The commanders for the East side of the army living around The Wilderness Tabernacle (from the three tribes named Judah, Zebulun and Issacar) have been designated by God and charged by Moses to help with the census.
Moses is still listening to God to hear which man should be in charge over the nine other tribes of the army of Israel.
The East division was the first of the divisions that were chosen at the time of the taking of the census. It just so happens that East is the direction of the rising sun. You will see the rising sun first thing every morning. This division of tribes would always move first in this mighty army. The other tribes would follow their lead.
When you think of “east” you might also think about the gates surrounding Jerusalem that were built at a much later date than today’s study and you might ponder the facts surrounding the existence of The East Gate. This gate was always known as the gate where God entered and exited The Holy City.
At the present time the East Gate has been sealed and the holy scriptures speak of how Jesus will return to us through that East Gate at the time of the Second Coming. He will be the first of many as he leads his mighty army to conquer Satan and his demons.
I say all of this simply to emphasize the importance of things that are considered “east.” This pattern is noticeable in many scriptures.
It is the descendants from the tribes on the east of the wilderness tabernacle that God will use to eventually bring the Messiah forth to save us.
Who they were and what happened to them in this early times of the formation of Israel was a matter of great importance. These tribes on the east side of the tabernacle were given the most prominent place in the camp of Israel.
It is relevant that they were given the eastern position in the army because of their rank in the order of the army for the children of Israel. These tribes were considered by many biblical scholars to be the most important of all the leaders. We will understand this more as we move further into our stories; but we must also emphasize that no tribe would be efficient without the support of all the other tribes; which put each of the tribes into the records of time as having a history of great importance.
God’s order was coming about in the nation of Israel. God’s order always brings balance and harmony.
THE TRIBES OF THE SOUTH
Today we will look at the three tribes who traveled and pitched the doors of their tents toward the tabernacle from the south side of the formation of the army.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the COME AS A CHILD Bible Study which we hold on this blog every Thursday.
We are slowly walking through the scriptures together; page by page and word by word, trying to see things from the wide-eyed open heart of a child following in their father’s footsteps.
Today’s passage continues in Numbers, Chapter Two. If you missed last week’s lesson you may review it here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/eliab-son-of-helon-come-as-a-child-lesson-243/.
REMEMBER THE VITAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DIVISIONS OF THE CAMP
The army of Israel was instructed by God to travel in divisions.
Each division had three tribes which surrounded all four of the sides of the tabernacle. This is how they lived, and this is how they moved when they traveled.
THE ARK WAS CENTRAL TO EVERYTHING
The Ark of The Covenant had already been placed inside the Most Holy Place of the wilderness Tabernacle and the people traveled in formation outward and around it from that space.
The Ark was approximately 1000 yards in distance from the beginning place of each of the camps and the tents of the tribes surrounding the tabernacle.
One could think of the Ark as being the center of the universe as far as what the ancient Israelites knew of life in the times of the wilderness tabernacle.
Everything that happened evolved around this center (heart) of the nation of Israel where the Ark of the Covenant resided inside the Tabernacle.
THE LEVITES FORMED THE FIRST RIM OF THE WHEELS OF ISRAEL
The tribe of Levi, who made up the holy priesthood of Israel, encamped immediately around all four sides of the Ark, separating the tabernacle from the tribes of the army which surrounded the camps of the Levites.
The camps of the Levite priests physically formed and acted as a type of “inner circle” of protection to the Tabernacle.
These Levites did not serve in the military; so they were not numbered in the count of the army for the census that Moses took. No one was appointed to count them. Aaron, of course, was the High Priest and all of the other priests answered to him and Moses. Their service was strictly related to the work of the Tabernacle and they lived their lives right outside of the tabernacle.
You could say that the priests (Levites) existed to serve between the tabernacle and the people/army divisions that surrounded the tabernacle on all four sides. The position of the Levites within the camp clearly illustrated the purpose of their service.
THE ILLUSTRATION OF A WHEEL
The circle around the tabernacle could be compared to the makings of a wheel.
There is a hub in the center (the tabernacle with the Ark being central to it) with the Levites (priest) surrounding the tabernacle forming a type of the first (inside) rim of the wheel, and the people/armies of the various tribes of Israel all surrounding on the outside of them; with each movement they made working like the spokes of a wheel moving in unison.
