KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, February 23, 2018
Chapters: Numbers 1-2
Message: Living By Standards
Hello My Friend,
Standard; That which is established by sovereign power as a rule or measure by which others are to be adjusted. Standards or laws are important because if we did not have standards everything we do would be like trying to cross an intersection with no traffic light. Everyone and everything has standards, we live by standards, a child follows the standards of their parents, an employee follows the standards of the company they work for, to even drive a car on the streets there are standards to follow. Likewise, God has standards that we are to live by, they are not meant to make life more difficult, but easier as we learn that God only has our best interests in mind. “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.” – Hebrews 7:19.
Army; a military unit usually consisting of two or more bands of people with supporting arms and services, any large body of people united for some specific purpose. It had been two years since God brought the Jews out of bondage to Egypt, God ordered the first census among the people in order to establish an army, every male twenty years and older was numbered according to their tribe and automatically drafted into the army.
“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. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers. And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names: And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls. As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.” – Numbers 1:1-4,17-19.
“and they declared their pedigrees after their families,” Pedigree; Lineage; line of ancestors from which a person descends; genealogy. Did you know that the standard for becoming a descendant of God is not based upon our earthly family, but God’s? Today, there is only one way to become a child of God and that is through Jesus Christ. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” – Titus 3:5-7.
Now, while everyone Christian is capable of picking up the sword of the Lord and serving God by preaching the Gospel to help save souls, there are some people that He uses specifically to serve Him in the Church. God set aside the Levites just for serving Him in the tabernacle.
“But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, 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. And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.” – Numbers 1:47-53.
“that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel:” The tribes were to encircle the tabernacle, which was in the center of the congregation, this was to show them that God sees all, and gives all the same opportunities. God never denies anyone the opportunity to know His Son, and gives the same grace to all who do. Just like the tribes encircled the tabernacle, every family member of God encircles Christ. Now, He will place us in many areas, move us around a few times, and even bring people in and out of our lives, but it is all done to give Him recognition and remind us that He is always with us. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” – I John 4:4-6,12-14.
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 encircle the tabernacle, 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 or they would die.
“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. And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth. The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards. 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.” – Numbers 2:2-3,9,25-26,31-32.
“Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard,” There is only one standard when it comes to our salvation and that is Jesus Christ. From Judah being the first of the tribes to follow behind the Tabernacle to Dan be the last of the tribes, God ensures all that we are all equal. Some people may think this is cruel or evil that God has only one standard, but He is God and they are His rules, no one can be saved without Him. “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” – Matthew 20:15-16.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.” – Numbers 1:19.
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for giving us a way to not only be saved, but become one of Yours so that we are able to fellowship with and serve You. It is amazing that You chose us, and even more amazing that You continue to use us either as soldiers, teachers, or simple laymen to serve You and show the world that You are a merciful, gracious, and loving God who just wants to be a part of their lives. Lord, Your standards are not grievous, in fact, they what keep us from suffering more than we have to. I want You to be in the center of all that I do and live by Your standard, lead me and guide me, teach me Your ways, and give me Your power to be the Godly servant You called me to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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