It’s always exciting to start a new book. It feels like we are getting somewhere, and it is a great place to jump in and not feel like you are missing anything. The book of Numbers is just that, a book that gets the name, Numbers, from the lists of the number of Israelites. However, this book is anything but a book only about numbers and lists. The book of Numbers is about God’s provision and God’s plan.
The number of male Israelites who can serve in the army is over 600,000. That is a huge army. That number does not include the women and children. The size of the army alone is close to the population of Fort Worth. If you add in the women and children, you might near the population of the entire DFW area. My point is that every day God provided for all of these people in the wilderness. That is a lot of manna!! Can you imagine if everyone in the DFW area had food provided everyday? We would shout from every mountain about the miracle of God’s provision. How huge is our God? If He can provide for the Israelites, then how much more can He provide for me?
I have lived in this area all of my life, and traffic can get crazy some days. Then I think about how busy it can get in downtown Fort Worth during one the festivals, or even just on a Friday night. Luckily for us there was some one who took the time to plan out where things would go, and how roads would look. Can you imagine the chaos if there were no restrictions in our area and anyone could just build a house or a business where ever they wanted? The Israelites had a master community planner as well. God knew how chaotic it could have been if there were not a plan, so He gave them one. He told them exactly where to live, and where they should be when they traveled.
God still has a master plan for the community today. He moves people around and puts them exactly where He needs them to be. If we were left completely to decide where we would be, no telling where we would end up. Today, I am especially thankful that God provides for me and has a master plan for me.
I liked the comparison to Fort Worth. It really helps me visualize the size of the people group. A number is a number, but the comparison made it more real to me.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wish I had words that could fully express to God how awesome He is. At the same time, it's a great thing that He will always be way better than I can express or understand within the realms of this world (and my small mind)!