ORDER IN COMMUNICATION. Numbers 10 Special times in the year were appointed as days of thanksgiving for the Israelites and to remind them of the words of “[the] Lord your God.” Also, the order of march was important so that everyone would know where they belonged among the two million plus people. A time frame was given for the first march after the Tabernacle was made, and a summary of the first move was to describe the discipline and order to be maintained as they moved forward.
On this first journey, the ark led, indicating God Himself was in the vanguard of His great army. His banner over them was the cloud of His presence. “His banner over them was love.” Judah led the first group, and then the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried the Tabernacle. Reuben led the next three tribes, and following them were the Kohathites with the holy things that would go in the Tabernacle, which would have been erected by the time they arrived. Ephraim was the leading tribe of the next group, and Dan led the last group as a rear guard.
Each tribal group was identifying banners for organization and designated rallying points. The first journey was like a trial run in which they only moved forward for three days in this ordered way. Whenever the cloud lifted, indicating it was time to move, Moses prayed a prayer of submission to the Lord, confidence in the Lord, and assurance of the Lord’s protection. At the journey’s end, when the cloud stopped moving, and the Tabernacle was set up, his prayer was an expression of confidence and comfort that the Lord was among His people.
Uncertain sounds of information lead to misunderstanding and chaos among the Lord's people. God had a designated way to communicate to His people in the camp of Israel, so there would be clarity and no confusion. He had two trumpets of silver made that would give a clear, sharp sound rather than the muted sounds that came from the ram’s horns. Two trumpets sounding across the camp would call everyone together. One trumpet sound would call the leaders together at the Tabernacle. An alarm sound would mean those on the east would go forward and the second alarm would signal those on the south to fall in line for the march - and so on. A clear trumpet sound was essential for giving directions either in warnings, instructions or for festive reasons.
For us, the written word of God is for the same reasons Aaron's family used the trumpets for the children of Israel. The testimony of God is unmistakable when the Holy Spirit of God uses those "clear sounds of guidance" for us today through the truths taught in the scriptures. Those who herald out the Gospel and those who teach the Word of God to His people must be sure that what they say comes from God, not from their personal ideas or opinions. When the word of God is followed, the work of God is coordinated in such a way as to have things done orderly.
For the tribes of Israel to move ahead on their own initiative without the trumpet sound was wrong, and it would only generate confusion. On the other hand, if the trumpet sounded and some refused to move, that would also be wrong and hinder the movement of God's people. Acting in haste because we are tired of waiting for divine guidance affects far more people than myself. And to procrastinate because of fear or a comfortable situation, or for any other reason for that matter, hinders the progress of many others.
We are to be submissive to divine testimony in all of our movements. There are times of waiting for assurance to take action that may frustrate our ambitions but are for our good. Paul, the apostle, was many years in preparation before he was moved out to fulfill the work to which he had been called. We need to wait for God's signal to move ahead. That will come when the Spirit and the Word of God give us positive assurance about the action we must take. Those actions are not decided by us as to what we want or think but by simply obeying God. Many today resist divine authority, act without waiting on God's communication, and seek to do the work of God in the energy of the flesh. Others do not act when they should go ahead because they are afraid of making a mistake. We are to walk with God and live for Him by faith. When we do this, we can expect unmistakable guidance even though we don't know the outcome of a matter or where it will lead us.
Christians often wonder what to do because they see a lot of activity going on around us that seems to be successful, and many people are involved in what seems like joyful work. The trumpets did sound to call Israel to enjoy the festivals of the Lord, and they came together in anticipation of a good time together. Those same silver trumpets sounded when there was an attack against God's people. They also sounded at unexpected times when God wanted them to leave what they were doing and move ahead to a different place to do a different work. When one is willing to do God's will, there will be no question as to waiting, nor will there be when it is time to make a change.
The time for Israel to move forward came on the twentieth day of the second month of the second year. There was no guessing as to what to do. Instructions had been clearly given previously. Now, they had to act on what they had been taught. When the cloud lifted off the Tabernacle, all the tents in the camp were dropped, and everything was packed up for the move. Of special interest, this first time, was the conversation Moses had with his brother-in-law, Hobab.
