Numbers: An Accurate Counting of the People
The Book of Numbers like the book of Leviticus is overlooked and often not read in the Bible. Initially it’s not as exciting or captivating like the books of Genesis or Exodus. Leviticus is skipped by readers because of the excessive do’s and don’ts and the strange sacrificial system that God required. Numbers is literally a census. Parts of it read like you are studying demographics. You may know what you are looking for but you still have to comb and plow through the data. Not only is the book of Numbers a census it also has quite a bit of genealogical information that makes it dense and laborious to read.
Outside of the census, the Hebrews/Israelites grumble and complain at their present situation in the wilderness and they gossip and talk about there leadership: Moses. Instead of supporting and following Moses the people ask, why did Moses bring us to the wilderness to die? The Book of Numbers is universal and timeless and shows the reader the reality of spiritual warfare (especially for Spiritual leaders). Moses’ own brother and sister put Moses through a lot until the Lord intervened and humbled them. For a moment the Lord strickens Miriam with leprosy and that finally settles her down and stops her from hating on her brother.
Every 10 years the United States requires that a census be taken. A census is not a survey. Everyone should be counted, and the data collected from the census is used to provide services to the people.
A census is a detailed and official counting and recording of a population. A census collects information about people: (age, gender, marital status, number of children, average income, educational levels, etc.) in a community, city, county, state and nation. The purpose of the information helps in government planning and spending as it relates to schools, roads & highways, hospitals, number of electoral officials, political districting and other things. An accurate counting of the population is very important.
Yet every 10 years the government has to literally fight to get people to fill out the census information. The data collected by the government is also used by businesses and researchers to understand population, demographics and economic trends. When people don’t participate in the census, we are left out and the needs of the people are not provided. Historically black and brown communities are not represented as they should be in the census. Like voting, the census has the power to help people. But nothing can happen if we choose not to participate and be counted and included.
In the Bible the census was used for organizational, and administrative purposes and in the book of Numbers the census was used for military purposes. Biblically a census could be used for faithful or sinful purposes. It was important for the Moses and his leadership and more importantly for God to have an accurate counting of the 12 Tribes of Isreal.
In Numbers 1-God commanded Moses to take a census of Israel’s fighting men and in Numbers 26 there was a second census taken before the Children of Isreal entered the Promised Land. The information in the census also determined how the children of Israel were to organize themselves in the camp around the Tabernacle.
