers and prophets [spies] dead, and caused the people that followed their instruction to die off in the wilderness.  All of the events that we will read of in the book of Numbers then are written as warnings to us living today.  Paul is warning each of us, the people of this end generation of the age of flesh man, that when we think that we are strong, that's the time to be on guard.  Events of the latter days are happening fast and swiftly, and we are to be faithful watchman continually.  We will have our false spies (false preachers and prophets) come and give us their reports of the promise land, but Paul is telling us to pay attention to what is written in His Word.   So lets get into our study of the book of Numbers.                  

 

Numbers  1:1   "And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,"

 

    The children of Israel departed from Egypt and their bondage on the fifteenth day of the the first month, that started with Spring Vernal Equinox.  This day was established by God for the first month to be started.  The days of the Jewish Calendar start at sundown and run to sundown of the next day.  The Passover was the tenth plague in Egypt, it was that time when the Israelites took the unblemished lamb, put the blood over the post and overhead of their doors, and when in their homes.  That night while they were fully clothed and ready to move out the next day, the death angel passed over all Egypt, and claimed the life of the firstborn, both man and animal.  There was no time for their bread to rise, so they ate and took the unleavened bread:  Bread without yeast, and leaven.  God marked when the year would start and He marked that day as special for all times.  Each year would start at the Spring Vernal Equinox.     

 

     So, remember that the Passover is held on the fourteenth day of the first month, Abib or as known today as Nisan.  The Tabernacle has just been build, and YHVH, our Covenant Jehovah is speaking to Moses and to the People from that tent. or tabernacle, constructed out there in the wilderness.  It has been two years and a month from that night when the death angel passed over, and God is speaking to His People.

 

     By biblical numerics, God spoke fifty six "sundry times" to His People, thats 7 X 8 in numerics, and 13 times in "divers manners" to His People (12 to Moses and once to Aaron), and four times "definite".

 

    The Israelites arrived at their base camp at the foot of mount Sinai the third month after they departed from Egypt.  The Israelite's departure was the first day after the Passover.  However, at the time that this book of Numbers starts, it is one year later, and this starts on the first day of the second month.  Everybody present at this meeting walked through the Red sea on dry ground, and witnessed personally the walls of water on each side of them, and then.  They saw as God closed the path behind them to kill the Egyptian army as they were coming after them.  These people have tasted of God's goodness, from the plagues of Egypt, to His protection to this point in time.             

 

Numbers  1:2   " "Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;"

 

     God is telling Moses to stop and take a head count of all the males from all the tribes, according to their families.  Of course the only reason that head counts come about is for military purposes.  We even do it today, just as most of the nations of the world do in their lands.  The children of Israel are drumming up a military force for their own protection as they continue their march through the wilderness.  So this will be the second head count that was ordered by God, and the first was in Exodus 30:14.  The third headcount or censes will be in Numbers 26, in the fortieth year after the Israelites came out of captivity, and were putting the army ready to go into and take the promise land of Canaan.

 

Numbers  1:3   "From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies."

 

     This states the purpose of the headcount, or censes taking, for it is just as our selective service does today, only today it is eighteen years of age, then it was twenty years old and upwards.  Moses and Aaron are putting together fighting troops that will protect the Children of Israel as they make their journey to the promise land.  They will face many nations and armies that simply do not like them.  Over the next 38 years, they will face some very bad people, and there are the giants and nations that possess their land that must be removed first.     

 

Numbers  1:4   "And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers."

 

     And with Moses and Aaron, from every tribe and family of all the people, leaders were selected and put in charge of their troops from their own families and tribes.  This making of the Israelite army will be done in a very orderly fashion, for our heavenly Father does not like confusion amongst His people or in the ranks.  The soldiers will have a man over them that is from their tribe and family, for this will be God's army over His People.    

 

Numbers  1:5   "And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur."

 

     So God is selecting eacj general that will be over each of the tribes The people of People of each tribe will know their military leaders, just as we are well aware of our top generals and leaders of our land today.  As you read through these names, we will see the each of them have a meaning, such as "Elizur", meaning "God of Rock". 

