This image depicts the order and number of the tribes as they lined up around the tabernacle in the wilderness.
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
Ever watch a child at play? I have watched many over my lifetime. Before I had my sons, I worked in a daycare and watched 3-5 year olds all day. Of course, I watched my own sons at play, then I taught first and second grades, and now I watch my own grandsons. What a blessing it has been to be involved as these children learn through their play!
One of the interesting things about children is their sense of order. Now, I am not talking about their sense of ‘pick up your toys’ order, I am talking about their alignment of their toys in play. If they are having a ‘war’, they line up all the soldiers in rows on the two opposing sides. If it is a dinosaur war, the largest go out first, followed by the smaller dino’s. Girls are similar. They may play school, or have a tea party (or play war) but all the characters in their make-believe world always seem to be in some kind of order.
Intrinsically they know order because order in in their DNA. God made us in His image and so much of His character resonates within our own. Order is one of them, and the one we will think about today.
When we read the book of Numbers, God is using a very long discourse describing how the people should be numbered, then again how the people should be lined up in the camps. If you tend to ‘skim’ over these readings because you don’t see their value, please don’t! Every part of God’s Word has a teaching component. In the Old Testament, truths are often concealed. In the New Testament they are revealed! Let’s look;
Numbers Chapter 1 begins with instruction about how a census should be taken of the Hebrew men age 20 and up who are able to go to war (Just in case) within each of their own tribes. That had to be a monumental task! Once they found that out, the tribes were told where to pitch their tents around the central location of the Levite tribe. Levites are the priests and they were the keepers of the Temple and all its workings. There were still 13 tribes (Josephs 2 sons were each considered tribes) and they were told where to position themselves around the centered Levites, making an alignment the way you see it above. The tribes with similar amounts lined up on the east and west. The tribes with less out of the 6 tribes left, went north, the rest went south of the centered Levites. This accomplished many things but I will just list two. First, they always knew where to pitch their tents. Since they broke up camp to move whenever the cloud moved, this was a handy way to know where to pitch your tent without having to work it out at every stop. Secondly, and maybe more importantly, The Jews, God’s chosen people, the ones waiting for the Return of Christ, got a hint (another day’s blog) of how their Messiah would die for them on a cross. This formation was no little cross! Just look at the numbers of men listed at the end of each formation, and remember the women and the children under age 20 were not even counted!
So, why is this important to us today? Well, It appears our God always had the plan for Jesus to come and save us from our sins. It also appears He is a God of order, therefore, when you see disorder, chaos, disruption, you don’t even need to question it. That is not from our God. He is a God of decency and order. It won’t take you long to figure out where it did come from! The father of lies tries to stir up confusion and disorder in among us. Stay away from disorder! Be not deceived, Order is our safe zone.
Look at the image again. Notice that the Levites were in the center of the configuration with the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple right smack dab in the center of the camp. Hmmmm Think that was part of the plan? I sure do! God always wants to be in the center of our ordered life. Is He the center of yours?
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