Numbers 2:1-9 Organization for Israel’s Camp
1 Then the LORD gave these instructions to Moses and Aaron: 2 “When the Israelites set up camp, each tribe will be assigned its own area. The tribal divisions will camp beneath their family banners on all four sides of the Tabernacle, but at some distance from it.
3-4 “The divisions of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun are to camp toward the sunrise on the east side of the Tabernacle, beneath their family banners. These are the names of the tribes, their leaders, and the numbers of their registered troops:
Tribe Leader Number
Judah Nahshon son of Amminadab 74,600
5-6 Issachar
Nethanel son of Zuar 54,400
7-8 Zebulun
Eliab son of Helon 57,400
9 So the total of all the troops on Judah’s side of the camp is 186,400. These three tribes are to lead the way whenever the Israelites travel to a new campsite.
What’s going on in your church? –
Great thing about the Old Testament – it gives a history on the creation of the framework for our Christian faith – Here in the book of Numbers, the writer Moses gives a break down on how these tribes of people are to move forward in the dessert. A quick background, the nation of Israel had been slaves to the Egyptians and God broke them out of that situation – if you ever saw the movie the Prince of Egypt, you will remember that story – God had to unleash 10 plagues on Pharaoh before he would let God’s people go – and once they got their freedom they wandered the dessert for 40 years before they came to the place that God promised them. The sad thing is that the entire journey should have only taken 11 days but because the people we disobedient it took much longer than that – and isn’t that how we are sometimes – God is trying to do something for us, but because we refuse to believe it to be so, it takes longer to get to the promise….
Well. While this group of people was wandering around the dessert, God showed their leader Moses how move this group of people forward with purpose and direction. God showed him how to create a portable church so when they found a place to stay for a bit they could have church services. Each group of people or tribe was responsible for something in the movement of this tribe of people and for the placement of the things in the church.
In their journey the Lord have Moses instructions to set up the movement of the people in a specific manner – we read in this Second chapter of the book of Numbers that each tribe will be assigned its own areas- and that the first division would include Judah, Issachar and Zebulon – they are to camp toward sunrise on the east side of the Tabernacle and when it was time to move they would break camp first or they would be the first to move out.
Every time I read this chapter in the bible, I am reminded of what God is trying to show us in the church – although we no longer have to have a portable tabernacle we have lovely buildings to meet and fellowship in – but the church should still be on the move because there are things to get done = so I ask you what’s going on in your church?
All too often we find ourselves complaining about the bad things or the things someone else is doing, but the real question is what’s going on in your church?
Here we see God tells Moses when movement in the church is to happen it must start out with the Praise and worship section of the church – holla! Here in Numbers God says the tribes of Judah, Issachar and Zebulun must set themselves towards the sunrise and when it’s time to move, they must move first –
Of course we all know that Judah means praise – That was the name given to the third son of Jacob and Leah, their fourth son’s name was Issachar, which meaning reward or wages and their fifth son’s name was Zebulun which means dwelling --- at this point in the book of Numbers these are not just the names of men but the name of tribes/groups of people and it was their job to make sure the church was moving in the right direction
Judah meaning praise – Issachar meaning reward and Zebulun meaning dwelling – shows me there is a perfect relationship between praise and worship and the movement of the church. We praise God for who He is and as we praise Him He rewards us with His presence by dwelling or living in our praises and that causes us to praise Him even them the more – moving us up higher in the Lord – the more we praise Him the more we love to praise Him --- when there is a fresh movement in the church it is generally started by those who have committed themselves to living in the tribe of Judah – who have decided that is better to praise rather than to criticize – that it the rewards of the blessing the Lord is much greater than breaking someone down that there is no better place to be than in the presence of the Lord – for in His presence there is fullness of joy and pleasures for ever more
So I ask you what’s going on in your church?
And lest you think I am talking about the building , let me remind you that although we don’t have to have a moveable tabernacle anymore we are called to be the body of Christ – the Church – the called out ones – the one who are charged with bringing Jesus with us where ever we go – didn’t Christ say go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost and lo I will be with you alway even until the end of the earth --- so what’s going on in your church?
Got praise? Is there a good message of the Lord and from the Lord with you? Come –on – truth be told many of us are the only church someone will ever see or experience – so what’s going in your church? Is there a praise on the inside that just has to get out - -as you follow after the sun? Not the sun but the SON --- that’s right we praisers are commanded to set our faces towards sunrise – so we Jesus moves we move just like that – we can’t praise correctly if our eyes are off the sun – for He is a purpose in praise – for in him we live, we move and we have our being – he is our purpose of praise – He is our reason for praising because He has done great things for us that we cannot tell it all – so what’s going on in your church –
We need to stop coming to church and start being the church – we need to be the church we want it to be – no longer do you have to wait for the worship leader to encourage you to put your hands together and give God praise – if your face is set towards the Son – just start praising Him – just because you can – begin to make movement towards the goals He has set for you – just give Him the praise for all that He has done – for food on your table, clothes on your back, shoes on your feet, a mind that works, a cell phone with minutes, friends and family and even for your haters – because your haters can cause you to praise God even the more to prevent you from becoming like them – holla! Praise Him for the blessings He has yet to give – praise him for the things he is doing right now – Got praise? Then give it up to Jesus declaring that He is good and His mercy endures forever – praise him in the sanctuary – praise Him because He’s making you a sanctuary – praise him for his goodness- -- praise him for his mercy – praise him just because --- praise him! As you praise him – I promise he will reward you with his presence and you will want more of him and you’ll praise him even more –
What’s going on in your church?
