Numbers 1-2

February 9

Numbers 1-2

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt." (Numbers 1:1a, NIV)

 

Numbers is a book that weeds a lot of people out in their bible in a year readings. Just as the Israelites are wandering in the desert, some of the reading seems to wander and can be dry. But there are some great nuggets that we can grab hold of even in the midst of the desert. “The Lord spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting.” Wouldn’t it be great to have a place we could go and meet with God and know He would speak to us? Don’t you wish God would boom from the sky directions for your life? Don’t you wish He would give you clarity in the decisions you have to make?

 

God gave Moses directions concerning the format for the camp of the Israelites. The tabernacle would be in the center of the camp. The tribes would be on their assigned side of the tabernacle, three on each side. Joseph’s sons were counted as leaders as Jacob had instructed, while the Levites were not counted because their duty was to care for the tabernacle and to pack it and carry it when God had them move.

 

God’s instructions were not random. God gave the Israelites another object lesson to reveal His character. God placed himself in the center of the Israelite’s camp. He instructed them that He was to be the center of their life. He was not outside the camp somewhere for them to go out to meet with; He was to be the center of their lives. Each evening as they prepared to go to bed, they could look and see the pillar of fire over the Holy of Holies. Each morning as the sun came up; they could look to the center of the camp and see the pillar of cloud. They were constantly reminded that God was with them.

 

God also wants to be the center of our lives. Instead of camping in the center of our community, God wants to camp in the center of our lives as He fills us with His Spirit. "Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23, NIV) God still wants to be in the center of our camp, in the center of our community, in the center of our lives.

God still wants to speak to us the way He spoke to Moses. He may not speak with a booming voice from heaven, but He will speak with that still small voice that we know is Him. Spend some time today getting where it is quiet and stopping long enough that you can listen and hear what God has to say to you today.