If you’re participating in a program to read through the Bible in a year then by now you have probably gotten through the wonder of the creation narrative and the subsequent flood, the emotional rollercoaster of the life of Joseph and the extraordinary account of Moses and the exodus. It is likely that you are wandering in the wilderness of Leviticus or Numbers and, perhaps, your drive to make it to the end has taken a hit. While you may not know the whys and wherefores for all the details included in those books, it is helpful to remember that there is, in fact, purpose to all of them. And that purpose extends way beyond the historicity of the account. As important as dates and dead people are to historical accuracy, it pales in comparison to the theological gems that can be mined from those seemingly unnecessary details. Mining, however, is hard work. Perhaps a couple of examples will get you chiseling in the right direction.
Take Numbers chapters one and two. The book begins with a long list of names that memorializes a census that Moses was instructed to take. There may not be much merit in memorizing the names (even if you’re able to pronounce them), but there is benefit to knowing a little something about why they are there and how it ties to God’s overarching plan.
First, remember God’s promise to Abraham to make his descendants as numerous as the stars. When Joseph set his family up in the best portion of Egypt they totaled 70 people. There are differing opinions about how to view the census results in the first chapter of Numbers, but one thing is clear—the Israelite nation had grown by at least tens of thousands. God had blessed them exponentially. This is a reminder to the reader that God is keeping His promise!
Second, God’s covenant with Abraham included a land promise. God intended to take His people into that promised land, but it would require engaging in war against wicked people that were currently occupying it. The Numbers census was specifically commissioned to identify the number of men capable of going into combat. What had originally been a family run by patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) had become the nation of Israel. God was moving the plan forward by shaping that newly born nation into a fighting force that would execute His judgment and result in possession of the land. Again, it is a reminder to the reader that God is keeping His promise!
Chapter two of Numbers details the arrangement of the camp. (“This many people go here, and that tribe goes there. When it’s time to leave, these people will go first and the folks on that side go next, ‘each one in his clan according to his fathers’ house….’”) What is the theological significance to any of this? Here are a couple thoughts. First, the “tent of meeting” (where God meets His people) was at the center of the entire camp. What’s more, every tribe was organized so that they were facing the tent of meeting. The various tribes and clans had many different, delegated roles. However, all of them were required to keep at the center of their lives the fact that their job was to be performed in the service of God. Their housing was literally set up to face God.
Second, the Levites (the family tasked with being priests) were instructed to surround the tent of meeting. Despite the First Commandment requirement that nothing should take priority over God, He knew His people’s propensity to break it. As a result, God provided a barrier between His presence and the people to protect them from the kind of shenanigans that Aaron pulled with the golden calf or Nadab and Abihu with the “strange fire.” The design of the camp is a physical manifestation of God placing Himself at the center of His people’s lives and His efforts to protect them from their own sinful foolishness. What a great God we serve!
The intricacy of God’s plan is incomprehensible. Not only is His plan perfect, but His choice to document how He executed that plan is deliberate and beautiful! Today, thank God for His plan. Give praise to Him for the way in which the intricate details matter. Meditate on the fact that it all brings glory to Him and that we can be encouraged as we understand their significance. Ask God to forgive you for an apathetic attitude toward some portions of Scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more of His truth to you as you study His word.