Numbers

We are now in the book of Numbers, perhaps not such a peculiar title for a book about Moses' census taking of the people of Israel, according to God's instruction:
"Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by families, by father's houses according to the number of names, every male, head by head; from twenty years old and upward ... you shall number them." Numbers Ch. 1, vs. 2.
Why number the people?
Here in the United Sates the Federal Government has taken a census of the population every ten years, since 1790.  Governments like to know who and where people are, and how many. 
Moses numbered 603,550 adult males, and each was assigned a place within the vast, movable camp.


The Levites however, were counted differently:
 "Number the sons of Levi, by father's houses and by families, every male from a month upward you shall number." Ch. 3, vs. 15,  -- a total of over 22,000.
Again, they were numbered by serviceable age, from thirty years old up to fifty years "to do the work of the tent of meeting." Ch.4, vs. 3. --a number of 8,580.
Are you glad that God counts you?




The Lord bless you and keep you:
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.