Numbers 8-10

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Numbers 8:1-26

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick [Menorah]. 3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses. 4 And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick. 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. 8 Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. 9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: 10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. 12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. 13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. 14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. 16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. 17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. 18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. 20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. 21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them. 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: 25 and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 26 but shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.”

Introduction

[Audio version: https://resources.ccphilly.org/detail.asp?TopicID=&Teaching=WED581]

“We have come as far as the 8^th chapter of the Book of Numbers, last week we looked at the contribution made by all of the tribes to the Levites, 22,000 of them, as the camp is forming up, getting organized, getting ready to move. Chapter 7 ended by saying “And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him,” capital H that should be, with the LORD, “then” remarkably “he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.” Again, imagine, Moses goes in, and he hears the voice of the LORD speaking to him from the Ark of the Covenant, from between the cherubim on the Mercy Seat. Now the LORD’s speaking to him in the Holy of Holies, a voice coming from the Ark of the Covenant, from the Mercy Seat on top,

Each Day We Must First Light Our Menorah--We Have A Light That We Function In--It’s Not A Natural Light

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick [Menorah]. And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick [lampstand], as the LORD commanded Moses. And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.” (verses 1-4) We get these few verses, very interesting, as they’re getting ready to move, as marching orders will come, there is this specific request by the LORD, speaking from the Mercy Seat, to Moses, to instruct Aaron to light the Menorah, to light the lampstand with seven branches, the bowls on there with the olive oil. There was no natural light in the Tabernacle. If it wasn’t for the lampstand it would be completely dark in there. This was the holy place, the Holy of Holies, and any ministration that took place there, took place there from the lampstand, no natural light. And of course it’s a picture, this is the very center of the nation, the arrangement of all of the tribes we’ve been given in the Book of Numbers, are around the presence of God. The whole life of the nation is specifically related north of the Tabernacle, west of the Tabernacle, south of the Tabernacle, it is all related, God is the one giving directions, and he’s speaking in each direction from the Tabernacle, the place where his presence is in the middle of his people. But there closest to him, there where he’s speaking, there is no natural light there. The light there is from the lampstand. And he tells us, our lives are governed by a Light, Jesus said ‘I am the Light of the world,’ not natural light. He told us his Word is a lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path, we have a light that we function in, and it’s not a natural light. The natural man doesn’t understand it, the Bible tells us. [That Light is a combination of God’s Word coupled to the indwelling Holy Spirit.] We notice from Zechariah chapter 4, that oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit, fueling. So in our journey, before we do anything, before we move, before anything else comes. It’s almost like they’re reminded, they’ve made this sacrifice, they’ve given, each tribe to the LORD, and now all of a sudden Aaron goes in there and his lights this lamp inside the Holy Place, which illuminates everything, the Altar of Incense and the Table of Showbread and the cherubim embroidered into the Vail, all of it all of a sudden is illumined and it is illumined by the lamp of God, it is illumined by this light that is not at all a natural light that is put before them. You know, it’s interesting, of course in Revelation chapter 2 and 3, the Church [greater Body of Christ] is compared to a lampstand, the seven churches there are compared to lampstands, and their ability to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying, or not yield to that, determines whether they can continue to give light or not. And it is certainly an exhortation to us. He’s ordered in, to light this lamp.

