Numbers 4

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Numbers 4:1

Who Has to Help with the Census

Not only the Lord Jesus sees who can serve as a warrior in His army, but also the heads of the tribes are involved. This can be applied to the responsible or leading brothers in a local church. They see which young people are spiritually twenty years and older. They participate in numbering by watching the spiritual development of young people. Timothy is one of those ‘numbered’ by older brothers: “He was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium” (Acts 16:1-2).

Names have their meaning in the Bible. We see in Hebrews 7 that we can learn spiritual lessons from this (Hebrews 7:1-3). It is important, however, to remain vigilant that we do not fall into fantasy. Some names have multiple meanings. To be able to determine with a certain degree of certainty the meaning of a name, it is advisable to consult several biblical name books. If several name books give the same meaning, it is likely that this is the correct meaning.

The names of the heads are also found in the Numbers 2, 7 and 10. In most of these names the Name of God resounds: ‘El’ means ‘God’. This shows that the Israelites did not forget their God during their stay in Egypt. In the names they gave their children, they have kept the memory of God.

In order to give a meaning to the names that I think is plausible, I pass on the meaning that Grant gives of those names in his ‘Numerical Bible’. It is up to the reader to think about this further.

Head of Reuben is Elizur, ‘my God is a rock’, the son of Shedeur, ‘the Almighty is a flame’. 2. Head of the family of Simeon is Shelumiel, ‘in peace with God’, the son of Zurishaddai, ‘my rock is the Almighty’. 3. Head of Judah is Nahshon, ‘prophet’, the son of Amminadab, ‘people of the willing Giver’. 4. Head of Issachar is Nethanel, ‘gift of God’, the son of Zuar, ‘small’. 5. Head of Zebulun is Eliab ‘my God is Father’, the son of Helon (too uncertain meaning). 6.

Head of Ephraim is Elishama, ‘my God has heard’, the son of Ammihud, ‘the people of Majesty’. 7. Head of Manasseh is Gamaliel, ‘God is a rewarder’, the son of Pedahzur, ‘the rock that redeems’. 8. Head of Benjamin is Abidan, ‘my Father is Judge’, the son of Gideoni, ‘cutter down’. 9. Head of Dan is Ahiezer, ‘brother of help’, the son of Ammishaddai, ‘the people of the Almighty’. 10. Head of Asher is Pagiel, ‘God has met me’, the son of Ochran, ‘tormented’. 11. Head of Gad is Eliasaph, ‘God has added’, the son of Deuel, ‘known by God’. 12.

Head of Naphtali is Ahira, ‘brother of evil’, the son of Enan, ‘seeing’.

Numbers 4:2

The Census

Whoever wants to belong to the numbered must declare his origin, as the Darby translation translates, “and they declared their pedigrees”. Declaring goes beyond an inner conviction. Someone who is taken by the Lord into His army must testify for others of his faith and not be ashamed of it or uncertain about it (2 Timothy 1:8; 12). Those who are in uncertainty about their salvation struggle with themselves and are not able to struggle with others. This is not a struggle or battle God is calling for. Believing God on His word puts an end to that struggle.

This declaration of their origin is necessary because of “a mixed multitude” (Exodus 12:38; Numbers 11:4) who are among them. People who are not Israelites went with them out of Egypt. This can be applied to people who have joined the company of Christians but do not have life from God. They are not able to declare before God that they belong to Him, nor can they fight for Him. They don’t want that either.

If we make the numbers more readable, the table looks like this: 1 Rueben 46,500 2 Simeon 59,300 3 Gad 45,650 4 Judah 74,600 5 Issachar 54,400 6 Zebulun 57,400 7 Ephraim 40,500 8 Manasseh 32,200 9 Benjamin 35,400 10 Daniel 62,700 11 Asher 41,500 12 Naphtali 53,400 Total 603,550

The Levites

Numbers 4:37

The Levites

Numbers 4:38

The Levites

Numbers 4:39

The Assignment Is Being Executed

The people do what the LORD has commanded Moses. They are characterized by obedience.

Numbers 4:41

The Camp

Everything in battle revolves around the tabernacle which is the center of the army, here called “the tent of meeting” (cf. Numbers 1:50; 53). The testimony of God in this world is given by the church, especially when the church meets. This is a particular target of the attacks of the enemy. That is why it must be protected. To do this, each tribe must take its place around it. Every believer must know his place with regard to the coming together of God’s people.

To order the camp indicates the importance of the place that each tribe occupies. Every member of the tribe must know where that place is. It is important not only as a numbered person to belong to the army, but also to know what his place is in relation to the dwelling place of God. The numbered protect the tabernacle.

God gives each tribe its own place. In this way He also gives us our own place around Himself (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:18). We are called personally, Israel by tribe. Tribes cannot exchange among themselves. Whoever belongs to a certain tribe cannot change tribe as he likes. The place that God gives us in His church, He gives us because He can best use us there.

Three tribes are linked together in a special way, under one standard. In this way, local churches are also connected in a special way by their location. It is also important to keep an eye on the people as a whole.

Standards hoisted in professing Christianity do not work unity, but divisiveness. There are those who raise a standard with the name of a human being or the name of a doctrine. All those who agree, gather under that standard. Every standard is a standard that distinguishes itself from others and that is not what God wants. There is only one center for God that He has set: the Lord Jesus, the true tabernacle, around whom He wants to gather His scattered children into one. The Lord Jesus is like a standard “outstanding among ten thousand” (Song of Solomon 5:10).

Believers are not called to go through the wilderness on their own. God has not redeemed just individuals who all go their own way. All who are redeemed belong together. In the New Testament they together form the church. They are brought together in ‘tribes’. We can apply this to local churches.

But also as a local church we are not separate from other local churches. Nor should we forget that as a local church we only represent a part of that local church when we meet. The local church consists of all true believers in that place, although there are some who delimit themselves by church walls. Yet they are part of it. We should also think about this when we come together as a church.

It is important to maintain unity as a tribe and unity with other tribes in the immediate vicinity and unity with all tribes of the whole people. That unity may not be a unity according to one’s own thoughts. It should be the unity of the whole people and not a sectarian one, looking only at their own tribe or the tribes that belong under the same standard. Sectarianism makes the unity smaller than the unity that God wants to make visible.