"We see, in many a land, the proudest dynasties and tyrannies still crushing, with their mountain weight, every free motion of the Consciences and hearts of men. We see, on the other hand, the truest heroism for the right and the greatest devotion to the Truth in hearts that God has touched. We have a work to do, as great as our forefathers and, perhaps, far greater. The enemies of Truth are more numerous and subtle than ever and the needs of the Church are greater than at any preceding time. If we are not debtors to the present, then men were never debtors to their age and their time. Brethren, we are debtors to the hour in which we live. Oh, that we might stamp it with Truth and that God might help us to impress upon its wings some proof that it has not flown by neglected and unheeded." -- C.H. Spurgeon . . . "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31, 32 . . . . .

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Monday, July 18, 2022

NUMBERS – From SINAI To The PROMISED LAND: Chapters 26

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez, and James Fire

NUMBERS 26: ARE YOU NUMBERED AMONG THE WARRIORS? by Sonny Islas

For the full message, watch it on the SHINE BRIGHT YouTube video!

INTRODUCTION: This will be the second time Moses is commanded by the LORD to “take a census” (to count or number) of those who are “able to go to war.” (Able to combat, able to do battle, able to fight).

The first time, it was Moses and Aaron who took a soldier’s roll call, back in NUMBERS ONE, (which was about 38 years ago, and that was more for the means of organization), now, it’s Moses and Eleazar who will count the warriors.

This serves as a reminder that although good, godly, and hard-working men and women of God (like Aaron and Miriam), these come and they go; but the LORD’s work continues, and the LORD’s army gains more ground as the battle wages on.

Aaron is gone, and Eleazar took his place and soon, Moses will be gone, and Joshua will take his place.

So, while we are here, let’s serve God with all our heart, and “fight the good fight of faith” unto the end! Because one day our time will be up and those that come after us, will pick up where we left off.

This chapter is basically split into four parts: NUMBERS 26:1-51 records the numbering of Israel in the plains of Moabites: NUMBERS 26:52-56 records the division of the land (larger groups get more land and smaller groups get less land). NUMBERS 26:57-62 records the Number of the Levites and NUMBERS 26:63-65 records that none remained of the first census except for Caleb and Joshua.

NUMBERS 26:1-4
1 And it came to pass, after the plague, that the LORD spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: 2 "Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and above, by their fathers' houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel." 3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying: 4 "Take a census of the people from twenty years old and above, just as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt
.

At this point, Moses and Eleazar count war ready men 20 years and up, from every tribe (except Levi; when it comes to military purposes they weren’t involved) in order to take vengeance on the Midianites and Balaam for seducing Israel to commit idolatry and gross sexual immorality as they bowed and worshiped Baal Peor, a Moabite god and slept with the Midianite, prostitute-like, pagan women.

This battle is found in NUMBERS 31.

This war was led by Phinehas the priest, the son of Eleazar, who was a real trooper, one who stood for righteousness and the honor of God. So much so that in NUMBERS 25, Phinehas’ zeal for God moved him to drive a javelin through Zimri and Cozbi while in the act of fornication. Phinehas turned Zimri and Cozbi into a human shish kabob.

The warriors that were numbered and rounded up, defeated the Midianites in a major way. They killed all the Midianite men, five Midianite kings; they killed Balaam (that false pagan prophet) with a sword for duping Israel into sin – all for a few bucks. They burned down every city and tore down every fort/military base. And they brought back a hefty spoil. BUT they made one major mistake – and we’ll save this for later (They let the perverted Midianite women live).

At this point, there was a kind of renewed obedience to God. A kind of revival. And Phinehas had a lot to do with it as he stood for Yahweh and took care of sin in the camp ASAP. His zeal for God rubbed off on the army of the LORD.

Note from James: Check out the article: ZEALOUS For The NAME of the LORD.

I can’t help but think that those whom the LORD had killed in NUMBERS 25, were not fit to be numbered among the warriors because, had they not sinned against God, they may have been numbered among the LORD’s army.

Let’s look back for a moment: i.e. in NUMBERS 25:4 Yahweh commanded Moses to “take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the LORD, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.”

NUMBERS 25:7 says,
So Moses said to the Judges of Israel, “every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal Peor.