The Levites Cleansed & Consecrated By The Children Of Israel

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.” (verse 5-6) Now this is 22,000 of them, so we have to understand this is a ritual cleansing, it’d take quite a long time to get 22,000 baths [in the Brazen Laver]. This is 22,000 Levites, they’re going to be set aside now specifically to serve Aaron and his sons and to work in the Tabernacle. Remember, last week God said that all of the firstborn of the nation belonged to him, because when he brought them out of Egypt and the angel of death went through the camp, on the Passover night all of the firstborn of Egypt were slain, of man and of beast, and all of the firstborn of Israel were secure, wherever the blood of the lamb was on the doorposts, the LORD said “they are mine.” Then he said, what I’m going to do is instead of taking all of the firstborn, I’m going to take the tribe of Levi to myself. And it actually gave the numbers down to I believe 273 in difference and the LORD told them how to settle that. But the 22,000 Levites they counted, the LORD said, “they shall be mine in place of the firstborn, they’re set aside, they belonged to me.” So he’s saying now, ‘Take the Levites and cleanse them,’ “And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:” (verses 7-9) And notice, it doesn’t say the heads of the tribes, I’m not sure if this was representative, but it says “thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together.” Now that’s two to three million. “And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:” (verse 10) They’re going to knowingly as a nation, everybody’s to recognize the Levites are set aside for the LORD’s purpose. And look, the interesting thing is, the Levites, it’s a picture of any of us who would serve, set aside to do the LORD’s work, he wants them consecrated, he wants them cleansed, certainly he wants that in our lives. But the Levites, the sons of Merari and Gershon and Kohath, they’re going, they’re not in the public spotlight, they’re not on the stage, there’s 22,000 of them, and most of their names we’re never going to know. They serve quietly, they bare the burden of the Tabernacle, they carry the boards, the structure, the skeleton, they carry all of the tapestry and all of the fabric, they carry the Holy of Holies and different furniture, they labour, they work quietly, constantly, unseen, unnamed. And to do that, the LORD wants them clean, he wants them dedicated. The Levites are, we would consider what they do is menial. It’s not menial to the LORD, it’s not commonplace, it’s not unrecognized. He has the whole nation take note of their service and what they’re doing. And of course we think of the Book of Acts, it says “in those days,” chapter 6, “when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring amongst the Grecians,” their widows “against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude” the 12 apostles called the multitude “of disciples unto them and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Wherefore brethren, look ye out among you for seven men, of honest report,” that’s “marcurio,” these are men that have laid down their lives, as it were, of honest report, “full of the Holy Ghost” not half-full, “and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business, but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” It says people who were going to wait on tables, who were going to take care of widows, needed to be, had to have the proper reputation, of good report, they had to be full of the Holy Spirit, to wait on tables. They had to be full of the Holy Spirit, and of wisdom, of tact. When you’re going to wait on tables, somebody’s going to say ‘they got more mashed potatoes than I did, and this has to stop.’ If you’re going to wait on tables that’s going to go on, and you need wisdom to serve God’s people. Here in the Book of Numbers we see the same thing with the Levites. It’s not a high profile job, it’s not spectacular, they’re not on a stage, they’re not held in front of everybody, they labour, they carry, they burden, they sweat, they set up the Tabernacle, they take down the Tabernacle, it is a ministry of service unto the priests and unto the nation. And yet God wants them set aside, he wants them recognized, he wants them prayed for, he wants them cleansed, he wants their lives consecrated. It’s an interesting picture, I think for anybody who would say ‘Lord, I want to serve you,’ and I think he speaks to our hearts. Look, New Testament, ‘Anybody who desires the office of a bishop [i.e. pastor], it’s a good thing,’ it says, if you want to be an elder in the church. But you read the requirements, again, it’s the husband of one wife, not given to wine, not given to money, self-controlled, controlling his own home and his own children. It only says “apt to teach,” all of the rest of the requirements are character. It’s almost like the Lord is saying, if you’ll give me your heart, I can bless “apt to teach,” I can do whatever I want with that. If I have the man, I have the rest of your life, you give me your character, you give me your heart, I can produce what I want. And here with these Levites, they’re going to serve again, it’s not some glamourous position, they’re set aside, God recognizes them, they’re going to give their lives to him. And verse 11 says “and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.” (verses 11-16) This just tells us our life is not our own, we’re bought with a price, and here he says he’s taken them unto himself. “For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them. And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.” (verses 17-22) And they camped, remember, the Levites, their encampment were on each side of the Tabernacle, the sons of Merari, the sons of Gershon, the sons of Kohath, each of them had a position right against the Tabernacle, between the tribes and the Tabernacle itself. And Moses, Aaron and his sons camped on the east side of the Tabernacle. And there’s a picture there kind of protecting, you know, the worship center of the nation, and serving there. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: but shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.” (verses 23-26) Now earlier in the Book of Numbers it said that they’ll serve from 30 to 50, there’s a 20 year period there, they serve from 30 to 50. Here it says at 25 they go into the Tabernacle to wait upon their ministry. So evidently there is a 5 year intern period, where they work in the precincts, they learn all of their particular responsibilities, and at 30 itself is when they then assume the ministry that God has for them, unto 50 it says here. And from the age of 50 years “and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: but shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.” (verses 25-26) So it says here, those who are over 50 no longer bore the responsibility to bare the service. So as the Tabernacle moved the sons of Merari and the sons of the Kohathites and the sons of Gershon who were over 50 no longer had responsibility to physically bare up and do it, but their intrinsic value was to stay in the Tabernacle precincts and continue to serve, because they were older, they remained there, they served there. And no doubt the older ones were part of those who had charge of the younger Levites that came in from 25 to 30, to encourage them. So God’s setting things in order.”