 

Numbers  1:6   "Of Simeon;  Shelumiel the son of Zuri-shaddai."

 

     "Zuri-shaddai" meaning "the rock of the almighty.

 

Numbers  1:7   "Of Judah;  Nahshon the son of Amminadab."

 

     "Nahshon" means "enchanter", while "Amminadab" means "My willing people".  The meaning of each of these names are listed in Smith's Bible Dictionary.  Remember the the Christ child, Jesus the Christ would come through this tribe and family of Judah, as it is pointed out in Luke 3:32, and 33;  "Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson" [32]  "Which was the son of Aminadab,...of Juda" [33]  "  Here you have the king seed line that came through David, and the lineage continued to Christ.    

 

Numbers  1:8   "Of Issachar;  Nethaneel the son of Zuar."

 

     "Nethaneel" means "given of God"; while  the name "Zuar" means "small".

 

Numbers  1:9   "Of Zebulun;  Eliab the son of Helon."

 

     "Eliab" means "of his father, and "Helon" means "strong". 

 

Numbers  1:10   "Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur."

 

     Remember that the tribe of Joseph was given a double blessing and Jacob blessed each of these sons of Joseph, and adopted each of them and gave each his blessing.  These was well recorded in Genesis 48:20  "And He [Jacob] blessed them [Joseph's two sons] that day, saying, "In thee shall Israel bless, saying, `God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh:'  "And he set Ephraim before Manasseh."  Joseph received a double blessing, and the Abrahamic covenant was passed on at this time from Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel, to Josephs two sons.  We read in verse 19 that Ephraim the younger would become a multitude of nations, but the older, Manasseh would become the great nation.  So here some two hundred years later we see that Jacob's family of sixty that went down into Egypt is being numbered well over two million, with an army of well over six hundred thousand, as we will consider in the next chapter. 

 

Numbers  1:11   "Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni."

 

Numbers  1:12   "Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammi-shaddai."

 

     "Ammi-shaddai" means "people of the Almighty"

 

Numbers  1:13   "Of Asher;  Pagiel the son of Ocran."

 

Numbers  1:14   "Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel."

 

Numbers  1:15   "Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan."

 

Numbers  1:16   "These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel."

 

     So these men that God has selected to be over the army of the tribes.  They are the men "called out" [renowned of the congregation] to be the princes of Israel over the tribes of their fathers.  Remember from verse one; "The Lord spake unto Moses"; and then in verse five, God told Moses that these are the ones that He selected to be the head over each of their tribes. 

 

Numbers  1:17   "And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:"

 

     So Moses and Aaron took these men that God specified by name to lead their tribe to the tabernacle.

 

Numbers  1:18   "And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls."

 

     God choose Moses to lead His people out of their bondage while he was tending his father in laws sheep on the far side of mount Sinai.  Moses did not have the ability to speak, so God choose Aaron, Moses' older brother to do the talking before Pharaoh and the people.  After the Israelites had left Egypt, God then appointed Aaron, a Levite to be the High Priest, the man to lead the people before God in the tabernacle.  This then sets up a chain of command: God to Moses: Moses to Aaron; and Aaron to the Princes of the tribes; and those Princes to the people.

 

     The people came together at the Tabernacle this second month of the second year, and the purpose for this grand assembly was to number the people according to the Pedigrees, their lineage from father to son, according to the lineage of Jacobs twelve sons.  These twelve sons of Jacob are the Patriarch's of each of the tribes of Jacob [Israel]. 

 

     Stop just a moment and consider something: To God "pedigree" at this time was important.  It was important way back in Adam's day, in the lineage of Seth; It was very important in Noah's day, when Satan tried to mess over the bloodline that the Christ would come through because of Satan's fallen angels; and it is just as important in the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

 

Genesis  3:15  "And I [God] will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman [Eve].  And between thy [Satan's] seed [Kenites] and her [Eve's] Seed [Jesus Christ]. It [Christ] shall bruise his [Satan's] head, and thou [the Kenites] shall bruise His [Christ's] heel."

