I’ll admit, reading a list of names that are difficult to pronounce alongside the census data of how many were in each tribe is hardly the stuff I am eager to wake up and read. Maybe the accountants among us are ecstatic with this kind of reading, but why couldn’t we spice it up with an inspiring and motivational message?
Yet in the documentation of a national census, there are some valuable insights for us. Moses identified two men, Dathan and Abiram specifically, who were leaders in the rebellion of Korah against Moses and Aaron. We remember that God stepped in, split the earth in two, and swallowed these rebels and all their followers. It was a significant loss for the people of Israel. We are reminded at the end of the chapter that this census covered an entirely new generation of men aged twenty and older. Moses reported that “among them there was not one of those who had been registered by Moses and the priest Aaron when they registered the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai” (Numbers 26:64). God had kept His word to the unbelieving prior generation. Not one person from the preceding generation remained alive—except Caleb and Joshua—to enter the promised land. The generational turnover was complete, total.
The census reminds us through its data of two things. First, God will fulfill His words against unbelief and rebellion, and He will not leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus 34:7). And secondly, God is faithful to His people forever. The names and calculations of Numbers 26 should stun us—we should expect a major decline and even a significant subtraction of the people of Israel after forty years of the toils and turmoil of wandering in the wilderness. We should expect this census to reveal a nation half the size of what it was a generation earlier. But the numbers tell a different story. The total of the men of Israel at the second census is nearly identical to the number of men at the first census (just compare Numbers 26:51 with Numbers 1:46).
God kept His promises and showed His faithfulness to His people despite their failure and sin. This is good news for us because we are reminded that the Lord keeps His promises for us too. In Christ, we have God’s promise to those who hear and believe in Him that we are His forever. So let the numbers encourage you. The data demonstrates His faithfulness to all of His promises.
Written by Jeremy Writebol
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40 thoughts on "The Second Census"
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This is the first time I’ve thought about all the funerals that were happening as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. A lot of grief and lose there.
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I am God’s forever♥
The first thing I did after today’s reading was go back and look at the original census number. I was astounded to see that they only lost 1,820 people! As it was said in the devotional today, these numbers are a reminder of God’s grace and love for His people. Despite the disobedience, rebellions, and sins the Israelites committed, God still said “These are my chosen people.” I am beyond blessed that through Jesus, I am one of God’s chosen people who is loved and known by Him. I hope you all had a wonderful week! I am praying for you all always ❤️
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“The data demonstrates His faithfulness to all of His promises.” In verse 11, it’s noted that the sons of Korah did not die. And thank goodness, because they went on to write several of the Psalms! The census data and the details keep demonstrating His faithfulness, His forgiveness, His redemption.
I did not know this!
I haven’t seen it mentioned yet, but right now Netflix has an excellent 3 part series on Moses playing, using scholars from various Christian denominations as well as Jewish and Muslim scholars (all of whom revere Moses). It gives insights from other historical sources as well as scripture and has really enriched my understanding of this study.
It is soo good!!
Oh, great, thanks for sharing!! I will watch! I love watching all things that fill my mind on heavenly things!
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Thank God for His faithfulness!
This shows the importance of obedience, not rebelling and trusting God at His word! He is faithful and will do what He has said.
I know we only like to see God as loving but he is just. He is always looking for a way to redeem us but if we continue to rebel without repentance, we will suffer the consequence.
But, I still believe God will keep trying to reach us until our dying day. No one is so far gone that God can redeem them.
This is such a good reminder that He is still trying to reach our prodigals and won’t give up!
Yes! Amen!
My focus this morning was on Psalm 95 as well, SEARCHING. The call to thanksgiving is a great reminder! Background study mentioned these verses in Hebrews:
Heb. 3:7–4:10
7 That is why the Holy Spirit says,
“Today when you hear his voice,
8 don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled,
when they tested me in the wilderness.
9 There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years.
10 So I was angry with them, and I said,
‘Their hearts always turn away from me.
They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”
12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
15 Remember what it says:
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled.”
16 And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt?
17 And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness?
18 And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him?
19 So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.
Promised Rest for God’s People
4 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.
2 For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.
3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said,
“In my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest,’”
even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.
4 We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.”
5 But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”
6 So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God.
7 So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts.”
8 Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come.
9 So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.
10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.
Thanks for including these writings from Hebrews. It demonstrates to us that we cannot grow weary and fall into unbelief or otherwise lack faith. God’s plan will not and should not be molded into our timetable.
Great word, CHANGED LIFE! Thank you! <3
It really is encouraging to see that many Israelites still believed and followed God. We, too, can see that there are MANY Christians in the world today, MANY great things are happening in the kingdom of God TODAY. It’s easy to get discouraged when we watch the news or read the headlines as we scroll thru our phones. BUT God is still very much alive and present in our world today. His Holy Spirit will never leave this earth until the day when God calls us all home. I encourage us all to take a break from social media and news this weekend, celebrate what God has done for us and for this country, be thankful for the blessings we all have, look for the good that’s going on in our cities, be a positive influence in your neck of the woods this weekend. Many blessings on all of us this weekend. May we be safe in our celebrations!