Numbers 9:1-23

“And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. 3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. [see https://unityinchrist.com/lamb/exodus3.html] 4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover. 5 And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel. 6 And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: 7 and those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel? 8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you. 9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. 11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. 14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land. 15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. 18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. 19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. 20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. 21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. 22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. 23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.”

The Importance Of Keeping Passover--somewhere along the way we all need to be reminded how all of this began in our own lives

“Chapter 9, he says this, “And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,” (verse 1) Now, he’s backing up one month. Those of you who started with us in Numbers know that it was the second month of the second year. Here, we back up one month, something the LORD had said unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, “Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. [see https://unityinchrist.com/lamb/exodus3.html] And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover. And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.” (verses 2-5) So interesting, as they get ready to begin their journey, and the Book of Numbers will follow them, and God will give us a series of events that took place. Certainly we don’t have the whole 38 years, but we have certain pictures that God gives to us that contain lessons out of those 38 years that are specifically for us, that he wants us to learn from. We know that from Romans 15 and 1^st Corinthians chapter 10. Here as they’re getting ready to go in their journey, it says, they are to remember how they began, the way this all started, it was on the Passover night. The way they came out of Egypt in the first place was through the blood of the lamb. And there’s some instruction here, somewhere along the way we all need to be reminded how all of this began in our own lives. David would say ‘Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.’ Each of us need to be reminded. I think of 2^nd Peter chapter 1, around verse 13, Peter says ‘I put you in remembrance of certain things.’ In John, 1^st John chapter 2, verse 7, he says ‘I don’t give you a new commandment, but the command that you had in the beginning.’ There is something, Paul said in Colossians, ‘As you have received Christ, so walk ye in him.’ And there’s something about all of this that we do, with the church, and ministry, Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, Women’s ministry, the Addictions Meetings, the Men’s ministry, the Senior High, the Junior High, and all of the different facets and all of the different things that go on, we’re always in danger of loosing track of Jesus in the middle of it all. You know, it can become like a beehive, my own life can become like that, when I’m doing and doing and doing, and doing good things, you know, I’m not out robbing convenience stores, we’re doing good stuff. And all of a sudden realizing, I feel like I’m dry, I feel like I’m running out of fuel, and the Lord taking you gently to task and saying ‘How did we begin? What was it when we started?’ We loved him because he first loved us, the wonder of being saved, being washed in his blood, of the sacrifice that he made for us, the wonder of our first Passover [quite literally for me, as I began to observe God’s Holy Days, and Passover being one of my first Feasts I observed], what an incredible thing to be put in remembrance of. Paul says ‘as long as you break this bread, and drink this cup, you do show forth the Lord’s death, until he comes,’ it should be what we see looking back, and it has to do with looking forward, it marks our journey. And we’re watching them now getting ready to prepare their journey, to move ahead. Now, in the wilderness journey, we’re not told specifically whether they keep this Passover every year. It seems like a no-brainer, it seems so simple. We know in Joshua 5, it’s kept again there. It seems that that lapsed in how often they had kept it. But here, wonderfully and I think beautifully the LORD said, tell them, as they begin their journey, to keep the Passover, with all of the details, with everything that was told to them, as the LORD had commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel. Verse 6, “And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: and those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel?” (verses 6-7) ‘Why is it then that we’re disqualified? Are we unable to keep the Passover because we’ve been defiled by the body of a dead man, do we have to wait another year for this?’ “And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.” (verse 8) You don’t like it when somebody tells you that, do you? I know. You know, it’s a beautiful freedom here, Moses says ‘Look, wait, we’ll go check with Headquarters, ok?’ and he’s got questions. And how wonderful, wonderful freedom even that we have, that we can go, ‘Give us a chance to pray, let us seek the Lord,’ you’re asking us something, we need to make a decision, you know, someone will come and say ‘I think the Lord’s leading me to do this, what do you think?’ and I’ll say ‘You know, the Scripture doesn’t say you have the freedom, but we’ll pray with you, and we’ll seek the Lord, and see if he’ll speak to your heart.’ There’s a beautiful simplicity to being led that way. We think of the song, ‘Oh what needless pain we bare, because we do not carry every thing to the Lord in prayer.’ Well Moses says ‘Well stand still, I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.’ Isn’t it interesting, how well he knows the Lord’s voice? I wish I knew it like that, I have this [he taps his Bible]. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.” (verses 9-13) What an interesting picture. Celebrating the Passover, the nation considering it a privilege. It’s hard for me to imagine that one year out of Egypt anybody wouldn’t want to have kept the Passover. But these men come say ‘Moses, someone died, we didn’t plan on it, it’s inadvertent, and here we are defiled by this dead body, um, are we not able to keep the Passover?’ Moses said ‘Let me go pray, let me seek the LORD and ask.’ And he comes back and he says ‘There is, the LORD makes this provision, if you’re defiled for some reason, or, if you happen to be on a journey, and you’re nowhere near one day from Jerusalem or the Temple, at this point the Tabernacle where the lamb can be offered, you can partake of the Passover in the second month, on the same day, a month later, there is a provision that will be made.’ ‘On the other hand, for any of you that are there, that really just don’t care, that have the privilege and don’t avail themselves, that soul shall be cut off.’ What an interesting picture. You know, I look at it and I think ‘I wonder if Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, after they took the body of Jesus Christ off the cross, and were defiled, Levitically, by his dead body, I wonder if they sat a month later, together, and celebrated the Passover, and looked at each other, and talked, and wept, and prayed, and wondered?’ Because God makes a provision that when the circumstances of life seem to keep us from the Lamb of God, something’s going on, God says ‘No, nobody’s going to be kept.’ There may be some crazy thing going on in your life right now, you may have to take care of some other thing, but there is a time and place for you to sit and draw close, that will never be taken away. And on the other hand, those who do not care, who have the opportunity, to have the right timing, everything, who don’t avail themselves, will be cut off, their soul shall be cut off from the people. I think, what a beautiful picture. You know, the Lord doesn’t want any phony religious stuff, he doesn’t want anything to do with the people that are there that don’t even really care. And we’re surrounded in a nation with people that really just don’t care. But he says anybody who does, there is a provision, it has been made, it stands fast, they can always come. They won’t be cut off, the opportunity is never lost, he’s the same yesterday, today and forever. He even says if a stranger, a foreigner “And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.” (verse 14) the foreigner and he who comes from the land, they’re both the same as they come through the blood of the lamb.

