Numbers 1 - The Census of Israel's Warriors | Bible Podcast, David Alley, Peace Christian Church
The Bible by David Alley · David Alley
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Show Notes
In this video listen to Numbers 1 read by David Alley, followed by comments and prayer.
In Numbers 1 we start the fourth book of Moses, which in reality is the fourth section of one big book. In Hebrew it is named Bemidbar which means wilderness. This entire book is placed in the desert and starts about 14 months after leaving Egypt.
The Israelites could have in theory gone directly to Canaan, a walk of just eleven days or so, but they were not in the frame of mind to have done so. The process from Egypt to this point has formed them into a nation, and put God in his place as the leader, but they are still far from capable as a force to take the promised land. The wilderness is their boot camp as this book shall explain.
Chapter 1 starts with a census of the men able to fight, which is also renumbered later. We find a great fighting force, but they are not yet (as we shall find out later in Numbers) mentally ready for a fight. The number is at 600000 fighting men, giving us maybe 2 million people in total.
This number is so great that skeptics claim the desert could not have supported them. Clearly this is true, which is why God supported them with manna and water. This was a forty year miracle.
Finally we conclude by realising that we too are supported by God every moment of our lives. We should not take God for granted, or grumble or complain for we occupy the same position as these Israelites.