 

      In Genesis 3:15 we are told of the Messiah that would come and be killed at the hands of Satan's seed, the Kenites.  This part of the prophecy was completed at the cross, as the Kenites carried out their murderous plot to kill Jesus and drive the nails through his hands and feet.  The lineage of Seth was important for Satan's child Cain had killed Adam's firstborn child Abel.  Seth then would become the lineage of the Messiah.  Then in Genesis 6 we see that Satan sent fallen angels to come to earth to marry and breed with "the daughter of men", Adam specifically and this act would in time pollute the lineage of Seth, that lineage of the Christ child.  So at the time of Noah, Noah and his family were the only living souls left of Adam's lineage that had not been polluted by Satan's angels.  In Genesis 6:7 God wanted to destroy this entire earth age, the same as He did in that first earth age where no life was left; plant, animal, fish or fowl.  So why do I say this?

 

Genesis 6:9  "These are the Generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God."

 

     To understand this verse we first have to understand the Hebrew text of the verse.  the first time "The generations" are used in the Hebrew text it is "Toledoth" and it is talking about Noah's family history, his father, grandfather and so on.  The second time "the generations" is named, it is "dor", meaning "habitually", personally, not his parents, but Noah himself, along with his wife and sons.  So Noah was "just and perfect in his "dor" ", his family [wife and sons and their wives].  They simply did not do what the rest of the adamic people did, marry into the lineage of these fallen angels, to spoil their lineage that the Christ child would come through.  Do you get what I'm trying to say?  The purpose for Adam and his lineage was that the Messiah was to come through this lineage of Seth, and all of the family had polluted themselves but Noah.  "Perfect" as stated in Genesis 6:9, in the Hebrew text is "Tamim" in the Hebrew tongue, and it means "without blemish as to breed or pedigree." 

 

      Dog and cat raisers know exactly what pedigree means for it separates perfection in blood lines.  It doesn't deal with training or the animals mind, but with the lineage or blood line, they simply don't want a mongrel in the offspring, for those puppies or kitties can be sold as quality and have the intended value.  The are spotted and blemished.

 

     So now think of this in the manner of lineage that God has chosen to bring his Son Jesus the Christ through, that will be unblemished, spotless and the Lamb that will be sacrificed to take away the sin of those that believe on Him, and brought back into God graces.  As we go through the book of Numbers, over and over we see that the Lamb used of the offering sacrifice for sin, must be unblemished, whole and spotless.  Noah's was the only family on the face of the earth at that time that was unblemished, whole and without the tarnishment of the fallen angels, and spotless in it's lineage. 

 

     Now bring this thought back into the book of Numbers.  God knows who is and who is not spotless in their lineage, and at this time it was important.  The method we use today is through DNA.  Lineage or pedigree is tracing the bloodline that the Son of God would come through, and become our perfect sacrifice, without the blemish of Satan's kids, [the Kenites] or the fallen angels, [the Nephilim].  God wanted each of these families in all of the tribes to be accounted for and numbered, and His army would be made up from His people.  Each person is now here ordered to come before the Prince of their tribe, and stand before Moses and give account of their "pedigrees" after their families, and this numbering was from age twenty upwards.

 

     When we get into the numbering of the males of the Levites, we will see that not all Levites were priests.  Most of them were assigned to other duties, as will be covered in Numbers 4, in the order of their services.  It will be only the sons of Aaron that will be counted in the Levitical priesthood. 

 

    So all of the tribes are going to be polled, or counted by head count, and identified by their pedigree.  They were going to be selected for, and into the army of Israel.  However to be in this army of God, your lineage had to be perfect, traceable to and through one of the sons of Jacob.  You didn't just show up and say, "I'm willing to be a soldier, I'm of Israel".  But to be in this army, you had to prove your lineage.  It is the same basis that God chose in Genesis six as to who was of the pedigree that our Lord and Savior would come, and who wasn't fit to be numbered.  This importance of pedigree continues all the way through the Old Testament.                 

 

Numbers  1:19   "As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai."

