The Second Census

 Numbers 26-27

After the plague the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army of Israel.” So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

                          seeond censer                                                             First time in Numbers 1

These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730. The tribe of Reuben was 46,500.

These were the clans of Simeon; those numbered were 22,200.  Simeon was 59,300

These were the clans of Gad; those numbered were 40,500.   Gad was 45,650.

These were the clans of Judah; those numbered were 76,500.  Judah was 74,600.

These were the clans of Issachar; those numbered were 64,300. Issachar was 54,400.

These were the clans of Zebulun; those numbered were 60,500. Zebulun was 57,400

These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700. Ephraim was 40,500

These were the clans of Ephraim; those numbered were 32,500.  Manasseh was 32,200.

These were the clans of Benjamin; those numbered were 45,600. Benjamin was 35,400.

These were the clans of Asher; those numbered were 53,400.  Asher was 41,500 

These were the clans of Naphtali; those numbered were 45,400.  Naphtali was 53,400.

All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000.   Dan was 62,700.

The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.   The total number was 603,550.

Dan had disappeared.

Why?

This is the sensus to people of Israelites from out of Egypt and before enter the promised land

How?

Time is the best test of our hearts and faith in the Lord

I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord

 Number 23-25

Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?

Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”  He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord—and I must say only what the Lord says’? Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what these people will do to your people in days to come.”

Then he spoke his message: “Alas! Who can live when God does this? Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus; they will subdue Ashur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.”

Why?

Even Balaam hoped to get the money and gifts from Balak, but he could not say the word that the Lord did not allow.

Even the donkey knew the Lord was not allowing Balaam to curse God's people. Balaam still try to find a chance get the money from Balak.

How?

To serve the Lord is not to get the rich or good way, but for the Lord first loves us without any payment, or devotion, or one-tenth devotion is give our thanks to our Lord; everything I have is the blessing and grace of the Lord.  

I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting

 Numbers 17-19

So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law. The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your family are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the priesthood. Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister before the tent of the covenant law. They are to be responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the tent, but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar. Otherwise both they and you will die. They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting—all the work at the tent—and no one else may come near where you are.

Then the Lord said to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion, your perpetual share. You are to have the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain or sin[a] or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons. Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it. You must regard it as holy.

The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.

I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.

Why?

The staff of Armon was not only sprouting but had budded, blossomed, and produced almonds. It is out of nature's rule for almonds, so it symbolize it is the work of the Lord and God's chosen in on Armon tribe.

The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

How?

The tithes in Chriatisns are belong to the Lord, so we give tithes today to honor the Lord and represent out devoteion and thanks giving from our Lord. I am glad that I have this a little opportunity to serve the Lord. All I have is the grace of the Lord!

In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him

 Numbers 15-17

Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you as a home and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the Lord—whether burnt offerings or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings or festival offerings— then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of olive oil. With each lamb for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.

With a ram prepare a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin of olive oil, and a third of a hin of wine as a drink offering. Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

When you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow or a fellowship offering to the Lord, bring with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with half a hin of olive oil.

You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.’

When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. 

He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?”

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.

Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.”

As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers.

But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.

Why?

The Lord is Holy; who can despise the servants of the Lord? No one, every God's people is chosen by the Lord. If anyone did something wrong, the Lord will judge them. We do not have the authority to judge other brothers or sisters.

God is love and faithful. So we should honor the Holy name of the Lord, and love each other, with love and grace, and keep ourselves from sins.

How?

Do my best to be a good Christ-like Christian, with love, faith, and hope.

But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house

 Numbers 12-14

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.

But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.

These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.

We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?

Why?

Aron and Miriam talk against Moses, they did not know Mose if faithful in all God's house.

After Moses pleaded to the Lord, the Lord let Miriam had chance to recover from leprosy.

Israelites heard the situation of the people in the promised land, and they lost their faith in the Lord. And complained to the Lord. They had totally forgotten what the Lord had done for them from Egypt until now.

How?

If I failed in my work, or lost my health, or lost everything I have, what would I do? Trust in the Lord and keep faith in the Lord, my life, my health, and my possessions are the gift of the Lord. Without the Lord I have nothing.

Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you

 Numbers 9-11

The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt.

So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate the Lord’s Passover, but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations. But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.

The Lord said to Moses: “Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. 

The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard. Nahshon son of Amminadab was in command.

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them.

The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”

But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. Therefore, the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah.

Why?

Honor the Lord and fear the Lord, for the Lord is greater and beyond us. Why do people complain that they had no meat? Be aware that our Lord is Almighty God, God supports anything we need, but the Lord won't give us to achieve our desire.

How?

Let us have faith in the Lord, and with love and faith in our daily life to serve each other.

Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean

 Numbers 7-8

So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites, as their work required, and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible.

 When the altar was anointed, the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar. For the Lord had said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, brought his offering.

On the third day, Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering.

On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the people of Reuben, brought his offering.

On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the people of Simeon, brought his offering.

On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the people of Gad, brought his offering.

On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the people of Ephraim, brought his offering.

On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the people of Manasseh, brought his offering.

On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering.

On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the people of Dan, brought his offering.

On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Okran, the leader of the people of Asher, brought his offering.

On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the people of Naphtali, brought his offering.

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.’”

The Lord said to Moses: “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean. 

The Lord said to Moses, “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting, but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer.

25~50 years is the best time in our lives to serve the Lord.

How?

To serve the Lord requires some qualities; they are the chosen ones.