There were over 600,000 men in the camp of the children of Israel.
To move out into other places, as commanded by God, took a considerable organization.
Then there were the priests, from the family of Levites, who had the assignment of caring for the tabernacle. This tribe was not numbered with the others but were numbered separately. Their place was to camp about the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle of God.
(In the New Testament church, ministers are not called "priests." Ministers in NT church according to NT Bible are called: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher. Ephesians 4:8;11 There are elders/bishops, same office, who help with the church but they must be married to one wife and have orderly, godly children. A single man could not be an elder/bishop according to New Testament Bible.)
In the Old Testament, there were specific assignments as to where the tribes would camp and concerning the order in which they would go forward. They didn't line up just anywhere but were placed by tribes and ordered by God into a place in the congregation.
To me, this is very interesting.
Order is essential in the church, in both Old Testament and in New Testament.
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In the New Testament church: Ephesians 4:8;11-14 When HE (Jesus) ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men ... And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
I Corinthians 14:27-28 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church (to care for the church), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
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The Old Testament:
Numbers 1:1-4 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 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; 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. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.
Numbers 1:19 As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
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The twelve tribes of Israel:
20 years old and upward: all those who could go to war
* Ruben: 46,500 men
* Simeon: 59,300 men
* Gad: 45,650 men
* Judah: 74,600 men
* Issachar: 54,400 men
* Zebulun: 57,400 men
* Joseph: Ephraim: 40,500 men
Manasseh: 32,200 men
* Benjamin: 35,400 men
* Dan: 62,700 men
* Asher: 41,500 men
* Naphtali: 53.400 men
* Levi: unnumbered for war
Can you picture this large number of tents in the wilderness camped and then moving forward as a mass of people in an orderly way? These tribes are more people than whole cities. And when you group them together with more than a million people including women and children, to see them coming toward you must have been very frightening.
Can you picture this large number of tents in the wilderness camped and then moving forward as a mass of people in an orderly way? These tribes are more people than whole cities. And when you group them together with more than a million people including women and children, to see them coming toward you must have been very frightening.
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;
Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. (603,550)
But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, 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.
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 nigh shall be put to death.
And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they.
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The New Testament church:
Here is that which was to be done in the gathering God set forth for the New Testament Church:
I Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
The Holy Spirit was free to speak through whom HE willed, by psalm, doctrine, tongue, revelation, interpretation.
The Holy Spirit was free to speak through whom HE willed, by psalm, doctrine, tongue, revelation, interpretation.
Man took over and changed all this, usually allowing only a few approved men to speak to the congregation, keeping prophets out and claiming there to be no apostles. For if there were apostles, they would not permit the changes from the ordering of the Lord as shown in I Corinthians 14.
So in general, today, we have weakened church groups, devoid of the intended power of God for the church.
These changes from scripture which we see today are antichrist functioning in the churches showing himself to be God.
II Thessalonians 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
* the son of perdidion, antichrist: sitting in the temple of God showing himself that he is God and the people worshipping the pastor.
Paul said this is what we would see before the return of Jesus and this is what we do see in the churches since the departing of the apostle Paul.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
But the New Testament Bible shows us what the church should be, though we have never seen what was described for the gathering of the church as set forth in the New Testament. For centuries, since the death of the apostle Paul, men have been setting up churches by their own will, departing from the instructions in the New Testament Bible.
But each of us have New Testament Bible and therefore if we look, we can see what the gathering of the New Testament church should be.
But each of us have New Testament Bible and therefore if we look, we can see what the gathering of the New Testament church should be.
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Old Testament order:
Picture the tabernacle in the center of the camp of the children of Israel.
The Levites camped around the tabernacle on every side.
After that, the following order, set by God.
Numbers 2:3-4 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. (74,600)
Next to him will be the tribe of Issachar: Numbers 2:5-6 (54,400)
Then the tribe of Zebulun: Numbers 2:7-8 (57,400)
These shall set forth first when moving. Numbers 2:9
Total on East side: 186,400
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(Numbers 2:10-19)
On the south side will be the tribe of Ruben. (46,500)
Camping beside him will be the tribe of Simeon: (59,300)
Then the tribe of Gad. (45,650)
Total on South side: 151,450.
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(Numbers 2:18-24)
On the west side, tribe of Ephraim. (40,500)
By him, the tribe of Manasseh. (32,200)
Then the tribe of Benjamin. (35,400)
Total on West side: 108,100
They go forward in the third rank.
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(Numbers 2:25-31)
On the north side, the tribe of Dan. (62,700)
By him, the tribe of Asher. (41,500)
Then the tribe of Naphtali. (53,400)
Total on North side: 157,600
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Total: 603,550 not counting the Levites.
Numbers 2:34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.
When the cloud remained over the tabernacle, the people rested in their tents and did not go forward.
When the cloud lifted and moved, the people moved along with the cloud.
Numbers 9:17-23 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.
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.
Then the tribe of Benjamin. (35,400)
Total on West side: 108,100
They go forward in the third rank.
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(Numbers 2:25-31)
On the north side, the tribe of Dan. (62,700)
By him, the tribe of Asher. (41,500)
Then the tribe of Naphtali. (53,400)
Total on North side: 157,600
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Total: 603,550 not counting the Levites.
Numbers 2:34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.
When the cloud remained over the tabernacle, the people rested in their tents and did not go forward.
When the cloud lifted and moved, the people moved along with the cloud.
Numbers 9:17-23 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.
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.
In the New Testament church: I've always thought it is as follows: When our direction has a cloud over it, we don't know exactly what to do, do nothing.
As long as the way seems cloudy, "rest in your tent."
When that cloud lifts, then move immediately.
How to know if the plan is from God:
James 3:14-17 if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
If you think of cities that you know with these approximate numbers, and picture them walking out of the city with their wives and children and livestock and tents, it is staggering.
God took them forth into the wilderness as they headed to the land which God had promised to them.
They had no food, and no water. But God gave them manna each morning that they were in the wilderness, except they had no manna on the seventh day but had to pick enough manna on the sixth day for the seventh.
And God gave them water out of a rock! 600,000 men plus approximately 600,000 women and their children, well over a million people.
Psalm 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
As long as the way seems cloudy, "rest in your tent."
When that cloud lifts, then move immediately.
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How to know if the plan is from God:
James 3:14-17 if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
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If you think of cities that you know with these approximate numbers, and picture them walking out of the city with their wives and children and livestock and tents, it is staggering.
God took them forth into the wilderness as they headed to the land which God had promised to them.
They had no food, and no water. But God gave them manna each morning that they were in the wilderness, except they had no manna on the seventh day but had to pick enough manna on the sixth day for the seventh.
And God gave them water out of a rock! 600,000 men plus approximately 600,000 women and their children, well over a million people.
Psalm 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
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