For some reason, Moses wanted Hobab's guidance in the wilderness. True, Hobab lived there and would have known each valley where there was pasture for the animals, but God was guiding Israel to the place He chose for His people. Hobab knew the wilderness and was comfortable and contented there. He wanted to remain with the people there, some of whom were his relatives. Apparently, they were more important to him than the separated people of God, and the wilderness was more important to him than the land of promise.
In this march from Sinai, the ark was carried out in front of the nation. The place it would normally have been was in the middle of the moving tribes, each in its own order and place. In grace, on this occasion, God moved in front as the ark led the way. It is possible for us to know what is right and still look to men for further assurance beyond what God has already told us.
Order in the forward movement of the nation of Israel followed the set pattern as God had intended. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun went first at the sound of the trumpet. Following them came the families of Gershon and Merari carrying the Tabernacle that had been dismantled. When the cloud stopped, those families would quickly erect the Tabernacle so that after Reuben, Simeon, and Gad swung off to the south, the Kohathites could immediately place the furniture of the service of God in place in the Tabernacle. Then, the three following tribes turned to the north, and the other three stopped on the west side of the Tabernacle in an orderly fashion. God's things done in God's way is a wonder to behold.
On this first march, it was a wonderful act of God's grace that He went before them. The ark of the covenant was used on that occasion to search for a resting place for the nation. It wasn't Hobab, who was used to the wilderness, who found the right place for God's people. It was God Himself. God's ways and thoughts are not ours. We must wait for God's guidance and communication with us lest we act in haste and make a serious mistake by relying only on the flesh or the guidance of men. Each movement God intends for us needs to have divine guidance from "the silver trumpets" of His Word, guided by the wisdom and teaching of the Holy Spirit. "Cursed is the man who trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm..."
What God may allow in His grace on one occasion because of our immaturity or lack of experience may not be allowed on another occasion. The plans and purposes of God are given to us in His Word. Adapting them to what we feel is expedient is not our prerogative. That first move of the camp of Israel after being in one place for eleven months would have stood out as a very special event because now, they had the Tabernacle in their midst. The things that happen at the beginning of a work leave lasting impressions that stay with God's people for generations. We must commit ourselves to act on the order of "the silver trumpets" of God's Word lest we step out of the path of God's will that leads to a "resting place" for God's people.
Two silver trumpets. The two sons of Aaron, each one with a trumpet, had a very important task to perform in God’s plan for order, discipline, and direction. Each trumpet would be like a bugle without keys and have a different sound than the other so that God's people would gather when one or both would sound. Both, blown together, would call the nation to God. One blown by itself would call the leaders to step forward. When both were blown loudly and long, they would know that was an alarm, and it was time for all to rise up and go forward.
Those on the east would rise up at first blast. Then the tribes on the south side, the north, and finally the west would move out and come last as the rear guard. The point of it all was that coordination was required to maintain order in movement as they marched forward. Each message that sounded was from God’s direction and inspired by Him for the guidance and protection of His people. In wartime or peace, in solemn days or glad days of the festivals, when the silver trumpets sounded, they were reminded of God, who was watching over His own people. They were under His protection, and when they heard the trumpets sounding, they would spring into action.
The trumpet sounds we hear in our ears these days are the sound of God’s people when praying or praising. In view of the message of the Gospel we preach and the words of edification, exhortation, and comfort that are taught, the silver trumpets of God’s Gospel and truth are that other people we will reach. When people are gathered to listen to the truth of God’s word, the silver strains of redemption come out from his mouth, which God uses at that moment to tell the whole congregation how they can be delivered from hell and saved for heaven.
There is more to the message the Gospel message in that God is calling all men everywhere to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We urge them to come unto Him who delivers sinners from the power and bondage of sin, and they can find through “the sound of the trumpets” the way to enter into the kingdom of God. Those who receive the Lord Jesus Christ can go into heaven when the Lord comes, or they die. That is where God wants them to be in the future when all believers gather to Jesus and will see their Savior.
