Side Note:
Before I discussing today’s lesson I want to share something that really helped me with these first chapters. I tend to get tripped up on all the names. I don’t know how to pronounce them and I stumble and get distracted. But, this week, I used the YouVersion bible on my tablet. Not only does it have the scriptures in text that I could read, but it also had an audio version. I played the audio version and read along and didn’t need to worry about any of the pronunciation!
God is all knowing. This attribute of God simply, but completely, means that God knows everything at every time. Nothing is hidden from Him. Nothing is missing or lost. He knows every star and asteroid, every tree and flower, every animal and even the number of hairs and each atom.
God doesn’t need organization and storage. Nothing is ever lost or missing. God doesn’t need a census. He not only knows how many people there are, but He also knows them all by name.
This is an interesting thing to keep in mind as we open the book of Numbers. None of this is for God’s benefit. All of it is for ours.
We do best when we have structure, a place, a home, a family, a tribe, tribal leaders and a community. God helps establish that for the Israelites before they leave Mt. Sinai. He calls forth the leaders (by name). He organizes the living arrangements by directions on the compass. He puts Himself in the center. He puts those dedicated to the care of the holy things immediately around the holy things. He give every person and every tribe equal access. He not only organized them by tribe (interesting that aver 400 years of slavery everyone knew which tribe they belonged), but we see the strength of large families.
He also instructed Moses to count the men. The total number of fighting men, ages 20+ was over 600,000. This is an army approximately 3 times larger than the entire colonial forces in the American Revolution. It also shows for them and for us how God keeps His covenant with Abraham. 70 Hebrews went into Egypt. 2 to 3 Million came out.
Do you fight the organization and structure that God has provided? Do you rebel? The only reason it is in place is for our benefit. How can you look on it as a blessing instead of a burden?
Do you every feel insignificant or anonymous, just another number? There was no estimation in this census, no rounding, each person was counted and their name was written down. You are part of God’s plan and important to Him.
My Answers:
3.
a.
Count of men over 20 able to serve in the army
b.
God said – they were called into different service, service to the tabernacle
c.
603,550
d.
>2 Million
e.
70 came into Egypt with Jacob
4.
a.
the tent of meeting
b.
He was to be at the center of everything they did, everyone would have access to Him
c.
service, trying to be a witness to God’s love and provision
5.
a.
Three (living) — Aaron; Eleazar; Ithamar
b.
v9. the Levites in place of the 1st born of every tribe – they were care-takers
c.
when they sided with moses and took their sword against brother
d.
The honor of being behind the scenes
The Notes are Good 
Thank you for sharing your study, I get so much from it and look forward every week to seeing what you have to say. Your thoughts help me be able to go deeper into the study.
I agree