Numbers Chapter 1
In the book of Numbers we will learn an important work that God is doing in the lives of the Israelite people. God will build confidence in Him as they will begin to journey through the wilderness and make their way to Canaan, the Promised Land. He will begin this exercise with a census of all the men who will be able to fight as this will become necessary in the new land.
The second thing we will see that there will be a strong emphasis going forward to identify themselves by their family tribes – the twelve tribes of Jacob. Each tribe will be given their own territory of land in Canaan with the exception of the Levites who will always be responsible for the Tabernacle.
Let's Reflect
1. The first verse is very important as we look at the population of the Israelites in this census or at least the male population. We know that they are still camped around Mount Sinai when God gave the direction to take a census. How long had it been since they had been rescued by God from Egypt?
2. How old was a man who was considered old enough to go to war?
3. God named the man from each tribe who would be responsible to take a census for his tribe. May I suggest that in your Bible you underline or use a highlighter to draw your eyes to the names of the 12 tribes of Israel listed in verses 5-15. Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, Dan Asher Gad and Naphtali.
4. Secondly, underline or highlight the twelve tribes starting in verse 20 and their corresponding census of men.
5. Did you add the totals from each tribe? Did your total match up with the grand total listed in verse 46?
6. The Levites would not be counted in the census because the men from the tribe of Levi had a special job to do. What was it?
7. The Bible says that the people responded to God and to Moses. In what way did they respond?
