15 07 12 — Sungai Nibong Gospel Hall

15. 07. 12 - Sungai Nibong Gospel Hall Series: The Numberings in Numbers Part 1: THE FOUNDATION OF THE TABERNACLE RECAPITULATION OF PART 1 – “THE SUBSTITUTION” IN THE SILVER Part 2: THE NUMBERINGS IN NUMBERS

A. THE SOURCE OF THE SILVER. B. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SILVER. C. THE "SUBSTITUTION" IN THE SILVER Num. 3: 40 -51 1. The Principle of Substitution. Num. 3: 12, 13 a. The Rule – Every Firstborn of all Flesh belongs to God. b. The Redemption - All Firstborn are to be redeemed by Five shekels of silver except those of a sheep, a goat or a cow. Cp. Num. 18: 15 -17

1. The Principle of Substitution. 2. The Practice of Substitution: Num. 3: 40 -51 a. The Situation. No. of Firstborn in Israel - 22 273 Num. 3: 43 No. of Levite firstborn - 22 000 Num. 3: 39 The "odd number" 273 Num. 3: 45 -49 b. The Substitution. For every one of the 22 000, a Levi firstborn was Substituted. Num. 3: 41 cf. 39 For the remaining 273, five Shekels of Silver were paid as "redemption money". Num. 3: 46 -49

2. The Practice of Substitution: The Situation. b. The Substitution. Num. 3: 40 -51 a. c. The Significance. i. The Levi for the firstborn -a one-to-one Each must believe for oneself. substitution. ii. The 5 shekels for the firstborn • Christ paid with His life. • The Offer is Gracious. - a Gracious Redemption. -"the silver” - "five shekels"

PART 2: THE NUMBERINGS ISRAEL’S ENCAMPING AROUND THE TABERNACLE. NUM. 1: 17 -21… And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month… according to the number of the names… every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; On the East – JUDAH (Num. 2: 3, 5, 7) On the South – REUBEN (2: 10, 12, 14) On the West – EPHRAIM (2: 18, 20, 22 ) On the North – DAN (2: 25, 27, 29) Around Tabernacle – Levites, Moses & Aaron. . . (3: 17, 23, 29, 35, 38)

Pt. 2 - THE NUMBERING IN NUMBERS. Num. Chs. 1 -4 The Number of Israelites (except Levites) - all males above 20. (Num. 1: 1 -4, 49; 26: 1 -4 ct. v. 62 The No. after Exodus from Egypt. No. The Tribes Number Reference Sub-total 1. REUBEN 46 500 1: 20, 21; 2: 10, 11 Simeon 59 300 151 450 1: 22, 23; 2: 12, 13 Gad 45 650 (2: 16) 1: 24, 25; 2: 14, 15 The No. before Entering Canaan. Position South Position 2 nd 2 nd Number 43 730 22 200 40 500 Ref. 26: 7 v. 14 v. 18

Pt. 2 - THE NUMBERING IN NUMBERS. Num. Chs. 1 -4 The No. after Exodus from Egypt. No. The Tribes Number Reference Sub-total 2. JUDAH 74 600 1: 26, 27; 2: 3, 4 Issachar 54 400 1: 28, 29; 2: 5, 6 186 400 Zebulun 57 400 1: 30, 31; 2: 7, 8 (2: 9) The No. before Entering Canaan. Position Number East 1 st 76 500 East 1 st 64 300 East 1 st 60 500 Ref. v. 22 v. 25 v. 27

Pt. 2 - THE NUMBERING IN NUMBERS. The No. after Exodus from Egypt. 3 EPHRAIM 40 500 Manasseh 32 200 Benjamin 35 400 1: 32, 33; 2: 18, 19 1: 34, 35; 2: 20, 21 1: 36, 37; 2: 22, 23 108 100 (2: 24) The No. before Entering Canaan. West 3 rd 3 rd 32 500 52 700 45 600 v. 37 v. 34 v. 41

Pt. 2 - THE NUMBERING IN NUMBERS. The No. after Exodus from Egypt. 4. DAN Asher Naphtali 62 700 603 550 TOTAL 41 500 53 400 1: 38, 39; 2: 25, 26 1: 40, 41; 2: 24, 28 1: 42, 43; 2: 29, 30 1: 46; 2: 32 157 600 (2: 31) The No. before Entering Canaan. North 4 th 4 th 64 400 53 400 45 400 601 730 vv. 42, 43 v. 47 v. 50

The Numberings in Numbers (1) After Exodus (Num. 1 -4) 1 st Numbering – (1: 46 cf. 26: 63 -65) 603 550 All died, except Joshua and Caleb = 603 548 Cf. Num. 14: 28 -33 ct. 14: 2 (2) Before Entry into Canaan (Num. 26) 2 nd. Numbering – (26: 51) 601 730 Difference 1 818