Preparing themselves for their march through this life and knowing how to defend themselves and God’s truth when the enemy attacks is not left to us to decide what to do. God has not left us without guidance for life. “The silver trumpets” of the Gospel and the Spirit of light make it clear to pilgrims going to the promised land that God has not left us to journey through this life without His clear commands.
Keep your ears open to the silvery sounds of the trumpets of truth when we gather around the Person of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. The last trump will someday sound, and that will be our reward. It is then we will see Jesus coming in the clouds of the air, and the Church will all gather to meet Him up there. His shout will be heard, and the millions of those who have believed in Him will gather. The “silver trumpets” will have sounded, and we, with Him, will see Father.
When the time came for the people of God to move forward, there was a God-given order that they had to follow. They camped at 40 different stopping places during the 40 years they were traveling to the land of Promise. At least 29 of their moves were made after the Tabernacle was built. When the time came to move, the cloud would rise before them so everyone could see how their hearts must’ve raced to see the cloud of the presence of the Lord moving again. Moses, the priest, and the Levites who lived before the Tabernacle gate would hasten to their assigned tasks.
The priests would quickly move to cover the “Holy things” before the Levites would come to carry them. The Gershonites would line up to load up the coverings, the court hangings, and all the cords. Then the Merarites would take the Tabernacle itself and all its woodwork, silver sockets, the bars, and all that kept the Tabernacle together. Right behind them would come the Kohathites to bear the “Holy things” that by this time were covered by the priests. All those things were hidden under the outer layer of badger skins except for the Ark of the Covenant with its solid blue outer covering. The gathering center of God’s people demands holy people to do holy things in a holy way. As long as they did the work God’s way, all would be well. If they did it some other way, they would die. How impacting and impressive it must’ve been to see that Tabernacle seeming to melt down into obscure bundles.
Then out would swing the tribes in their order of march, beginning with those on the east: Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun each in order with Judah leading. Hundreds of thousands of people moved together as one moving mass. Three tribes moved out, followed by the Gershonites and Merarites bearing the Tabernacle and all its pieces in the order of covered carts. Following them, moving into line from the south side of the camp, would come Reuben, then Simeon, and then Gad. As they passed by the waiting Kohathites with the “Holy things” on their shoulders, there would be curious stares as each wondered at the awesome authority under that blue covering. Then, out would step the Kohathites, carrying some things with gold-covered staves in their hands and the lampstand covered but being carried by an overhead beam. Following close behind and coming straight ahead from the west would come Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, walking right where the Tabernacle had stood. Following them from the north would come the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, who were the six tribes that formed the rear guard.
Six tribes ahead of the Ark and six tribes behind; the pillar cloud out front; the blue-covered Ark in the middle: O how awesome and glorious is the movement of the God of glory as He moves in front of the pilgrim band and His dwelling place is in the midst of His people.
Because of the orderliness of God’s people, when the cloud stopped, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun would move straight ahead to camp in their previously assigned location. As if by a miracle before the eyes of a distant beholder, the Tabernacle would seem to rise from nowhere, even as Reuben, Simeon, and Gad swung to the south to set up their tents in orderly street fashion. Then, coming straight ahead from behind them but in the middle of the column of march would come the “Holy things” passing by the already hanging courtyard and through the gate, each piece of furniture stopping in its assigned place and the priests coming quickly up to uncover each piece as the Lord commanded. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin would stop before they got to the Tabernacle, and Dan, Asher, and Naphtali would turn north to their designated location. In a very short time, a tent city of 2 or 3 million people would’ve settled in and the Cloud of the Lord’s Presence would settle down over the Tabernacle – another march nearer home.
It is important that the orderliness of God’s people is maintained and understood. It reflects God Himself even in His creation – how much more in His people.