 

     There will be another numbering later on, as recorded in II Samuel 24: 1, 2; this numbering was ordered by David, and is was not done in faith, but because of the lack of faith.  At that time it was Satan playing around with David's mind, messing over David's pride, trying to prove himself over this large army.  David paid a huge price for his lack of faith, and the pride that swelled up within him.    

 

Numbers  1:20   "And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     God changed Jacob's name to Israel, and Jacob's eldest son was Reuben.  We will see that some of the tribes were blessed over other, because they did as God commanded them, while other took God's Word lightly, and were not blessed as well.  Reuben was one of the sons that was not faithful to God, when he uncovered His father's nakedness, or slept with his father's wife [Genesis 35:22].  The penalty for this act was covered in Genesis 49:4; "Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to they father's bed then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch."  "Excel as used here is # 3498 "yather" in the Hebrew text, meaning, "a prime, to leave a remnant, to leave behind."   So compare the number of Reuben's offspring with that of his brothers.  

 

Numbers  1:21   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred."

 

     The numbering of Reuben thirty eight years later in Numbers 26:7 were forty three thousand seven hundred and thirty.  This the close of this time in the wilderness, the time that the children of Israel were to enter into the Promise land.  That generation of numbering in Numbers one had all died off, and this then was their offspring of the next generation.  Reubens numbers decreased over the prior generation.     

 

Numbers  1:22   "Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of their names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, and all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     Simeon and Reuben were both children of Jacob through Leah. 

 

Numbers  1:23   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred."

 

     We see that Simeon's numbers will decrease between this time, and at the end of the 38 years in their wilderness travels: to forty thousand five hundred.  We will see from the third chapter that the Reubenites, the Simeonites and the Gadites resided in their location in the camp next to the Kohathites.  It was the Koahthites the rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and God opened the ground and swallowed up those that made their stand against Moses.  It is good to be aware of this in our studies of Numbers, for certain tribes had a bunch of touble makers, and God would not stand for their nonsense.  In Deuteronomy 33 when Moses is about to die, He gives a blessing to all the tribes, but notice that this tribe of Simeon was not blessed nor mentioned by Moses.

 

      Jacob knew this son of his, and when he was blessing his sons before his bless, Jacob spoke of Simeon.  Genesis 49:5  "Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations." [5]  "O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall." [6]   Simeon took Levi and they devised a way to take down the entire town of the man that raped their sister Dinah.  They entered into the town, and killed all the males of the town.  This act dishonored Jacob, as is stated here.  The men of Simeon like to plot, as they will with Korah, Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram against Moses.  Moses saw this with the tribe of Simeon, the same way that Israel did with their tribes patriarch Simeon.         

 

Numbers  1:24   "Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old  and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     The name "Gad" means "to crowd upon or to attack."   We know from the book of Joshua 1:12 that the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh were given their land first, before the tribes crossed the Jordan to take the land of Canaan.  While all the tribes took over and conquered the lands east of the Jordan, once it was taken, Joshua gave divided up the land amongst these three tribes.  After the families were settled, built their houses, and planted their crops, it was time to get their armies together and march out in front of the other tribes, protecting the families of the other tribes that did not have their lands yet.     

 

Numbers  1:25   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty."

 

     The number from Numbers 26:18  were forty thousand five hundred, a decrease in head count by over six thousand.  Again, this was because man of their families took part in the uprising against Moses and were killed when the ground opened up.    

 

Numbers  1:26   "Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     Judah was also a decendant for Leah, Jacob's first wife. 

 

Numbers  1:27   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred."

 

     Notice that their number was 74,600 men over the age of 20 at this time.  In Numbers we see that this number will grow to 76,500.  In Genesis 49 Jacob called all his sons together and told they what would befall them in the future, as revealed to him by God.  in verses eight through 10 we read of Judah.

 

Genesis 49:8  "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee."

 

     To have your hand on the enemies neck, means that you will have victory over him. 

 

Genesis  49:9  "Judah is a lion's welp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?"

