Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. – Numbers 1:2
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This book, at least the initial chapters, is about numbers. It’s about numbering the people of Israel. These chapters are also about how the Lord reordered His people’s camp and their lives around Himself and prepared them for the Promised Land.
This census is of all the men of Israel who were of fighting age, a total of 603,550. With women and children, the nation’s total population would have been between two and three million. That’s quite a number indeed.
This census matters to us today, for two reasons. One, all the fighting men were counted. Every single one was important just as every single member of God’s family is important. God knows us and has recorded the name of each of his children in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27). Two, the census prepared the Israelites for battle.
Christian life is a spiritual battle. We fight stronger forces than those that opposed Israel. We are important to God and are made in God’s image, fearfully and wonderfully. But the devil is constantly trying to fight this truth. And so, the battle for our soul is a daily reality.
In Ephesians 6:12-13 Paul reminds us that, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. And so, He calls us to put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, we may be able to stand our ground.
Are you equipping yourself for battle by reading the Bible and praying every day?
Lord, give me an obedient heart that I may enjoy your presence every day of my life, I pray.
Extended Reading — Leviticus 26-27
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