B. THE NUMBER OF LEVITES (all males above 1 month old. 3: 14, 15) No 1 The Family Number Reference Gershonites 7 500 3: 21 -23 Position West 2 Kothathites 8 600 South Position in March After Zebulun After Gad Responsibilities 3: 27 -29 Ref Curtains. Coverings, 3: 25, 26 Hangings, Gate, Door Ark, Table of Shewbread, 3: 31 Lampstand, altar (Laver? )

B. The Number of Levites No Family Number Ref. 3 Merrites 6200 4. Moses, Aaron & sons TOTAL = 22000 Position In Camp in March 3: 32 -34 North After Gershonites 3: 38 East 3: 39 Ref Responsibilities Boards, bars, pillars, sockets, court 3: 36, 37 Pillars, sockets, pins and cords. 3: 38 The charge of the sanctuary Note: After Exodus - 22000 3: 39 Before Canaan - 23000 26: 62

LESSONS FROM THE NUMBERINGS IN NUMBERS 1. Numbering of Israel. FACT - LESSON God knows His own. II Tim. 2: 19; Mt. 10: 29, 30 1 a. The Act of Numbering. 1 b. Only males above one month Headship of God recognised in creation and 20 numbered military order. I Cor. 11: 3 1 c. They were known as Israel, Not all who name Christ but some might not believe in are born-again Christians. Jehovah God. (Rom. 9: 6) Mt. 7: 21, 22; Rev. 3: 1 1 d. All of them (except Joshua and Caleb) died in the Only faith characterises wilderness because of their true Christians. Heb. unbelief 3: 17 -19

1. Numbering of Israel 2. Numbering of Levites 2 a. They were sanctified priests unto God (Num. 3: 50) and encamped round the tabernacle. 2 b. They were numbered from one month old and above. 2 c. They were not to be numbered among Israel (3: 49) though living among them. They were God’s. (3: 12, 13; ) 2 d. They would have no inheritance and take charge of the tabernacle service(18: 23 -25; 26: 62) 2 e. Their years of service from 30 -50. (4: 3, 23, 30, etc. Cf. 8: 24 - 26) They represent the kingdom of holy and royal priests unto God. I Pet. 2: 5, 9 To be numbered among God's Kingdom of priests one must be born again. I Pet. 1: 23, 25; 2: 5 Christians are a special “peculiar” people unto God. I Pet. 2: 9 They are the peculiar people of the Lord (I Pet. 2: 9) The priests’ Probation, Service at their prime, and “retired” role.

1. Numbering of Israel 2. Numbering of Levites 2 f. They could not offer "strange fire" (Num. 3: 4) or allow "strangers" to come near their priestly ministry. (Num. 3: 10) 2 g. Only the firstborn to the Levites after the Passover were numbered. (Num. 3: 12, 13). 2 h. Only the Levites were allowed to take charge of the holy vessels, furniture, etc. Num. ch. 3 Christians should not adopt the ways of the world in worshipping and serving God. They should be separate. II Cor. 6: 16 -7: 1 The Christian life starts with one's identification with Christ, the Passover. I Cor. 5: 7 Christians are holy vessels in the house of God. II Tim. 2: 19 -21

1. Numbering of Israel 2. Numbering of Levites 3. Numbering of the Firstborn in Israel. a. All Firstborn in Israel were numbered. Num. 3: 40 b. All Levites were to be "instead of all the firstborn" (Num. 3: 41) in one-to-one substitution based on the Passover. (cf. 3: 13) All men belong to God by right of creation. Every one must trust the Lord as the Passover Lamb for oneself to be made a priest in the Kingdom of God. No one can do it for him. I Pet. 2: 5 -8

3. Numbering of the Firstborn in Israel. We cannot be redeemed. . . c. The "odd number" with silver, but with the (3: 47, 48) was to be redeemed with five shekels precious blood of Christ. I Pet. 1: 18 cf. Eph. 2: 8, 9 of silver. Christians belong to God d. These people belonged to by right of creation and God because they were the redemption, I Cor. 6: 19, 20 firstborn (3: 12, 13) and they All Christians are priests expected to function as were redeemed. (3: 47 -49) priests to offer spiritual e. Each firstborn who was sacrifices. Rom. 12: 1; redeemed had his Heb. 13: 15, 16; I Pet. 2: 5, 9. representative in a Levi - the Sovereign appointment to service is based on priest. It was a sovereign appointment from bondage sovereign deliverance

Blessèd are the sons of God, They are bought with Christ’s own blood; They are ransomed from the grave, Life eternal they shall have: With them numbered may we be, Here and in eternity.

They are justified by grace, They enjoy the Savior’s peace; All their sins are washed away, They shall stand in God’s great day; With them numbered may we be, Here and in eternity.

They are lights upon the earth, Children of a heavenly birth; One with God, with Jesus one; Glory is in them begun: With them numbered may we be, Here and in eternity. Jo seph Humph reys