Numbers 2
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side. – Numbers 2:1-2
Click to read passage
At first glance, this passage appears to be one where God instructs Moses and Aaron on the positioning of the tribes of Israel along their journey toward the Promised Land. By this point, the Israelites had been on their exodus journey for about a year. Previously, they assembled, camped, and broke camp with relative ease. Now, however, as they stood on the verge of entering the Promised Land, God instructed Moses to arrange the tribes with three tribes each on the east, south, west, and north, surrounding the tabernacle where the Levites were to be. (The tribe of Joseph was represented by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.) Each tribe was given a specific position, standard, leader, and order for breaking camp.
I would like to make several observations here that have significant implications for us individually and as a church.
Observation 1:
God is a God of order and discipline, and He requires such order before Israel can take the Promised Land. While the Israelites had been wandering in the desert, they were now facing the task of capturing the land. At this point, God enforced order to make them more efficient, useful, and organised. Paul writes, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Cor 14:33, KJV). We see God’s order in the Trinity, in the universe He created, and in time itself. Though things may appear chaotic to us, behind the scenes, God always moves with order and precision. There is, therefore, a limit to what we can do for God without order and organisation. Looking at ourselves, do our actions create order that allows God’s work to flourish, or do they contribute to chaos? Likewise, in the church, do our actions help the body function more effectively and in a God-honouring way?
Observation 2:
God arranges things according to His wisdom, not ours—and His ways do not always make human sense. God did not place the largest tribes closest to the tabernacle, nor did He position all the strongest tribes on the outer perimeter. God always works with order, but the reasons behind His arrangements may not always be clear to us.
For over 400 years, the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt. They did not need to organise themselves; they simply followed orders. Now that they were free, they needed to learn order, discipline, and submission. Could our resistance to God’s order reflect a desire to do things our own way? As 1 Peter 5:5 reminds us, God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud.
Observation 3:
The tribes were positioned in relation to the presence of God in the tabernacle, which stood at the centre of the camp, not in relation to one another. This shows that all of Israel was to orient itself around God’s presence.
True growth occurs when God is not on the margins of our lives but at the centre of our decisions, priorities, and identity. Many troubles arise when we measure ourselves against others instead of referencing God. Therefore, we must ask: what or who currently sits at the centre of our lives, and how does it shape our actions and priorities?
Prayer：
My Father, I thank You that You are a God of order and wisdom. Thank you for desiring to be at the centre of my life, leading and guiding me toward what is best. Teach me Your order and wisdom, and reveal anything that draws my heart away from You. Help me to live with You at the centre of all I do. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Click to read passage
At first glance, this passage appears to be one where God instructs Moses and Aaron on the positioning of the tribes of Israel along their journey toward the Promised Land. By this point, the Israelites had been on their exodus journey for about a year. Previously, they assembled, camped, and broke camp with relative ease. Now, however, as they stood on the verge of entering the Promised Land, God instructed Moses to arrange the tribes with three tribes each on the east, south, west, and north, surrounding the tabernacle where the Levites were to be. (The tribe of Joseph was represented by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.) Each tribe was given a specific position, standard, leader, and order for breaking camp.
I would like to make several observations here that have significant implications for us individually and as a church.
Observation 1:
God is a God of order and discipline, and He requires such order before Israel can take the Promised Land. While the Israelites had been wandering in the desert, they were now facing the task of capturing the land. At this point, God enforced order to make them more efficient, useful, and organised. Paul writes, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Cor 14:33, KJV). We see God’s order in the Trinity, in the universe He created, and in time itself. Though things may appear chaotic to us, behind the scenes, God always moves with order and precision. There is, therefore, a limit to what we can do for God without order and organisation. Looking at ourselves, do our actions create order that allows God’s work to flourish, or do they contribute to chaos? Likewise, in the church, do our actions help the body function more effectively and in a God-honouring way?
Observation 2:
God arranges things according to His wisdom, not ours—and His ways do not always make human sense. God did not place the largest tribes closest to the tabernacle, nor did He position all the strongest tribes on the outer perimeter. God always works with order, but the reasons behind His arrangements may not always be clear to us.
For over 400 years, the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt. They did not need to organise themselves; they simply followed orders. Now that they were free, they needed to learn order, discipline, and submission. Could our resistance to God’s order reflect a desire to do things our own way? As 1 Peter 5:5 reminds us, God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud.
Observation 3:
The tribes were positioned in relation to the presence of God in the tabernacle, which stood at the centre of the camp, not in relation to one another. This shows that all of Israel was to orient itself around God’s presence.
True growth occurs when God is not on the margins of our lives but at the centre of our decisions, priorities, and identity. Many troubles arise when we measure ourselves against others instead of referencing God. Therefore, we must ask: what or who currently sits at the centre of our lives, and how does it shape our actions and priorities?
Prayer：
My Father, I thank You that You are a God of order and wisdom. Thank you for desiring to be at the centre of my life, leading and guiding me toward what is best. Teach me Your order and wisdom, and reveal anything that draws my heart away from You. Help me to live with You at the centre of all I do. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.