Verse for the Day, 5 March 2015.

Numbers 1:1-4, “The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,  (2)  "Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head.  (3)  From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.  (4)  And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers.”

Numbers 1:45-47, “So all those listed of the people of Israel, by their fathers' houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war in Israel— (46)  all those listed were 603,550.  (47)  But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe.”

Numbers opens with the people of Israel still encamped at Mount Sinai, and it starts on a very encouraging note. Moses is instructed by God to take a census of all the men from the age of 20 upwards. The men from every tribe were to be counted, with the exception of the tribe of Levi.

Once the census has been taken we are told that there are 603,550 men. On first appearance this number may not seem significant, but if we were to add the number of women, all those below the age of 20 and the tribe of Levi, we would probably not be far off the 2 million mark!

Israel was a substantial nation of people, in fact such was their number that even the mighty Egyptians felt greatly threatened by them when they dwelt in Egypt.

But there is a greater significance to this chapter, and that is the reminder that God is faithful to His promises. Back in Genesis 12, when God first promises offspring to Abram, if we have told Abram then, that after several generation his offspring would amount to some 2 million people, it is unlikely that he would have believed us. Yet this is exactly what has happened, from one man has come a nation, a nation that is by no means small nor weak. Though its beginning may have been small, its growth has been great. When Israel entered into Egypt in the days of Joseph there was only some 70 people, but in 400 years those 70 have grown to 2 million. This growth is even more remarkable when we consider how the people of Israel were beaten, mistreated, enslaved and force into hard labour, and the order to kill all new born Israelite boys carried out ruthlessly. In spite of all this opposition and persecution, the nation grew in number and strength.

Throughout these years God’s hand had been upon this nation, protecting it, providing for it and prospering it. Though many of the Israelites may have felt abandoned by God, the growth and preservation of their nation was evidence that God was still with and for them. As they saw their nation grow, so they would have been reminded of the sovereignty, power and working of God.

For believers in Jesus Christ there is much encouragement in this passage. Like the people of Israel in Egypt, we can easily and quickly become despondent. There are times when it feels as though God has abandoned us, His promises, power, sovereignty and work appear to have failed, or have disappeared from us. The darkness of that trial hangs over us and we fear that there is no way forward, no way out. This passage encourages us to keep our eyes upon God, trusting Him to work in His way and in His time. We need to trust in God’s sovereign purposes and plans, even when they don’t make sense to us. Furthermore we must not make the mistake of believing that because we cannot feel God’s presence, or see God visibly at work, that He has then abandoned or forsaken us. God is faithful to every promise, even the promise to never leave, to never forsake His people. God is faithful to every promise, even the promise to work out all things for our greatest good and His highest glory. God is faithful and God is at work, in ways, means and places that we cannot see or know about, and at the right time we will see His purposes and works. We are called to trust God, to rest in His sovereignty and power, and to serve Him with joyful obedience.

Our great covenant-keeping, ever-faithful God, we praise and adore You today, for You are a good of truth, a God who fulfils all His promises and who works all things out in accordance to Your will. How we thank You today, that You are the one that holds our lives in the palm of Your hand. Thank You that You are constantly at work in our world and in our lives, working for our good and for Your glory. Help us to remember that You are a God who does not forsake His children, but remains with us in and through all situations, circumstances and trials, bringing us safely through them all. May we always look to You, find our strength in You, rest in Your sovereign power and control, and glorify Your name through our obedience. Amen.