AMEN! Thank you for expressing my ♥️!! May we walk in our inheritance, and bring life and hope to those we come in contact with… “Christ-Carriers”! Blessings, Dear Sisters… wherever you walk with Him!! ♥️♥️
Yes, Amen!! Focus on the good, be the light. The light will overcome! That’s why I keep Christian station on the radio all day to keep me focus!
Yet, it is important to stay in the know…my mom used to say “if you don’t pay attention, you won’t know what the devil is doing and how to combat that” which I see looking back of how the shows kids watched you to be so good, educational, values presented..and with my child they started putting on shows that kids talked back to parents and center around them. My mom said those were horrible and why would we let our kids watch. And the prime time tv shows started changes from the 80’s to the 90’s of sitcoms of sleeping around (showing it rather that trying to allude to it), and any destructive, outrageous programs to get viewers. My grandkids grew up tuned in to junk on tv…and now with a phone in their hands non-stop, viewing..yes…more junk for their minds.
Ugh…sorry..I’ve turned to the negative to feel my mind, lol. (I am not going against what your said, I was agreeing but then went astray! :/ ) But I’m just pointing out how IMPERATIVE as Christians we need to stand a little harder and stronger to what we support.
GM! I never have much to add to books like Numbers, but I appreciate the wisdom of you all!! I like to share more of the personal practical application for my life. I agree that Numbers shows us the important of following God’s law and following what He instructs. Like Kris said a day or two ago, I think we are too lackadaisical with our attitudes as a whole as Christians. We shouldn’t strive in a way that is strife and exhaustion, yet in a way from a heart full of love and wanting to be with and walk with our Father. He brings us joy, which overflows out through our life in all ways. People will be frustrated, yet I want the love of God to love them like he loves me.
Walking in His ways will bring peace and calmness, and joy…all the days of our lives, all the days of our lives..
I agree Rhonda. Meeting anger with anger is the least likely to be helpful. Anger breeds more anger.
From our hearts that Know we do not deserve the grace and love of Jesus, we can extend patience, mercy, and gentleness to others and thereby show them the real heart of Jesus.
We can seek to correct others with gentleness and compassion that comes from a humbled heart.
Thank you for your prayers yesterday, Shes. ♥️ Hope you all have a nice Friday. ♥️
Dear Michelle, praying Psalm 40:11 over you: “The Lord does not withhold His compassion from you. His constant love and truth will always guard you.” ❤️
Lifting you up Michelle! Hugs!
Amen, JULIA C & KELLY (NEO) ❤️
Psalm 95:10 … it is a people who go astray in their hearts :(
Lord, may all our hearts stay focused on You!
TINA ❤️ love you!
Sisters, TINA posted a lovely prayer list for so many sisters this morning – on Day 25. Praying with her for those and others.
Made me think of Psalm 16:4 “The sorrows of those who take another god for themselves will multiply…”
Hearts focused on God – amen! Love you!❤
“Zelophehad son of Hepher had no
sons—only daughters. The names
of Zelophehad’s daughters were
Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and
Tirzah.”
Faithful in details…more to come in their story in Numbers 27 ;-)
Numbers 1:46 | All those registered numbered 603.550 – All of these men, except Caleb and Joshua, died in the wilderness as a consequence of their disobedience to God.
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BUT GOD! “The data demonstrates His faithfulness to all of His promises” (Jeremy Writebol)
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Numbers 26:51 | These registered Israelite men numbered 601.730 – The second generation of Israelites: a whole new generation… Including the sons of Korah (Numbers 26:9) who didn’t follow their father’s path but instead obeyed the Lord (Numbers 16:23).
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Even though there were no years of growth during 38 years in the wilderness, “the wilderness did not kill the people of God. Under God’s blessing and guidance – even accounting for His judgments upon them – they remained strong and vital through an entire generation in difficult, inhospitable wilderness” (Enduring Word).
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Ending my thoughts with Spurgeon: “If we are now serving God, let us do so with intense earnestness, since only for a little while shall we have the opportunity to do so among men…. Live while you live. At the same time, lay plans for influencing the rising generation. Lay yourself out to work while it is called to-day.”
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Dear Father,
Again and again we see the consequences of sin and disobedience.
But we also see Your Mercy, Blessings and Guidance through the book of Numbers.
You brought a whole new generation of Israelites to the land You promised them: 601.730 men, calling them by their names, as if you were saying: You belong to Me.
May we hear Your voice, follow it and see You working in our lives.
Help us to raise the next generation in doing the same: remembering You and following You in obedience, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit we have received through Jesus Christ.
In His name,
AMEN.
Good! And beautiful prayer!
Amen! ❤
The other thing it reminds me in addition to God’s faithfulness is He is interested in the details! (As one of the accountants in the group, I do geek out on the numbers and yes they do total to the ‘penny’!:)
With much gratitude for both – wishing the SRT community a Blessed Friday.
Geeking out with you, SALLY B :)
That’s awesome!! lol