Today we are reading Numbers 1. In this chapter we read about a census that was taken in Israel. “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, “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. 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. 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— all those listed were 603,550.” Numbers 1:1-3, 45-46 ESV This numbering of men who were 20 years old and up is impressive. God was forming them into a nation. Why would it be important to know how many warriors Israel had? How many men in your family are of this age? How often did Israel have to defend themselves? In those times, God led Israel in battle and the leaders always consulted God before going into battle. May God grant our leaders wisdom to consult God before every conflict. Pastor Tim