God’s Leading Is Continual, Infallible, And For The Believer It Never Stops

Now verse 15, here we go, the journey as it were begins, and how interesting. “And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. So it was always:” for 38 years after this, “the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.” (verses 15-18) He didn’t ask their counsel, he didn’t say ‘What do you guys think, should we get started tomorrow?’ there was none of that, at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched their tents. But look, his leading was continual, it was infallible, it was continual and it was infallible, as his Word is today. But his leading was continual, it was infallible, the Pillar of Cloud sitting on the Tabernacle. If it sat there, we’re going to read, for a day or for a week or for a month or for a year, as long as it sat there, they camped. When it rose up and began to move, they followed. During the day it gave them shade, during the night, evidently warmth, protection from their enemies, Psalm 121 says ‘The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night,’ that the LORD would guide them. We are travellers, all of us, we are on a journey. I’m sure, and we’re going to read about it tonight as we get into the next chapter, the Cloud goes up, and they all begin to move, and I imagine when that first happened there was a lot of confusion, everybody scrambling, taking down their tents, getting ready, falling into line, the first time, the first way. It will become a routine. I think sometimes as our journey begins, you know, each mile seems so long. You think of when you were a child, a day seems like forever. A year, just is so long. And by the time you’re 40, 50, a day is a breath, a year is a season, it’s gone. And life at the end, a feather. And we have a God whose willing to lead us, at his commandment we move, at his commandment we cease. Is that demeaning? You know, worldly people say, ‘We just kind of felt like we’re supposed to do this.’ We take it to a much higher plane, it’s not a feeling, we have instruction, we have the leading of the Lord, we have his Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we don’t need a Pillar of Cloud and Fire, the Holy Spirit dwells within, the Word of God goes before us. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf, praying above us, we’re led. That leading exalts the value of human life. That leading tells us what human beings are really all about, that God Almighty would tell us to move, that he’d tell us to camp, that his leading would be continual, infallible, that he would be committed to our steps. That he would lead us, it speaks of the value of human life. It’s not demeaning, ‘you know all those religious people, those boneheads, those Bible thumpers, they don’t even think for themselves,’ there’s none of that. We learn what the mind is worth, we learn in the Scripture what God wants. It says ‘Lean not to your own understanding,’ but it doesn’t say ‘Abandon your own understanding,’ it says don’t lean on it, we have a greater compass than that. And there’s an interesting picture here as the journey begins, our journey, we are all journeying, we are all pilgrims, all of us. And God does not change, it tells us in Malachi, ‘I am the same yesterday, today and forever, therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ Hebrews 13, verse 8, ‘Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever, I am with you always, even unto the end of the Age.’ We have that. And your unsaved relatives, your friends, you’re going to go, here we come on Christmas, and you’re going to spend time with unsaved friends and relatives, you may even get the honour of blessing the Christmas dinner, you know ‘Let the nut pray,’ you know, it’d be your time. And isn’t it hard for them to understand, when you say ‘The Lord spoke to me, told me this, I was reading his Word the other morning, and he spoke to me and told me to do this,’ and it just seems completely foreign to them, completely foreign to them, But this whole journey here, as it’s put before us, it speaks of really the value of human life. You know, Jeremiah tells us this, he says “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Jeremiah says ‘I realize that.’ In the Book of James it says ‘Don’t say you’re going to go here, go there, do this, or do that, but say If the Lord wills I’m going to do this.’ It’s the same, these things apply to us, God leads us, and how wonderful it is. Now look, the problem is, it says here, as long as the Pillar camped on top of the Tabernacle, they stayed. And if you’re anything like me, we struggle with impatience. The fruit of the Spirit, part of that is being patient. My wife always tells me, ‘You are SO impatient,’ that’s because I can’t be stuck in traffic, Jesus is coming, the end of the world is coming, I’ve got things to do. But, we struggle with that. We learn quickly that we’d rather wait than move without him. There’s nothing worse than just taking it on yourself, and then you kind of get in a little bit of hot water somehow, and then you’re saying ‘Lord, are you here? Am I out here alone?’ The secret is wait until he says ‘Go.’ Then go. Then when you’re in a circumstance, then you’re not saying ‘Lord, did you tell me?’ then you’re saying ‘Lord, you told me.’ There’s a vast difference, between ‘Did you tell me?’ and ‘You did tell me.’ And we learn we’d much rather move with him than move alone. He’s moving the children of Israel, again, we’re going to hear over and over, “he commands, as he commands” he cares about them, he leads them. In verse 19 it says “And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” (verses 19-23) Just imagine that, ‘Honey, there he goes again,’ in the middle of the night, first thing in the morning, imagine what it’s like, you’re packing up your kids, you’re packing up your tent, packing everything up, we’re talking about two to three million people. Please, again, remember, the city of Philadelphia, the population right now is 1.5 million. You’re talking about twice the population of the city of Philadelphia moving when this Pillar goes up, imagine everybody packing up and heading out, what an undertaking this is, how incredible it is. Imagine the provisions that were provided for over 40 years in the wilderness. It took over 40 tons of Manna a day to feed that many people [576,000 tons of Manna in 40 years]. “At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” (verse 23) So what a wonderful thing at the end of our lives to say “at the commandment of the Lord I rested, and at the commandment of the Lord I journeyed,” and to be wherever you are and you’re going to take your last breath, what a wonderful thing it is to know you’re where you’re supposed to be when you take that last breath. Because that’s the ultimate step, you know, we’re supposed to walk worthy of our vocation, that’s part of our vocation, stepping through the Vail. And what a wonderful thing then, to hear ‘Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.’ So what an interesting picture for us.”

Numbers 10:1-36

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. 5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward [Judah’s camp was to the east of the Tabernacle]. 6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. 7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. 9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. 10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God. 11 And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 12 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 14 In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the host of the tribe of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the host of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came. 22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan was set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the host of the tribe of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward. 29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel [Jethro] the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel. 30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. 31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. 32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. 33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. 35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. 36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.”

