Numbers 2:1-34


God told Moses just how He wanted the tribes to be assembled in their camp.  The camp is to be set up with the tabernacle and the tribe of Levi in the middle and then three tribes camped on each side of the tabernacle.  This made the tabernacle central to their lives so that worship would be seen as essential to their lives, and it placed the tabernacle in the most protected part of the camp.  There does not seem to be a logical pattern as to which tribes were placed together other than that Benjamin and the two tribes of Joseph were placed together as the descendents of Jacob through the wife that he loved, Rachel.  As I consider the placement of the tabernacle, there are these three thoughts that come to mind.

THE PRIORITY OF GOD: It is very clear that the tabernacle, the center of worship, was placed in the area of priority within the camp.  It provided the point of reference around which all of the rest of the tribes were to gather.  One of the hardest things for us to do in life is keep our lives balanced with the proper priorities.  It is easy for us to allow our work, entertainment and even our families to occupy the places of priority in our hearts that should belong to God alone.  It is clear that God is a God of order and we need to make sure that He is occupying the proper place of order in our hearts.

THE PROTECTION OF GOD: This phrase could be understood in two ways and really should be understood in two ways.  God provides protection to us.  We must protect God’s place in our hearts.  The placement on the tabernacle reminds me of the fact that we must always protect God’s place in our hearts, our families, our communities and our nations.  We must never allow God to be pushed out to the outskirts of our lives and become exposed to the forces of evil that seek to attack and overthrow His place in our lives.

THE POWER OF GOD: The placement of the tabernacle also reminds me that God is to be the common source of strength from which all of us are to draw.  He empowers us and equips us with the ability to stand strong against the attacks of the world and Satan.  We must always recognize our dependence upon Him.  When we become disconnected from the source of our strength we become weak and vulnerable.  We must learn always realize that our power and ability to survive and thrive in the world and be productive in the ministries to which He has called us depends on remaining connected to Him.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than any of the other people of his
Read more

1 Timothy 2:11-15

Let a woman learn quietly   with all submissiveness.    I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.    For Adam was formed first,   then Eve;   and Adam was not deceived, but   the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.    Yet she will be saved through   childbearing—if they continue in   faith and love and holiness, with self-control. There is certainly controversy and confusion about this passage in many churches today.  The idea of a distinction between men and women and their roles in the family and church certainly goes against the flow of many cultures around the world.  Some would argue that the literal and plain teaching of this passage is no longer applicable to today’s culture.  However, it is always dangerous to discard biblical teaching or try to interpret Scripture based on the cultures in which we live.  Certainly, the Spirit who inspired this text was aware of the many changes that would occur in future cul
Read more

1 Timothy 1:1-2

Paul,   an apostle of Christ Jesus   by command of   God our Savior and of Christ Jesus   our hope, To Timothy,   my true child in the faith:   Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. The true sign of maturity is multiplication.  Believers, churches, and ministries that do not reproduce are not demonstrating true maturity.  One of the key characteristics we can identify in Paul’s ministry is that he was constantly reproducing godly believers who were faithfully following the Lord.  Evangelism, discipleship, and leadership training are the hallmarks of mature ministers and ministries.   THE APOSTLE: Paul was called by God to be an Apostle.  Though Paul converted after the resurrection and assentation of Jesus, he met Jesus in the road to Damascus and was instructed by Jesus in the desert.  Paul considered himself to be the least of the Apostles because he persecuted the church and did not walk with Jesus on earth like the other Apostles.  However, God had
Read more