The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 33:1,
"Here are the stages in the journey of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt by divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron."
This chapter chronicles the itinerary the Israelites followed during their forty year period in the wilderness. It began with the exodus from Egypt and ended as they made their way to the east bank of the Jordan from which they would enter Canaan and take it from its inhabitants.
This sojourn of Israel in the wilderness was an amazing undertaking. They were consigned to it when they failed to trust the Lord in entering and taking the promised land just after their exodus from Egypt. After spies were sent in to check out the land, the nation feared the inhabitants over the Lord's assurance he would bring them victory. Because they refused to go, the Lord sent them on this forty year sojourn in the wilderness until that generation had passed.
Based on a count of the fighting men, there were several million Israelites that made the trek. As I count the encampments listed in this chapter (if I counted right) there were forty-one locations where they stayed over the forty year period. We read elsewhere that the duration of each encampment varied, maybe a few days, maybe a year or so.
In Numbers 9:18-23 we read, "At the Lord's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord's order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the Lord's command they encamped, and at the Lord's command they set out. They obeyed the Lord's order, in accordance with his command through Moses."
The logistics for this horde was staggering! One suggestion claims 4 million pounds of food was needed each day! That would be the equivalent of 3 freight trains a mile long each to bring what was needed every day. The same source calculates the need for 8 million pounds of wood each day for cooking and warmth. 11 million gallons of water would be needed each day for drinking and to wash a few dishes! Those are staggering numbers! The same source says the campground needed for this group would take 750 square miles (about half the state of Rhode Island).
"Here are the stages in the journey of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt by divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron."
This chapter chronicles the itinerary the Israelites followed during their forty year period in the wilderness. It began with the exodus from Egypt and ended as they made their way to the east bank of the Jordan from which they would enter Canaan and take it from its inhabitants.
This sojourn of Israel in the wilderness was an amazing undertaking. They were consigned to it when they failed to trust the Lord in entering and taking the promised land just after their exodus from Egypt. After spies were sent in to check out the land, the nation feared the inhabitants over the Lord's assurance he would bring them victory. Because they refused to go, the Lord sent them on this forty year sojourn in the wilderness until that generation had passed.
Based on a count of the fighting men, there were several million Israelites that made the trek. As I count the encampments listed in this chapter (if I counted right) there were forty-one locations where they stayed over the forty year period. We read elsewhere that the duration of each encampment varied, maybe a few days, maybe a year or so.
In Numbers 9:18-23 we read, "At the Lord's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord's order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the Lord's command they encamped, and at the Lord's command they set out. They obeyed the Lord's order, in accordance with his command through Moses."
The logistics for this horde was staggering! One suggestion claims 4 million pounds of food was needed each day! That would be the equivalent of 3 freight trains a mile long each to bring what was needed every day. The same source calculates the need for 8 million pounds of wood each day for cooking and warmth. 11 million gallons of water would be needed each day for drinking and to wash a few dishes! Those are staggering numbers! The same source says the campground needed for this group would take 750 square miles (about half the state of Rhode Island).
Given all this, it appears to me the forty year sojourn in the wilderness had, as one of its goals, to teach the Israelites as a nation to follow the Lord no matter the outlook. A faith-building exercise. They refused to trust in the Lord's ability to bring about victory for them against the Canaanites, and so they went through a forty year curriculum to teach them something of the Lord's ability to provide and bring success.
It has been, and always will be, all about faith!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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