The New Census | Numbers part 29
Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:25-34
This week we continue our look at the Book of Numbers, and we’ve come to another major transition in the story. Following the Balaam story and Israel’s idolatry at Peor, the narration shifts into another census. The next few chapters commission the final census before the new generation enters the Promised Land, provisions for the daughters of tribal leaders without husbands, requirements for offerings and vows, and then will pick up the retribution against Midian in chapter 31. These next chapters are a reset for Israel as they renew their journey for the Promised Land.
With that in mind, we can see why the Lord calls for another census. The reasons for the census are:
Recommitment of Israel to the Lord
Recount for how many are able to serve in the army
Recognize what was lost in disobedience and rebellion
Fair allocation of the new land
As we work our way through the chapter, we can revisit each of these reasons, but the overarching theme that we can find in this chapter is:
God will sovereignly provide for His people even through dark times.
For 25 chapters, we have seen Israel have great ups and horrible downs. Through it all, the Lord has been with them. But more than just watching Israel go through their problems, God has worked out provision for the next generation despite and through those problems. God promised to provide for the next generation way back in Numbers 14 when the first generation rebelled.
And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected.
Numbers 14:26-31
The promise is the next generation will take the new land and the following section that outlines how to make offering to the Lord reinforces God’s provision in that they will have things to offer. They will “know the land” that was rejected. They will know what it means to inherit this Promised Land.
We can safely assume when the 24,000 fall by plague at Peor, the remaining people of the first generation have all passed away. It is time to recount the tribes of Israel to see who remains to conquer the Land.
A New Census to Reset | Numbers 26:1-4
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.”
Numbers 26:1-4
The regulations for this census are the same as in the beginning of Numbers. The primary count is able-bodied men who can serve in the army. The camp is still in the plains of Moab by the Jordan. They are literally at the border of the Promised Land. Jericho is mentioned for the sake of geography but also as a foreshadowing of the conquests that will come when Joshua takes command.
The following verses follow the same Table pattern as in chapter 1. We are to read this table as a new start for the nation of Israel.
The Table in Numbers 26 is a restart of the nation-building work that began in Numbers 1.
Though we will not read the entirety of the census, I do want to draw attention to a few verses and how they relate to God’s provision.
Not All Was Lost | Numbers 26:8-11
The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men. And they served as a warning sign. The line of Korah, however, did not die out.
Numbers 26:8-11
Here, we are reminded of Korah’s Rebellion in chapter 16. 250 men were killed during the incident, but notice “The line of Korah, however, did not die out.” Though Korah and those closest to him were killed, the family line itself remained.
Some of us have family histories that are not much to brag about. For many people, they don’t have to go deep into history to come across family members who were more known for rebelliousness than godliness. Verse 11 reminds us:
A rebellious ancestry does not dictate rebellious descendants.
Once in a Sunday School class, we were asked whether or not people could change. Is it possible for someone to become something different than what they are or what their family is? My reply was simply, “Do we not believe the Gospel?”
The very heart of the Gospel is that people really can change. They just can’t change by themselves. Willpower will never change the heart, but God can. Korah’s family did not have to follow in their grandfather’s footsteps. And if you recognize a sin pattern in your own family, you don’t have to follow that pattern either. We can break family curses and patterns, if we turn to Jesus.
Fulfillment of Inheritance | Numbers 26:51-56
The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.
The Lord said to Moses, “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”
Numbers 26:51-56
The original total from Numbers 1 was 603,550. The net decline of Israel from first generation to second generation is 1820 men. It is a testament to God’s providential care even through physical trials, plagues, rebellions, and idolatry.
Then, we have the allotment for each tribe. The tribe’s actual placement is to be done by lots, but the larger tribes will receive larger sections. “Lots” is something of an ambiguous term. It could refer to the Umim and Thummim of the High Priest, but the nature of these tools has been largely lost. They could have been stones or sticks, probably with a white side and a black side based on translating the terms. In other words, they may have been something like dice. “Lots” is also a wide-spread practice even well into the first century, as in when the soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments. And so, it could be they simply wrote the names of the tribes on sheets of paper and drew for who would have whichever section they came across.
The exact how they made land decisions isn’t really the point. The point is that each tribe would have enough land for all its members. Tribes who had been greatly blessed by God would have the greater inheritance. It’s worth noting, however, some tribes were smaller, not so much because God gave them less, but because more of their members died in the plagues and wilderness.
As we’ve looked at before, we can read the literal story and understand the simple concept. Those who had more people had more land. But what if we use this opportunity to consider how God might be drawing our attention to our own inheritance? And what will we leave for those who follow us?
In John 14, Jesus says He goes to prepare a place for us. It’s a passage we often hear at funerals.
In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
John 14:2-3
We know our Promised Land is in the New Heaven and New Earth. We have a place prepared for us by Jesus. And so, we can ask, “What does my inheritance look like?” And not just the particulars of the room, but also the size and scope. After all, Jesus also told us to store up treasure in heaven. Is it possible that some people will store more treasure than others?
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21
We store up heavenly treasure when our heart is also stored in heaven. Colossians 3 tells us to set our minds on things above. The principle throughout Scripture is that our hearts, minds, and whole life is to be focused on heavenly things because only the heavenly things will last into eternity. Everything else will be dissolved away.
I believe Jesus gives a clearer picture of what that looks like in Matthew 6:24.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Matthew 6:24
We can either store up earthly treasure—money or “wealth” is a better translation for the original word “mammon.” If we do so, then wealth becomes our master, and we will serve it. Alternatively, we can store up treasure in heaven by serving God. Perhaps there will be some financial benefit, but perhaps not. And if not, are we still devoted to the Lord? Are we willing to give up the earthly benefits if it means storing up heavenly treasure?
Our heavenly inheritance is based on the investments we make in our time on earth.
Similarly, what kind of inheritance will we leave to our children?
Will they share in the same inheritance and faithfulness? I am convinced much of our joy in heaven will be seeing our children, grandchildren, and however many generations follow them enter the same pearly gates we enter. We will hear our Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Look at the return on your investment!”
This second generation of Israelites inherit the Promised Land despite their parents’ lack of faithfulness. May it be said our children inherit their Promised Land because we demonstrated faithfulness.
Promise Fulfilled | Numbers 26:60-65
Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died when they made an offering before the Lord with unauthorized fire.
All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000. They were not counted along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance among them.
These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
Numbers 26:60-65
The chapter closes with confirmation that this census only includes Caleb and Joshua from the original census. Just as God told them, the first generation all died in the wilderness.
The ending is bittersweet. It is a tragedy those who were first brought out of Egypt, after seeing all the wonders of the Lord, would not actually enter the Promised Land. And yet, it is still a celebratory occasion because the children remained and thrived in the desert. They would enter the Land and enjoy the fulfilled promises of the Lord.
On this, we can close today asking the same question as we have in the past. The question is not whether God will provide, nor whether His promises will hold true. His Sovereignty to complete the work He begins is attested throughout Numbers, as well as all of Scripture, and even into our own lives. The question is whether we will take part in the fulfillment of His promises, or will we find ourselves lost in the wilderness journey?
This second census draws our attention to this very question. The first generation missed seeing the Promised Land because of their disobedience. The second generation will inherit it instead. Each succeeding generation of Israel would have to face the same choice. Will they trust in the Lord maintaining their inheritance, or will they wander away and lose their land?
There is provision for today and for eternity awaiting each one of us, but we will only inherit these promises if we trust in the Lord.