King James Daily Bible Study: A Soldier For Christ
Date: Saturday February 12, 2011
Chapters: Numbers 1-2
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Details of Today's Reading: The numbering of the tribes of Israel, every male 20 years and older was numbered among the tribes except for the Levites, and the order of their tribes in their tents.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
An army is defined as a military unit usually consisting of two or more corps (bands of people) with supporting arms and services, any large body of people united for some specific purpose. As Christians we have been enlisted into the army, the Lord's Army. We are at war, not with people of the world, but with religious people. A person can mention God and pretty much all will agree that God exists, but mention Jesus Christ and that is a different story, people have been killed for preaching Jesus, even Jesus was killed for preaching Jesus. By who? Religious people. The Bible says, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier...Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” - II Timothy 2:3,4,10. Because we believe in Jesus and live our lives for Him we are going to face a lot of criticism and rejection, but we are soldiers for Christ, His very own elect, and the amazing thing is that He is right there with us. He is our Captain, He is very pleased that we have not gone AWOL on Him, and He will always lead us to victory and even a few more souls saved.

The Book of Numbers is the forth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains thirty-six chapters. The author of the book is Moses and it was originally written to the Israelites. The time line that these events took place is approximately 1490-1451BC. The purpose of the book was to record the forty years of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness as a result of their disobedience to God. What we are to learn from the book is that God is not pleased with anything less than a total commitment to Him. “If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” - Numbers 30:2.

It had been two years since God brought the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt, God ordered the first census among the people, every male 20 years and older was numbered according to their tribe and automatically drafted into the army, except for the tribe of the Levites.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies...Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.” - Numbers 1:1-3,49,50.

The Levites were not numbered because they would be the tribe that would be in charge of the Tabernacle, no one outside of the tribe of Levites was able to touch even one candlestick. While the other tribes were laymen for God the Levites were the actual ministers, men of God, to the people. Still today, God enlists some people to keep the church in order, but most are laymen, followers, people who do not have specialized knowledge of the church, but are nevertheless, followers of Christ. It is important that we as soldiers of Christ do not disregard true men of God (there is a difference) who God ordained to teach and help us learn the truth of God rather than all the garbage these false religions try to teach us. A true man of God will not distort the Gospel or any part of God's Word. “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” - Hebrews 13:7-9.

After the tribes were numbered the tribes were given specific areas within the camp to dwell according to the number of people in the tribe. The tribes were to encamp about the Tabernacle, which was to be in the midst of them. It was a token of God's gracious presence among them, yet, they were to pitch their tents afar off, in reverence to the sanctuary, remember, anyone other than a Levite was not allowed to touch any part of the Tabernacle.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch...These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.” - Numbers 2:1,2,32-34.

God is a God of order and not confusion, therefore the camp of His followers should be compact, knowing and keeping his God appointed place in the world. We are soldiers for Christ, spread abroad, teaching the Gospel to all who will listen throughout small camps all over the world. Why? Remember our beginning verses? “Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” - II Timothy 2:10. We keep going, where ever God leads us to find soldiers that are MIA so, they too will keep fighting the good fight. “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses...That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” - I Timothy 6:12,18,19.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through Moses as he led the people. “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” - John 10:14.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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