Numbers 1-4

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

October 25, 2011


 *MAR 13 - NUMBERS 1-4 - THE NUMBERING*


 *1. 1:3-4 (1:1-19) PREPARATION FOR CENSUS “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. 4 And there shall be with you a man from each
tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers” (ESV). *You are
forming an army Father, not a hospital. Your Son, our Lord Jesus, is
building His church to manifest His Kingdom through us. *Hallowed be your
:name!*


 *2. 1:53 (1:20-54) CENSUS FOR THE TWELVE TRIBES. “But the Levites shall
camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath
on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep
guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.” *Father, You have made the
Levites a buffer state to protect all Israel. You have made the 5-fold
ministry to protect the local churches, and the City Church. *Your :kingdom
come!*


 *3. 2:1-2 (2:1-34) ARRANGEMENT OF THE CAMP. The LORD spoke to Moses and
Aaron, saying, 2 “The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard,
with the banners of their fathers' houses. They shall camp facing the tent
of meeting on every side.” *Again we see Your order Father: the standard of
each tribe, and the ensign of each father's house! We marvel at Your care
and wisdom. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 3:11-12 (3:1-20) LEVITES: THEIR SERVICE. And the LORD spoke to Moses,
saying, 12 “Behold, I have taken the LEVITES from among the people of Israel
instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel.
The Levites shall be mine.” *May we not forget Father, that the 5-fold
ministry (EPH 4:11-12) plus all deacons are Yours: they are not numbered
with the local churches. The apostles and prophets are Your foundation (EPH
2:20). Forgive us for being so careless in these matters. May we see 1 & 2
Timothy and Titus for our New Testament order! *Our :daily :bread Give us
this day!*


 *5. 3:44-45 (3:21-51) LEVITES: THEIR NUMBERING. And the LORD spoke to
Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the
people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The
Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.” *We hear You in this, Father. There
is none like You in all of this. We see the Levites as types and shadows -
and the 5-fold ministries and deacons as our reality! *And forgive us our
:debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 4:15a (4:1-33) LEVITES: THEIR WORK. “And when Aaron and his sons have
finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as
the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these,
but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die.” *Just as Uzzah
could not touch the ark on the new cart, so Levites could not cover the
furniture of the tent of the congregation. And then only Kohathites could
carry the furniture on their shoulders. We are protected when we do things
according to Your New Covenant word in the power of Your Spirit! *And bring
us not into temptation!*


 *7. 4:49 (4:34-49) LEVITES: NUMBERING ACCORDING TO SERVICE. “According to
the commandment of the LORD through Moses they were listed, each one with
his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the LORD
commanded Moses.” *Again we marvel at Your order and details Father, and the
care Moses took in walking out every detail as You commissioned him. In like
manner we submit to Your New Testament plan for the One New Man, the Church!
*But deliver us from the evil one!*


 *NOTE: 2:17 (2:1-34) THE ORDER OF THE MARCH! “Then the tent of meeting
shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as
they camp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by
standard.” *Again,
see the superb order set up by God for the moving of the entire camp.
Following the first 3 tribes, came the boards and tents brought by two of
the clans of the Levites. Then following the sixth tribe, came Kohath
bearing the furniture of the tent of meeting upon their shoulders. The last
6 tribes brought protection to this mid part. How wonderful You are, O LORD!



 God does not desire New Covenant saints - members of the “One New Man” -
the Church - to keep the type and shadow commandments of the Old Covenant.
The moral law? Yes! The parable type order of the Old Testament? No! Torah
Observance is no longer possible to follow since the Temple destruction in
70 AD, when 200 of the 613 Torah commandments can no longer be kept! This *
God* arranged, that we may see in Christ and His Finished Word - the pattern
for us to follow in the New Covenant. George Muller of Bristol, England, saw
this clearly, and clearly presented it in all of his writings and churches.


 So as we see in the first 4 chapters of Numbers - God had a pre-pattern
type for Israel. Jesus showed through His teachings through the New
Testament apostle how to apply OT types and shadows for NT application. Acts
15 and Galatians spell out the difficulty in making this transition! There
are always those of the “old” who seek to bring into bondage and legalism
those of the “new”. Paul courageously and boldly confronted these. He even
confronted Peter and Barnabas. They were eating with Gentiles, just as Peter
did previously with Cornelius. But when Judaizers came to Antioch from
Jerusalem, Peter feared - and was unable to follow through with Gospel
liberty. Paul then incisively pointed out his hypocrisy! If he as a Jew ate
with Gentiles according to the 3-fold vision of the sheet let down from
heaven - *how then* could he command Gentiles to live as Jews?


 Is this a problem today? Unfortunately, yes. Torah Observant for Gentiles
today? No! New Covenant observant? Yes! And at the same time make
*full use*of the OT types and shadows -
*not* for observance - but for *application* as did Paul and the NT
apostles!


 Did Paul when with Jews become Torah Observant? Of course! To win them! See
1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Recently I sent out an article from New Zealand
entitled “Torah Observant?” For every 4 responding to say “Thank you - for
freeing us from legalism and bondage” - there has been one like those in
Acts 15 and Galatians - who would bring Gentile believers into legalism and
bondage through Torah Observance. J.A.Watt


 To *what* must NT saints supremely observe? *“The law of the Spirit of the
life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of :sin and of
:death”*Romans 8:2 (8:1-11). The Bible Numeric context that takes in
this verse -
makes this position abundantly clear!


 Our Psalm for the day! *73:28 (73:1-28) GOD IS MY STRENGTH AND PORTION
FOREVER! “But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my
refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” *Father, we will not be of those
who see things from earth's point of view; rather we will receive
quickening, and understand from heaven's vantage-point. We will not
senselessly fret over the prosperity of the wicked, but hallow Your Name -
that You reign, and all will work out in righteousness in the end! J.A.Watt*
* * *



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