 

     "Lion's welp" meant that the actions of Judah were that they were fast to react, quick tempered, and first to strike.  From the time that Judah went down to Egypt to face Joseph in later years, He was the one that assumed all the responsibility of the others.  He took charge, and was the leader in defending his brother Benjamin.  In later years, when Judah becomes a nation, that nation will stand it's ground to what is right, and not be easily moved.  Judah's offspring will become the royal lines through the lineage of David, providing the kings over the other nations of the tribes of Israel.  We see this in the lineage of all the king lines of western Europe and even the Czars of Russia.         

 

Genesis  49:10   "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be."

 

     "Shiloh" means "a place of rest", and in the term "unto Him [Jesus Christ] shall the gathering of the people be."  This is in reference to the future even to us today, for that is when Jesus Will come at the end of this earth age, to gather His people back to Him.  These promises are everlasting.  

 

Numbers  1:28   "Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

Genesis 49:14, 15: "Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:" [14]  "And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and become a servant unto tribute." [15] 

 

     Jacob saw right through Issachar, he was a man that was strong and would rather carry the burdens of anyone, than fight or cause trouble.  He will pay tribute to anyone just to be left alone; he was and still is through his people a pacifist.  Issachar would rather work than fight for his rights, but he was also generous, yet when it came to a battle or conflict, he had problems.     

 

Numbers  1:29   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred."

 

     We see from Numbers 26:23 that Issachar grew from  54,400 to 64,300 fighting men in their army.

 

Numbers  1:30   "Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     When Jacob turned to Zebulun in Genesis 49:13 he said; "Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon."

 

     We see from the location of Zebulun when the land was lotted out by Joshua later, that he was lotted land by the sea.  All down through History, Zebulun's people have been sea people, a haven for ships, such as in Holland and the Netherlands. 

 

Numbers  1:31  "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred."

 

     God blessed this tribe to where Zebulun's numbers of fighting men increased over the next 38 years from 57,400 to 64,300 fighting men in arms, as recorded in Numbers 26:26. 

 

Numbers  1:32   "Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

 

     We know from Genesis 48:20 that Jacob adopted both of Joseph's sons to become two separate tribes, and they would carry on the blessing promise that came to him from Abraham, through his father Isaac.  Ephraim was to become the father of many nations, where as Manasseh would become one large and powerful nation.  In that meeting of Genesis 49:22 we see that Joseph was Jacob's favorite son, and so this reflected in his prophecy for both Ephraim, and Manasseh.  "Joseph is a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall." 

 

Numbers  1:33   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred."

 

     Genesis 26:34 shows us that the tribe of Ephraim grew from 40,500 as recorded here to fifty two thousand seven hundred.  Remember that those numbered at the start of the wilderness journey will all die off in the wilderness, and those numbered in Genesis 26 were the small children and unborn at the time of the first numbering. 

 

Numbers  1:34   "Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     In Genesis 48:20, Jacob prophesied that Manasseh would become a great nation, blessing the whole world.  Is there such a nation today as Manasseh or Ephraim.  Of course there is, the United States of America is the only superpower blessing the world in these end times.  Where as Ephraim can be well established in the lineage of their Queen Elizabeth, a direct descendant from the seed of David.  That blessing that God gave Abraham was eternal, and is just as real today as it ever was.    

 

Numbers  1:35   "Those that were numbered of them even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred."

 

     So at the start of the wilderness journey the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200;  Comparing to Numbers 26:34 Manasseh had grown to 52,200.

 

     The combined totals for Joseph, the son that the blessing would pass through was 72,700 at the start of the journey, and at the time of entering into the promise land would grow to 124,900.  As you read of the tribe of Manasseh and see their groweth, it is easy to see why then need two different areas for land; one on the east of Jordan and the other on the west.  Even at this early stage of time, God blessing to Abraham is being fulfilled in Ephraim and Manasseh.  

 

Numbers  1:36   "Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     Genesis 49:27  "Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil."  The ancient Vikings, and Norwegian people follow their lineage through Benjamin.  Both Joseph and Benjamin were the children of Rachel, the favorite of Jacob's four wives. 

 

Numbers  1:37   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred."