The Two Silver Trumpets--What They’re For--What They Symbolize

“Chapter 10, it says, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.” (verses 1-2) First reason, the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps, and we’re going to find out it’s to call the warriors together for war, a number of different things, they’re going to use these trumpets for. Now look, there was no PA system. Moses would lead, and his voice no doubt would be audible to whatever number supernaturally the LORD wanted it to be audible to, but these two trumpets evidently were trumpets that the LORD blessed, that were loud enough that effected the camp. Remarkable, when you think some estimate the camp that was set up was seven hundred square miles [I don’t agree with that estimate, that’s too large]. So just imagine. “And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” (verse 3) I must have the sense that there are different sizes, different pitch or something, “And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.” (verse 4) So if they needed a particular meeting with just the heads of the tribes, they blew on the one trumpet. If they needed everyone to gather, they blew both trumpets. Interesting, are we ready, at any given time to be interrupted by the sound of a trumpet? Are we ready at any given time to be interrupted by the sound of a trumpet? Because, you know, there are some trumpets we hear internally, let me find my notes here, I’m blind. Ah, Jeremiah again, I’ll read the chapter real fast, I’ll find it here, it says ‘My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart, my heart maketh a noise in me, I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet and the alarm of war.’ Jeremiah talking about the fact that Nebuchadnezzar was going to come and surround Jerusalem, and his heart was resonating with the LORD, he said it was like the sound of a trumpet, you can hear that blast internally, ‘I know we’re living in this urgency.’ And we should sense, you and I, should sense the prophetic tension in the days we live in, we see what’s going on in the world [Pastor Joe gave this sermon on the 12^th of December 2007. Now in the summer of 2024, Israel is at war with Hamas in Gaza and the Hezbollah in Lebanon, fighting the proxy forces of Iran, and the Russian Federation is waging a brutal war against the Ukraine on the eastern borders of Europe, with real threats of it spilling into Europe proper, scaring the European nations into a re-armament not seen since World War II. Can you hear those internal trumpets blowing now? If you can’t, you’re deaf, dumb and blind, time as Jesus advised Laodicea to buy yourself some spiritual eye-salve (see https://unityinchrist.com/prophecies/2ndcoming_4.htm)]. Hey, you might say the Lord might not come for 50 more years, he may not, but we are closer than any generation the Church has ever lived to the coming of the Lord, on the other hand. And there is the Lord himself, descending with a shout, the voice of the archangel and the Trump[et] of God, there is that Trumpet. Are we ready to be interrupted any day, anywhere, by that Trumpet? Are we living in such a way? I remember as a brand new Christian, struggling, backsliding, and there were times I said ‘Lord, don’t come at least for a couple hours, ok, this is not a good time to blow the Trumpet, if you’d just,’ but I’m not living that way anymore, so, I’m praying ‘Come quickly Lord Jesus.’ So if you’re messing up and praying ‘Lord, don’t come now,’ we’re praying against each other, and I’m praying he listens to me and doesn’t listen to you. It’s wonderful to live in such a way that you’re ready to be interrupted any day by the sound of the Trumpet, there’s freedom in that. And we’re going to be, there is a sound of a trumpet, a particular trumpet that is going to motion us in one of our journeys, and it’s gonna be a fast one too. It says here they would blow one trumpet and the heads of the tribes would come, they would blow both trumpets, the assembly would come, when you blow an alarm, verse 5, “When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward [Judah’s camp was to the east of the Tabernacle].” So the tribes on the east moved first, and then when you blow the alarm the second time, “When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.” (verse 6) and then of course it would be the west, and then the north. “But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.” (verse 7) So they had different signals. “And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.” (verse 8) not the Levites, “and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” (verses 8b-9) So they are to march on command, and as they move, “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.” (verse 10)