Here we have the leaders of Israel hanging in the hot sun, those who worshipped Baal Peor, the Moabite god. And gave their bodies to sexual filth in the process.

NUMBERS 25:9 says,
“…those who died in the plague were twenty four thousand.”

Then we have Zimri, who also may have been numbered among the warriors, BUT he was too busy chasing the lustful desires of his flesh!

Out of these thousands of Israelite idolators and fornicators, how many of them could have been numbered in the LORD’s army had they not caved in and committed severe sin?

Here is my point:

So the spiritual implication is that those who are given over to idolatry, that is seriously putting things before the LORD, they are not fit for spiritual battle (like the men who were hung, like the twenty four thousand who died of a plague and like Zimri) – because their hearts were not on the LORD, His cause, and His glory but on their own selfish desires.

Spiritually speaking, are you numbered among the warriors? If the LORD were to take a census of His entire Body across the globe, would He count you and me as one who wars against our sinful flesh, Satan, and the world’s wicked ways?

Would He find you in the LORD’s battlefield or in the world’s play pin?

If God were to take a census this evening, would He count you as one who is "able" for war? For spiritual warfare? Or would He find you living like Zimri, distracted with lust and the passing beauty of women and or the evil pleasures of the world?

Becoming distracted by the passing pleasures of this world, like Zimri was, can cause us to become weak, powerless, and useless in the battle over sin and the battle for the good of others.

Listen to what Paul says in 1 CORINTHIANS 9:26-27
“Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified
.

Paul is comparing the Christian life to sports, both track and boxing: Paul’s not shadow boxing, he swings with aim and purpose; this literally referring to pugilism or boxing as we call it – Paul gives any sinful cravings and impulses the proverbial black eye and keeps his body as his slave – he told it what to do not the other way around.

Paul is saying that falling into sin can prevent us from being used by God, like Zimri and the unnamed thousands that could have been numbered in the LORD’s arm, had they not gone after idolatry and perverse immorality.

Listen to what Paul tells Timothy in:
1 TIMOTHY 1:18
This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage a good warfare
,”

Also consider this:

COLOSSIANS 3:1-10
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him
,
God gave Timothy the pastoral calling and the gifts that accompany that calling; by what God has provided Timothy, this young pastor was to “by [these] wage a good warfare.” Timothy was to war for the truth, the gospel, for his own spiritual growth and holiness and for the good of others and we are to do the same.

God has provided us all the things we need to “wage a good warfare.” Make the fight count! Give it all you’ve got!

Paul says to Timothy in:
2 TIMOTHY 2:3-4
You therefore must endure hardship
[difficulties] as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
We are enlisted in the LORD’s Army, and because of that, the LORD doesn’t want us distracted with the same things that the world is distracted with. But for us to remain focused on the LORD and His mission, His will, and His glory.

Listen, the Apostle Paul was a threat to the kingdom of darkness so much so that demons confessed to knowing Paul in ACTS 19:15. The demon that had its way with the sons of Sceva said, “Jesus I know and Paul I know, but WHO ARE YOU?”

Paul was known by hell and feared by devils; why? Because Paul was taking the entire Christian life super seriously and, in the process, Paul was rescuing souls from the grip of Satan, Paul was living a holy life that many could copy. He was a real threat in every way.

We are called and equipped by God to be a threat to the enemy of our souls.

Question:
Is your private life a threat to the enemy? Is your public life a threat to the enemy? Is your prayer life a threat? Is your parenting a threat to the enemy?
Is your marriage a threat to the enemy? Is your witness and testimony a threat to the enemy? Is your ministry a threat to the enemy? Is your Bible reading and your biblical knowledge a threat to the enemy?

Is the kingdom of darkness bothered by how serious you take Jesus and the spiritual battle we are all in? If not, why not? If so, praise God and press on!

Let’s be what we are and this “more than conquered through Christ!”

When the war is over and it’s time to go and be with the LORD, may we all be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

In closing: Without reading the rest of NUMBERS 26:5-65, I’m going to give you the numbers of the soldiers counted for every tribe.

The tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph (Including Manasseh and Efraim), Benjamin, Dan, Asher, and Naphtali were 601,730 warriors. The Tribe of Levi added up to 23,000 every male from a month old and above.

GOD had accounted for all the able warriors of Israel. Are you likewise accounted by GOD as an able warrior of Jesus Christ?

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