 

     Benjamin's numbers will go in the next thirty eight years from 35,400 to 45,500, the time of entering into the promise land.  Remember that the head count of those at the beginning will have all died off, and the 45,500 represents the children at the time of the first numbering, and those born in the wilderness. 

 

Numbers  1:38   "Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     Jacobs prophecy for the tribe of Dan is given in Genesis 49:16, 17:  "Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel." [16]  "Dan shall be a serpent by the way, and adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward." [17] 

 

     So why is the serpent, or Satan is mentioned?  We see from Judges 15:20 that is will be a Judge from the tribe of Dan; "as one of the tribes of Israel", that shall lead the rest of the tribes into idolatry.  Later after Solomon's death and the kingdom split, Dan would be at the center of bringing golden calf worship into the house of Israel.  The sons of Dan have been involved in idol worship, since the time of the judges, for the tribe of Dan is very easy to trace through its idolatry.  "Dan is an adder in the path" for it leaves its signs of Satan and strikes where he is not expected.  When Dan "strikes at the horse feet" he is attacking at the powers in control, and the ruling members are left confused and surprised.   Take a look at the Irish today, and we can see traces of Dan to these end times. 

 

Numbers  1:39   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred."

 

    Numbers 26:43 tells us that Dan will grow from 62,700 to 64,400.

 

Numbers   1:40   "Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     Genesis 49:20 is very short and to the point, "Out of Asher, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties."  "Asher" means "upright" and the people of the tribe of Asher will be very prosperous.

 

Numbers   1:41   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred."

 

     There numbers will grow from 41,500 to 53,400 as recorded in Numbers 26:47.

 

Numbers  1:42   "Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;"

 

     Jacob said of Naphtali in Genesis 49:21;  "Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words."    The hind let loose is a deer that in on the run.  The peoples of the tribe of Naphtali are quick on their feet to speak, not only with movement, but with speech.

 

Numbers  1:43   "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred."

 

     Their numbers will decrease in the wilderness from 53,400 to 45,400 as recorded in Numbers 26:50, the time that the children of Israel will go in to possess the land that God had promised to them.  However remember that though God would give them the land, it was inhabited by some very bad people at the time of their wanderings.  The numberings are now over, the army now is set to protect the people for the trip through the wilderness.   

 

Numbers  1:44   "These are those that were numbered,. which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his father."

 

     The children of Israel now have their army ready for action at the leading of the Lord.  There is another battle coming shortly, and that battle will not be fought with guns and tanks, but with words and ideas, and it will be a spiritual battle with Satan.  This is why God warns us in Ephesians 6:10 - 20 to put on our spiritual armor, that we can stand against the wiles of the Devil.  Our preparation should be going on right now, as when Satan and his fallen angels arrive here on earth it will be to late.  It will be for the souls of mankind in the flesh, and Satan will use all his supernatural powers to deceive each of into following and bowing to him.  This world will be his for that five month period, and he will give you what ever it will take to buy your soul.  Are you standing in place with your spiritual gospel armor on and in place ready to take on what ever lies and deceptions Satan throws your way? 

 

Numbers  1:45   "So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;"

 

     The Army of the children of Israel is not registered and their ranks are forming into their units.  The count does not include women or children under the age of twenty.  When trouble comes, these men will be there to face it. 

 

Numbers  1:46   "Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand three thousand and five hundred and fifty."

 

     So the combined total of men age 20 and older of all the tribes is 603,550 men.  In Numbers 26, we see that at the end of the thirty eight years, just prior to entering into the promise land, that army numbered 601,730 men.  So if you take that number of men over the age of 19, and compare it to modern population numbers, you would get a total population of Israelites here at over 2.1 but under 2.4 million people.  This is the number of people that will be packing up and moving their homes, tabernacle and resetting up camp along the way for the next thirty eight years. 

 

     This is what the book of Numbers is all about, how these people will live, fight, carry on their lives, while moving through the wilderness to their promise land.  The point here is that God will tell them later that all the adults will die off in the wilderness, and only their children will make it into the promise land.  I'm sure that the nations that live along the trail of the journey were very watchful as they saw these people approach and pass through their lands.  Keep in mind that only two will be elected to go into the land of Canaan to take the land.  Those two are Joshua and Caleb, the two spies that gave an honest report and have the faith in God to know that the land could be taken now.       