The Order Of Marching For The 12 Tribes

“And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.” (verse 11) we’re at least a month past where we were back in chapter 9. Now they begin to march, and this is the first time, since the Tabernacle was set up, since camp, they’ve been there for quite awhile, they’ve been there for almost 2 years. And now for the first time, all of a sudden, here goes, what they’ve been waiting for, and the Cloud goes up, the whole camp sees it. Now everybody has to break camp and fall out in order, and all of these chapters we’ve been reading in Numbers have designed that whole order and have been given to us. You can imagine again, twice the population of the city of Philadelphia beginning to move. That’s why it was so important for all of this to be ordered. So it says the Cloud went up, here we go, we’ve been waiting for this, “And the children took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” (verses 12-13) now it gives us the order, “In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.” (verse 14) Of course, Christ in the loins of the tribe of Judah, a picture of Jesus going before. The tribes that followed them that were camped on the east side of the Tabernacle were Issachar, verse 15, and Zebulun, down in verse 16, and it says “And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.” (verse 17) So the frame, the fabric, all of that goes after the first three tribes. “And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.” (verse 18) it gives the name, this is on the south side of the Tabernacle, with the tribe of Simeon and the tribe of Gad, and look in verse 21, it says, “And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.” So what it says here is, you have the first three tribes that move, they’re the ones that are camped on the east side, so they begin to move out. After them the fabric and the badgers’ skins and all of the tapestry from the Tabernacle begins to move, two carts, and then all of the framework, the whole skeleton of the Tabernacle moves in four carts with the sons of Merari, and they’re between the first three tribes and the next three tribes. And then it gives us the next three tribes that move, and then right in the center of the 12 tribes, then we have the Ark and all of those implements, the altars and all of that stuff and the Kohathites. And they don’t have them on carts, they have to carry them, they have to bare them, in the middle of the camp, the very things that represented the presence of the LORD, the most holy things, they’re borne forward. “And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.” (verse 22) that’s from the west side, verse 23 says “And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.” (verses 23-24) they all moved forward together. And lastly, “And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan was set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. And over the host of the tribe of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.” (verses 25-27) from the north side, with Asher and Naphtali. So again, interesting that we talked about the commentaries tell us when the banners of Judah, the face of a lion, the face of a man, the face of an ox on Ephraim and the face of an eagle on Dan, the four faces of the cherubim that had been encamped around the Tabernacle, those banners begin to move. And it seems, down in verse 28, “Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.” it seems, we’re not given the details, that the mixt multitude then follows last of all, because they brought a rabble out of Egypt, they brought a mixt multitude. Some of them no doubt genuine believers end up becoming part of the tribes, but it seems that there was a larger crowd that will always cause trouble, and it seems like they follow last of all as they leave.

