Num 10:21-24 | KingComments | STEP | The actual wilderness journey begins in . God’s people are going to write history. They are going to show what’s in their hearts. It is their history. This part of the wilderness journey is different from the first part, just after their redemption, from Egypt to Mount Sinai. That part is described in Exodus 16-19. During that part God acts in grace. Then the people promise to do everything the LORD says, and receive the law ( ). That is in Numbers the basis of God’s actions, although His grace is also visible every time. In the history of the people of Israel we also see the history of Christianity. In both cases it is a history of failure and that while God has given so much blessing. The heart of man is fully revealed in the circumstances of life. The high – or better low – point of failure can be found in the “rebellion of Korah” in Numbers 16. Jude cites this history to illustrate the decline of Christianity ( ). After the people have been at Mount Sinai for almost a year ( ; ), God says it is time to set out on their journeys ( ). The people set out in the way God said in Numbers 2. They set out from the wilderness of Sinai to another wilderness, the wilderness of Paran, to camp there. As long as we are on earth, we move from wilderness to wilderness. Still, there is a difference in the way they set out here with what is said about it in Numbers 2. It was said there that the tabernacle should set out in the middle. But here we see that already immediately after the setting out of the first three tribes the Gershonites and Merarites start setting out the tabernacle. The next three tribes follow. Then the Kohathites do their work. They carry the ark and the other objects of the sanctuary. The ark is the center of the parade, as God has said. Finally, the other tribes set out in the prescribed order. The order is: 1. The first standard (Judah, Issachar, Zebulun); 2. A part of the Levites (the descendants of Gerson and Merari) with the tabernacle; 3. The second standard (Reuben, Simeon, Gad); 4. The rest of the Levites (the Kohathites) with the sanctuary; 5. The third standard (Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin); 6. The fourth standard (Dan, Asher, Naphtali). Each tribe is led by the same leader who also helped in the census in Numbers 1:4-16 and came with his offering in Numbers 7. The third standard (Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin) immediately follows the ark, giving these tribes a direct view of it. It is possible that Psalm 80 refers to this section ( ). It is the wisdom of God who so governs this. When the people camp again, the Gershonites and Merarites can already do their work. And after the second standard has camped, they are ready so far that the Kohathites can place the holy object in the tabernacle.

‏ Numbers 10:21-24

Israel Sets out from the Wilderness of Sinai

The actual wilderness journey begins in Num 10:11. God’s people are going to write history. They are going to show what’s in their hearts. It is their history. This part of the wilderness journey is different from the first part, just after their redemption, from Egypt to Mount Sinai. That part is described in Exodus 16-19. During that part God acts in grace. Then the people promise to do everything the LORD says, and receive the law (Exo 19:6 ; Exo 20:1-18). That is in Numbers the basis of God’s actions, although His grace is also visible every time.

In the history of the people of Israel we also see the history of Christianity. In both cases it is a history of failure and that while God has given so much blessing. The heart of man is fully revealed in the circumstances of life. The high – or better low – point of failure can be found in the “rebellion of Korah” in Numbers 16. Jude cites this history to illustrate the decline of Christianity (Jude 1:11).

After the people have been at Mount Sinai for almost a year (Exo 19:1; Num 10:11), God says it is time to set out on their journeys (Deu 1:6-7). The people set out in the way God said in Numbers 2. They set out from the wilderness of Sinai to another wilderness, the wilderness of Paran, to camp there. As long as we are on earth, we move from wilderness to wilderness.

Still, there is a difference in the way they set out here with what is said about it in Numbers 2. It was said there that the tabernacle should set out in the middle. But here we see that already immediately after the setting out of the first three tribes the Gershonites and Merarites start setting out the tabernacle. The next three tribes follow. Then the Kohathites do their work. They carry the ark and the other objects of the sanctuary. The ark is the center of the parade, as God has said. Finally, the other tribes set out in the prescribed order.

The order is:

1. The first standard (Judah, Issachar, Zebulun);

2. A part of the Levites (the descendants of Gerson and Merari) with the tabernacle;

3. The second standard (Reuben, Simeon, Gad);

4. The rest of the Levites (the Kohathites) with the sanctuary;

5. The third standard (Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin);

6. The fourth standard (Dan, Asher, Naphtali).

Each tribe is led by the same leader who also helped in the census in Numbers 1:4-16 and came with his offering in Numbers 7. The third standard (Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin) immediately follows the ark, giving these tribes a direct view of it. It is possible that Psalm 80 refers to this section (Psa 80:2).

It is the wisdom of God who so governs this. When the people camp again, the Gershonites and Merarites can already do their work. And after the second standard has camped, they are ready so far that the Kohathites can place the holy object in the tabernacle.