Divine Order: Jesus Who?

As I read through the book of Numbers the main theme for me is ‘Order‘. The book of Numbers gets its name from the 2 numberings (census) of the wandering Israelites (Numbers 1: 1-3; Numbers 26:1-4).  Numbers in Hebrew (בְּמִדְבַּר‎, Bəmiḏbar) means ‘in the wilderness’. How many of you when reading the book of Numbers first thought about it being a book about murmuring?  Upon first impression it appears to be a book of warnings, ‘DO NOT MURMUR AGAINST GOD’ or ‘CALL GOD A LIAR’. Why not you may ask? Because there will be consequences; like wandering around for 40 years. I have a saying about wasting time, ‘Those are hours of my life I will never get back’. I try not to waste time. I especially try not to waste my time complaining. What’s the point? Unfortunately, the Israelites had to learn this lesson the hard way.

However, with further study, the concept of ‘Order‘ began to appear, which is defined as the ‘accurate arrangement of things’.  Let’s take a look at the ‘Order‘ of things in Numbers as we search for Jesus.

There was always explicit instructions on how things were to be accomplished.

1. Take a census: (Numbers 1: 1-3)

• Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families.
• Listing every man by name, one by one.
• You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army.
• One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.

2.   The  ‘Order‘ (arrangement) of the camp: (Numbers 2)

They were to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard. So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family. Notice the cherubim attached to the mercy-seat over the ark of the covenant have the face of a lion, the face of an ox, the face of a man, and the face of an eagle.

• East, toward the sunrise:
  a. Judah ( Lion) – Set out first
  b. Issachar
  c. Zebulun
• South: 
  a. Ruben (Man) – Set out second
  b. Simeon
  c. Gad
• Next: Middle of the Camps
  a. Levites and the tent of meeting
  b. Set out in the same order as they encamp
  c. Each in their own place under their standard
• West: 
  a. Ephraim (Ox) – Set out third
  b. Manasseh
  c. Benjamin
• North: 
  a. Dan (Eagle) – Set out fourth
  b. Asher
  c. Naphtali

Just as we see a divine order in Numbers, we see Jesus in the Divine Order of things as depicted in the Gospels:

• In Matthew, Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the King of Kings
• In Mark, Jesus is the Ox, the Servant
• In Luke, Jesus is the Man,  a Friend and Companion
• In John, Jesus is the Eagle, God Himself, Diety

Other passages in the book of Numbers also point us towards the Divine ‘Order’ of things:

• Numbers 4: The Kohathites and the Care of the Holy Things
• Numbers 6: The Nazirite  Zow
• Numbers 18: Duties of Priests and Levites
• Numbers 20: Disobedience to God’s Order (Moses Struck the Rock)

Throughout the book of Numbers, we see Jesus not only in the ‘Order‘ of things but also as the Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21:4-9), the Rock (Numbers 20:11), Red heifer (Numbers 19) and the Manna – bread of life (Numbers 11:6).

We can learn a lot from this book. As we continue to journey through the book and learn about Jesus, remember these things:

1. There is a divine order to things in the physical and in the spirit
2. Murmuring and complaining does not honor God
3. Obedience is crucial

Hope you enjoyed this walk through the book of Numbers. Next week we will complete the 5 Books of Moses concluding with Deuteronomy.