R³ Devotional - Day 54

In the second month of the second year, after Israel came out of the land of Egypt, God commanded Moses to take a census of the men who were fit to fight from ages 20 years and older. He was to organize them by household, family, and tribe, and each family had its own banner and a standard (flag) for every three tribes. God commanded Moses to appoint one man from each tribe to help him, and told Moses which man it should be. The number of the men fit to fight was 603,550 and after adding wives, children, and the Levite tribe to that number, it made it well over a million people for Moses to lead.

The Levites were the only tribe exempt from fighting because they serviced the needs of the Tabernacle. They were to dismantle the Tabernacle when it was time to move, then they were to carry all of the utensils and furnishings used in the Tabernacle, and then erect it at the new location.  God commanded Moses to have the Levites pitch their tents around the Tabernacle so that no wrath would come upon the people of Israel and He told Moses where each family was to pitch their tents. The Levites were to keep the charge of the Tabernacle.  Any stranger who touched it was to be killed. 

God commanded Moses to have the other tribes pitch their tents in the outer perimeters, and where each of the tribes were to be positioned. All of the people of Israel did according to what God commanded Moses. Organizing the people this way made it easier for Moses to lead all of Israel, but ultimately God was the one who led them by instructing Moses in what to do. 

Real Life Principles:  
This passage is about how God was leading the people of Israel by instructing Moses in how to organize them. Today Christians are not preparing to take the Promised Land, but we should let God lead us in our lives.

Relevant Life Applications:

God leads us if we incorporate the spiritual disciplines at a minimum.

• Studying God’s Word – 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15
• Hiding God’s word in our hearts – Psalms 119:11
• Praying to God our Father in whatever we face in life. – Psalms 143:1
  
  

Ready Life Actions:

Things we can do each day to stay close to God for Him to lead us are:

• Set a time to start each day by reading the Bible
• Set a time aside to be alone with God in prayer.