A resting place. In my mind's eye, I can see the order of God's people even as they are on the move across the wilderness to the place God promised them. That order provided for their safety and had been made for living in peace. Any contingency that arose had already been addressed as far as what they would do or could do for the benefit of all of God's people and the furtherance of their objective of reaching the promised land.
We do not have to walk in spiritual blindness to discern what to do in God's service. The life of faith has already made plain to us what God's intention is and how we can rest in the pressures and tensions of life that come on us or are around us seeking to claim our interest and attention.
The people of God can rest where they are, knowing that God has not indicated to move ahead until the cloud rises to reveal God's desire for us to move forward and do something different. Israelites saw a literal cloud rise and move before them because they didn't have the written word of God like we have and can hold in our hands. For the issues of life before us and the events that only God knows, we have biblical principles and doctrines to guide us as the Holy Spirit applies them to the situations in which we find ourselves.
Something unusual took place that was outside the pattern God had previously given. Instead of the ark moving in the middle of the moving tribes, the ark went before them on this first occasion. What was the reason the ark was out in front to search for a resting place for them? Moses' brother-in-law must have been with them for some time while the Tabernacle was being built. Now it was time to move on, and Hobab decided not to go any further. For some unknown reason, Moses seemed to think he needed the wilderness skills of Hobab to guide them instead of faith in God alone. God, in grace, moved out in front with the ark as a visible testimony of God's guidance. There was no scolding accusation by God - only a visible reminder of who is in control and who knows the way best.
We often need to be reminded that God is sufficient for all things. His grace is sufficient. His strength is made very evident in our limitations. When we are willing to admit to our weakness, we are affirming our awareness of God's strength. It is not God's intention for us to be weak and ineffective or passively wait for "whatever will be, will be." When obstacles come, we need to realize we can depend on God in those times to either remove the obstacles or guide us through or around them.
The ways God reveals Himself surpasses anything mankind can do. The silver trumpets had their purpose. The cloud had its purpose, and the ark had its purpose as well. Awareness of God in every aspect of life gives us the strength that is needed, and He will guide us to the resting place. Absolute guidance by God and dependence on Him personally are lessons to be learned in our walk with Him. "Without faith, it is impossible to please Him."
Relying on the flesh of ourselves or any other person is an act of doubt in God's sufficiency and wisdom. In grace, God, on that occasion, took them on a three-day journey to a place in the wilderness where they were removed from the influence of man's fleshly wisdom. Hobab may have been a good man, but whenever the flesh is relied upon, it is an act of God's grace to remove us from that influence.
"There is a rest for the people of God." There is a place in the wilderness where we are sheltered and protected, kept and fed by God. The wilderness can provide nothing for us. It is a blessing when God chooses to shut us up to trust Him alone. The cloud and the fire were there for their blessing. God had provided for them "a table in the wilderness," but the children of Israel, or more probably, those who had joined themselves to them of the mixed multitude, were not satisfied. Moses learned the lesson that he had to keep his eyes and heart focused on the Lord for every need. May we learn that same lesson today and find that God has searched for a resting place for His people.
How much can we depend on the natural skills of those who have experienced much of life with its ups and downs? They have learned from others or by trial and error what not to do or should be done, and what is wrong and right. But when it comes to guidance in spiritual things, the wisdom of men is not sufficient. There is only One who knows all from beginning to end - God alone is eternally omniscient.
We may look from time to time for guidance to those who have gone this way before us. However, even though they are limited in what they know, comparatively speaking, they have experienced much more than we have. When the way is unknown, and we hesitate because we are unsure or afraid, consult carefully with the Lord. He used fire the cloud, and the ark in the past to guide the Israelites in the wilderness. Now, His guidance comes through prayer and applying His Word to every situation we encounter.
Our God knows the way to the resting place where His people will find rest and restoration. If we wait for His leading until we have evidence of His will guiding us and then follow in faith, we will get to the right destination. Enemies before and behind us are held back when the Lord seeks a resting place for His own. It may not at first seem like the place we would've chosen. That's why we need to wait for His will to be revealed to us and for the place He would have us located to be made known.