Marching at God's Command (Num. 10:11-28)

12/19/2008 10:18 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Marching at God’s command

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Numbers 10:11-28

            Message of the verses:  “11 ¶  Now in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony; 12  and the sons of Israel set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.  13  So they moved out for the first time according to the commandment of the LORD through Moses.

14  The standard of the camp of the sons of Judah, according to their armies, set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army, 15  and Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar; 16  and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.  17  Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out.  18  Next the standard of the camp of Reuben, according to their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army, 19  and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon, 20  and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.  21  Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.

22  Next the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, according to their armies, was set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army, 23  and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh; 24  and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.  25  Then the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan, according to their armies, which formed the rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army,

26  and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher; 27  and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali.  28  This was the order of march of the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.”

            Dr. Wiersbe subtitles this section “Marching in order.” 

            The orders were given earlier in Numbers as to what the order of marching would be as far as where each tribe would be and there was no disputing this for it came from the Lord God.  The ark of the covenant led the way and the tabernacle itself was in the middle of the march.  The cloud had lifted from the tabernacle signaling that Israel was to begin their march towards the Promised Land.  They were an army that were marching into battle against their enemies, and were not on a sight seeing trip. 

            Israel probably was very comfortable at Sinai because they had water there and they had manna for their food each day that came from the Lord, but now they had to begin their march again.  While at Sinai God had given them His Law, and the tabernacle and all of it’s furnishings were made, the priesthood was established, the second Passover was celebrated, and the orders as to how they were to march were given, so there was much accomplished while they were there.  Now the scene would change and unfortunately so would the children of Israel, for they would begin to disobey the Lord and because of this would wonder around in the wilderness for the next thirty-eight years while the first generation would die and thus the second generation would take on the challenge of conquering the Promised Land.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There are changes coming about in our life too, as I must go back to work at our church and Sandy must again have an operation, this time on her feet, and my prayer is that as we go through these changes that the Lord’s will for our lives will be done and that we will glorify His name through these changes.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.
2. Give myself to the Lord for service and worship and to be transformed by the renewing of my mind through His Word.
3. Continue to learn contentment.

Memory verses for the week:                                                          Romans 6:5-13

5.   For if we have become untied with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6. knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin,
7. for he who has died is freed from sin.
8. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9. knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11. Even so consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13. and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

12/19/2008 11:10 AM