Moses Asks Hobab, Son Of Jethro, To Accompany Israel

I know you’ve been waiting to get here, to see what Moses would say to Hobab. “And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel [Jethro] the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.” (verse 29) Hobab seems to be, here it says “the son of Raguel the Midianite” it seems like Raguel and Ruel are the same person. And it seems like Ruel is the name of the chief of the tribe, that his given name is Jethro, and that Jethro’s son is Hobab. What throws a monkey wrench into that when we get to Judges, it tells us that Hobab is the father in law of Moses. So there are wrestlings, not yours obviously, you didn’t wrestle over this all week, I had to, so you have to hear about it. Hobab, the word for “father” in the Hebrew is not as direct as ours, and if Jethro is dead, Hobab would probably, by the time we hear of Judges, be called by that title, the father-in-law of Moses, he would be the head, the patriarch of the family, the oldest son of Jethro, so that’s one of the ways to remove the difficulty, but you didn’t have it, so forgive me, let’s just look at this. “And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel [Jethro] the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel. And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.” (verses 29-30) In your journey, are you inviting others to accompany you? Do you understand your destination? Do you understand the security of your pilgrimage? Do you understand there is an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, and it’s reserved for us, because the Lord knows we’re going to get there, he’s the God that calls things that are not as though they were. He wouldn’t be reserving it for us and say ‘Whups, I should have reserved it, I thought more of them would make it than really did.’ No, are you assured of your destination? do you know we’re being conformed into an image? that’s part of our destination, we’re going to a place [cf. Revelation 19:7-9], and he had told the children of Israel ‘I will bring you into the land.’ It’s an interesting picture now, he’s saying to Hobab, this Midianite, ‘Come with us, join us, it’ll be good for you, be part of the LORD’s people, come with us.’ And I think ‘Are we that assured that we’re willing to say to people that we work with, we go to school with, and relatives and friends, Come with us, join us, come with us, accept Christ, come with us, because this is all falling away, this is all temporary, where we’re going to is a place of blessing, come with us,’ an interesting picture. He says, like so many of our friends and relatives, ‘No, I’m going to stay here, go to my own kindred.’ “And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.” (verses 31-32) What a great promise to give. Now look, there are those who say ‘Moses is making a mistake here, he should not have invited Hobab.’ He doesn’t say to him that you can show us where to go, he says to him, you can show us ‘How to go.’ You know, he’s talking to someone whose lived in the desert, he’s saying ‘Come with us, we can use your expertise, we’re traveling in the wilderness, journeying. We don’t need to know where to go, we have a Compass, we have a Pillar we’re following, that’s already taken care of. But you can come along with us, you can help us and asset to us, and we will be a blessing to you in your life,’ and he begs him to go with them. “And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.” (verse 33) So the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, the picture of his presence, they all believed he dwelt between the cherubim, was a picture of his presence, he goes before them to prepare a place for them. Not only is God preparing us for the place, he’s preparing the place for us, he just said that, ‘Let not your heart be troubled, if you believe in me, believe in God, in my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, I am going to prepare a place for you, that where I am you may also be. If I go to prepare a place, I’ll come again to receive you.’ He’s gone to do that. And here it says, “the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.” Boy that sounds good, doesn’t it? “And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said,” and it seems he’s crying this aloud, “Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.” (verses 34-36) Notice Moses didn’t rise up and say ‘Let my enemies be scattered, and crush those crumbs that bother me everyday,’ that’s not what he said. He said “Rise up LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.” (verses 35b-36) Interesting, there is never spiritual progress without warfare. Make a bumper sticker out of that. Make a plaque and put it over your fireplace. There is never spiritual progress without warfare. Now, we should never give the enemy more press than the Scripture gives him. There’s so many strange things in the Christian bookstores, we try to keep all that stuff weeded out of ours, but the enemy gets way more press than the Bible gives him, and he gets way more than he deserves. To the point of spiritual mapping and territory. No, we don’t have to do that. The Lord goes before us, to prepare a resting place. We’re to receive the Kingdom in a childlike fashion, and again, that’s simply ‘Our Dad can beat their dad,’ that’s all. I like that. And when we start the day in the morning, a great way for each of us when we get up in the morning, to say, ‘Lord, Rise up, rise up today Lord, let your enemies be scattered, let those who hate thee flee before thee Lord, let me see that kind of a day today Lord.’ And at the end of the day, you lay your head down, ‘Come, Lord, return Lord, let me have your presence again, let me have your presence again, Lord, as I close my eyes.’ Great way to lay your head down at the end of the day. Up in the morning, ‘Rise up Lord, let your enemies be scattered, Lord. Let those who hate thee flee before thee. I know I’m going to see them on the TV today, I know I’m going to see them in different places, Lord. I know you’re the Lord of lords and the King of kings.’ And at night, 'Return to the thousands of your people, Lord, give me your presence as I close my eyes tonight, and I drift off to sleep.’ What great, great pictures we’re given. Read ahead. In the next chapter to me is one of the most amazing chapters of the Book of Numbers, it is the story of Kibroth-Hataava, that is a bumper sticker you want to have, Kibroth-Hataava, make a plaque out of that and put it on your wall, Kibroth-Hataava, you don’t want to go there, you don’t want to camp there. If you see an arrow that says Kibroth-Hataava 3-miles this way, do not make that turn. If you see a sign that says Kibroth-Hataava 2-miles ahead, make a U-turn and go the other way. But what a remarkable, remarkable story and record and lesson is given to us in chapter 11. So, if there’s no blizzard or extraneous circumstances, next Wednesday, Kibroth-Hataava, read ahead, or just sit all week, wondering, ‘What in the world is he talking about?’ Easier to read ahead, read through the chapter. Let’s stand, let’s pray, let’s have the musicians come and let’s sing a last song together. And look, if you’re here tonight and you don’t have the Lord’s peace, in his leading, you’re not sure where you stand in regards to time and eternity, you really haven’t asked Christ to be your Saviour, make your way down here, we’d love to pray with you, give you a Bible, some of the literature to read. And I would really encourage you, look, you know it says that his commandments are not burdensome, they’re not grievous. We can get in that frame of mind. Because what happens is sometimes we want a relationship that he’s telling us we shouldn’t have. Sometimes we want something of this world that tastes sweet, temporarily, but bitter in the end. And somehow we can listen to the enemy telling us ‘You know what, this is restrictive, the Lord’s law, sure you believe in God, but hey God loves everybody, every road leads to God,’ you know, that kind of nonsense. Marching when he commands, and camping when he commands, to move when he says ‘Go,’ to stop when he says ‘Stop,’ is the greatest freedom on this planet. Because our journey, our real search is to find the right Master, that’s where we find the right freedom. Many of us have been mastered by drugs, or pleasure, or money. Money is a great servant but a terrible master. And all of those masters were cruel to us. But to come to a Master who hung on the cross for us, to come to a Master who paid the ultimate price with his own life, before he ever asked us to follow him, or to yield, who evidenced everything of his love, of his mercy. We are never restricted by following that Master. That is the greatest freedom that there is. I encourage you this evening, if you’re miserable, involved in something you shouldn’t be involved in, you come back, you come back to him, and just camp. He’ll go before you, he’ll lead you into rest, his enemies will be scattered when he moves. Return, O Lord, pray that, to the thousands of your people, he’s faithful, he’s faithful…[connective expository sermon on Numbers 8:1-26, Numbers 9:1-23 and Numbers 10:1-36, given by Pastor Joe Focht, Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia, 13500 Philmont Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19116]