Series Introduction

In this devotion series on the book of Numbers, Sarah Raiter helps us to discover how God communicates profound truths through seemingly simple numbers and narratives. Numbers invites us to explore God’s intentional design in counting, measuring, and timing throughout Scripture. We will learn that these ancient numbers carry rich significance, offering insights into God’s character and his relationship with humanity. This series will illuminate how the message of salvation is accessible to everyone, regardless of background or literacy, and challenge us to uncover the wisdom embedded in the pages of Numbers.

Reflection: The census: God keeps his promise

Introductory thoughts on Numbers

I made a new friend, and in typical Pakistani style she was eager to show hospitality. I remember jostling to the clip clop of a horse-drawn cart to her village home. We sat with our backs to the driver appropriately wrapped from head to toe. When we arrived, to my astonishment, she gathered and demurely entrusted every rupee she owned into the hands of the driver. From it he fished a couple notes and returned the bulk. How we take literacy and numeracy for granted!

To communicate with us, God counts, he weighs, measures and tells the time. But what’s in a number? In the ancient bartering world, numbers weren’t necessarily a precise or even prominent part of life. Hard to imagine, but Hebrew numbers weren’t yet even symbols till about 140BC. Without a doubt, numbers in the biblical narrative have different nuances to the way we use them in our digital age. But they are every bit intentional to our understanding of God and his world…or they wouldn’t be in the Bible. I’m counting on there being something to learn from Numbers.

The census: God keeps his promise

How are numbers used in the Bible? For one, obviously, to literally count things and people – which is how The Book of Numbers begins … and ends. God requires a headcount.

In Exodus, Leviticus and the first third of Numbers God is orchestrating not just Israel’s rescue from Egypt but a relationship between these precious people and himself. But, for the record, who exactly are they? It’s one year since their escape from Egypt. Picture the camping chaos of this motley interrelated generation of desert refugees trying to count themselves. They’re gathering first into tribes…then clans…then families…then males over twenty…counting one head at a time.

What’s going on here? In the Bible, censuses generally register people for the purpose of taxation, military recruitment or for service in the tabernacle (for the tribe of Levi). In this case, the particularity of men over twenty is a battle-worthy heads-up. They’re launching into unknown enemy territory to claim their Promised Land.

But there’s more. Heads up! There’s a panoramic picture being painted here with numbers unimaginable. Around the evening fires that week did they talk about a long-ago promise the Lord made to Abram when he said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them…So shall your offspring be.” (Genesis 15:5)? Did it remind you too of that promise of numbers incalculable?

Prayer:

“The God of Abram praise, who reigns enthroned above.

Ancient of Everlasting Days, and God of Love.

Jehovah, great I AM! by earth and heaven confessed.

I bow and bless the sacred name forever blest.

The great I AM has sworn; I on this oath depend.

I shall, on eagle wings upborne, to heaven ascend.

I shall behold God’s face; I shall God’s power adore,

and sing the wonders of God’s grace forevermore.

The heavenly land I see, with peace and plenty blest.

a land of sacred liberty, and endless rest.

Their milk and honey flow, and oil and wine abound,

and trees of life forever grow with mercy crowned…”

Hymn attributed to Daniel ben Judah; paraphrased by Thomas Olivers.