If one spoke of this wheel was out of place or out of step it mattered to the whole group. If one person was missing or in the wrong place; the formation would not work properly.
The only way they could move forward was if all the parts and pieces of the wheel were working together, in unison and working properly.
THE ORDER OF A GODLY NATION
This is the order of God.
We will hear of this same type and pattern of order over and over in the bible as we travel through the scriptures especially in relation to the work in the heavens and the end-times for the earth.
The first reference that comes to mind today is Ezekiel 1:15 -21, which says:
As I watched the four creatures, I saw something that looked like a wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures. This is what the wheels looked like: They were identical wheels, sparkling like diamonds in the sun. It looked like they were wheels within wheels, like a gyroscope.
They went in any one of the four directions they faced, but straight, not veering off. The rims were immense, circled with eyes. When the living creatures went, the wheels went; when the living creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off. Where ever the spirit went, they went, the wheels sticking right with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures went, the wheels went; when the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; when the creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
We could certainly dwell on that very interesting and prophetic passage for a few months, but for now, let’s just recognize that God has a pattern for the organization of his people; a formation from which He commands and allows his people to live and move and exist.
It works perfectly; unlike no other formation; and He is at the very center, the heart, like the Ark in the tabernacle in the wilderness; God is in His Sanctuary.
He is surrounded on all sides, first by His anointed priests, then by those whom He has chosen and put in charge of His army.
RELATING THIS PATTERN TO OUR TIMES
If we began to relate these things to modern times some might perceive that the churches of today would represent the wilderness tabernacle.
However; I don’t think so.
I think the godly home is more representative of the wilderness tabernacle.
If you do not have God as the center (Ark/Tabernacle) of your home; you certainly can’t take him to a church congregation. Once God is in the home though; He will flow outward toward the community. The head of each home is comparable to the Levitical priests surrounding the wilderness tabernacle.
I think the armies living around the priesthood on the outskirts of the wilderness tabernacle served more like the local church congregations of our modern world.
Each tribe had its own leader; that would be comparable to a priest or a preacher in a local congregation.
The army of the Israelites on the outskirts of the tabernacle and the Ark of The Covenant were connected to the tabernacle by the work of the Levitical priesthood. The leaders of our modern day churches are connected to the heart of God by the heads of the households in the local communities.
The army being counted would compare to those of the world seeking to know the truth of God today; those who desire to come inside the tabernacle and commune with a Holy God. Each time a new member comes into the Kingdom of God the count for the census increases and the army of God grows.
When the last one has come into God’s army and the count is completely accurate (only God knows) Christ will come storming through that East Gate riding a white horse and leading his army of Saints. His foot will touch down on the Mount of Olives and he will enter the gate in the midst of a great earthquake. The world as we know it will be changed forever.
Christ will be ready to fight for The Kingdom of Heaven and his holy nation of priests will be backing him up in perfect formation, everyone knowing their place, every soul with a task and a function that matters. No one will be out of step because the leader of this mighty army will be amazingly perfect and holy. Because of His perfection God’s army will be victorious against the enemy.
THINKING ABOUT THE SECOND DIVISION
The second division of the Army of Israel that was counted in the census in the wilderness was on the south side of the wilderness tabernacle.
It consisted of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad.
Reuben was Leah’s (Jacob/Israel’s first wife’s) first-born son.
Simeon was her second born son and Gad was the son of Leah’s maid named Zilpah, who became a concubine to Jacob at Leah’s request.
INTRODUCING ELIZAR SON OF SHEDEUR
God chose Elizar as the leader of the first of these tribes around the south side of the wilderness tabernacle.
Elizar was the Son of Shedeur from the tribe of Reuben.
This man, Elizar, was the Captain/Prince who commanded 46,500 of the men in Israel’s army from the tribe of Reuben.
WHY ELIZAR?
Why do you think God designated Elizar as the Captain of the tribe of Reuben for The formation of The Army of Israel?
Actually we have already pondered this man’s life in a previous lesson, so I will reference it for review and we will move on to look at the ruler over the tribes of Simeon next.
You may review the lesson about Elizar of The Tribe of Reuben here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/my-god-is-a-rock-come-as-a-child-lesson-240/.