 

Numbers  1:47   "But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them."

 

     There will be a numbering of the Levites though in chapters three and four, but their numbering is not for the sake of the army, but for the sake of the Levitical priesthood and all the duties that surround the Tabernacle and service to God and to the People.  Then the Levites will be numbered in chapter three from the age of one month and upward.  This is for the purpose of redemption, for God will exchange the Levites for the firstborn males for all the children of Israel.

 

    In Chapter four, the Levites will be numbered from the age of thirty, for the sake of service and control within the sanctuary.   

 

Numbers  1:48   "For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying,"

 

Numbers  1:49   "Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:"

 

     Levi was mothered by Jacob's first wife, Leah.  Jacob knew that Levi would be given to the priesthood, and does not address it in Genesis 49. 

 

Numbers  1:50   "But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels threreof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle."

 

   God is telling Moses that He shall charge the Levites over the "Mishkan" the habitation of the children of Israel.  This tribe of Levi will be the priests through the family of Aaron, and the government carring for the needs and governing of the people.  The laws will be enforced, the punishment given out, and the prayers and offering for repentance will come through these Levi's also.  They will be the governing force, directed by God, through Aaron and the princes that were assigned over each tribe, as we read in Numbers 1:5 - 16. 

 

     When Israel camped at night, the Levites would be camped all around the tabernacle, to protect it.  When they would pack up to leave on the journey, they were the ones to take the tabernacle down, pack it and all the instruments, and things of the tabernacle and move them to the next location.  The lay out of the camp will be give in later on in Chapter two.  All of the items that are included in the care and keep of the Levites are given in Exodus 25 and on, where God is giving Moses instruction as to what is to be used in the worship and tabernacle.       

 

Numbers  1:51   "And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh high shall be put to death."

 

     The Israelites only moved with God instructed them to move, and this will be brough out later in the book of Numbers.  However the things of God and the tabernacle were not to be touched or handled by anyone but the people specifically designated by God.  As stranger to the Levites would be put to death if caught handling the things of God.  God was over the tabernacle as a cloud by day, protecting the people from the heat of the sun of the desert.  God was a pillar of fire or source of heat by night.  So when it came time to move, God would allow that cloud to move out in the direction that they were to go.  The movement was not a daily thing, but they might travel from three to six days, and rest for a week to a month.  The movements were as God instructed them to move, or to pitch their tents and camp.

 

     The "Stranger that cometh high shall be put to death", is thought to be in reference to the items within the holy of holies, such as the mercy seat, and the ark of the covenant.  Those specific thing were only to be handled at any time by Aaron and his sons, and their families.  The Kohathites were the Levites that were responsible for the heavy work, the tents and panels, and so on.  This will be discussed later.          

 

Numbers  1:52   "And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts."

 

     This is what chapter two is all about, establishing the order of the camp site, and the order of marching and movement as they pass from one location to another.  The standard is a flag with the insigna for that specific tribe's army unit.  Where as the banner would be the flag of the tribe.  This is very common in all armies of today, for each military unit has its own standard that it takes with them and posts at the time that they camp.  Where as the flag or banner of their people flies over all other flags.  Our banner is the red, white and blue flag of the United States of America.    

 

Numbers  1:53   "But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony." "

 

     It was the duty of the Levites that the things of the tabernacle and the congregation were taken care of properly.   "Shall keep charged", means the proper respect for the things of God were given by all the people, respect for those things in and about the holy of holies.  They were to make sure that their cleaning was done properly and that when these items were used, it would be in the manner that God intended and instructed them to be used.   

 

Numbers  1:24   "And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they."

 

     We will see that starting out on this journey from the base camp at the foot of mount Sinai, this verse was true.  The children of Israel did all the Lord commanded them through Moses.  However we will see that this did not last for long, for there would be a uprising after a very short period of time.