In summary, the troops of Israel listed by their families totaled 603,550. But as the LORD had commanded, the Levites were not included in this registration. So the people of Israel did everything as the LORD had commanded Moses. Each clan and family set up camp and marched under their banners exactly as the LORD had instructed them. [Numbers 2.32-34]
What is summarized here is obviously what preceded it. What preceded it? The LORD gave instructions to Moses for moving the Tabernacle.
As I considered this today, I had the thought that each of the groups of the tribes described in Numbers 2 followed the same routines repeatedly. More specifically, I thought about the fact that where each tribe camped, in relation to the Tabernacle, meant their geographic orientation relative to the Tabernacle never changed. In other words, the divisions of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, who camped on the east side of the Tabernacle always saw it each morning in the clear first light of the rising sun and each evening in the shadow of the setting sun.
In contrast, the divisions of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, who camped on the west side of the Tabernacle always saw the Tabernacle each morning in the dim shadow of the rising sun, but saw it clearly in the last light of the setting sun.
Likewise, the divisions of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, on the south side, and the divisions of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, on the north side of the Tabernacle, viewed it morning and evening with the sun shining on the Tabernacle from either their left or right. For Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, the sunrise was always on the right and sunset on the left. For Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, is was always just the opposite.
What might also be considered here is that the divisions who camped on the east and south always led out first when Israel moved to another location in front of the Tabernacle (transported by the Levites). In contrast, the divisions on the west and north always moved out behind the Tabernacle.
What does this mean? I think to answer that question, we should 'plug in' Jesus since Jesus said the Scriptures point to Himself.
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [John 5.39]
If indeed the Tabernacle represents Jesus and Israel represents the Church, we might understand how we, the Church, might easily misunderstand one another because of differing perspectives. For one group, their clearest view of the Tabernacle (Jesus) is always the same side, and, depending on which side they are on, see that side most clearly at complete opposite times of the day than another group. See where this is going? I bet not!
While we might conclude then that everyone will just see Jesus from a different perspective and there is no way then that we will all ever agree, we should not be so hasty with our conclusion because of a very important prayer prayed specifically for us:
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. [John 17.20-23]
Jesus' prayer on behalf of all who would ever believe in John 17 is a very specific prayer for unity among them all. Since Jesus prayed this prayer, then so should we! While we may never all see Jesus the same, He is the same Jesus. And, while we all see Jesus from different perspectives, we simply must respect and appreciate the different perspectives of others. How could we ever understand what the west side of the Tabernacle looked like in the light of the setting sun if we had never witnessed it? The only way we could even begin to have an appreciation for it then would be to listen to the testimony of one who witnessed it every day and try to understand it based on that testimony. How important then is that testimony? How important then is it that people seeing Jesus from different perspectives not avoid one another, but instead, seek each other out to share their respective testimonies? It is crucial for a complete understanding of Jesus! And, most importantly, the end result is a perfectly unified Church whose unity serves notice to the world that Jesus is the manifest Love of God and Savior of the world.
But, here's the catch, we must all stay focused on Jesus. Regardless what one 'thought' about the Tabernacle, from their respective perspective, there were indisputable written instructions for the Tabernacle, its organization, and its function. Any "conclusion based on perspective" that did not coincide with these instructions could be confidently dismissed as erroneous. These instructions were clearly written and meticulously preserved. These instructions were, and are, the Word of God just as Jesus is the eternal Word of God (John 1)!
Man, this is deep! But we need to see Jesus in the Tabernacle and in every minute detail involving it so that we might effectively be His witnesses in the earth today. But to do this, we desperately need unity amongst ourselves as believers. Just as Israel did exactly as the LORD had instructed them, regarding the Tabernacle, so our lives lived in Jesus are our exact obedience to God!
Father, there is so much to process here... Help me to be the fullest expression of Jesus possible and help me to understand my need to be in unity with other followers of Jesus, so that the world will see Him as He truly is in us as His unified Body!
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