Reflection: Times and Dates

How did Israel tell the time/tell God’s time? In this account, curiously, why was time significant but not necessarily chronological? Sometimes numbers have more of a theological connotation, like here at the foot of Mt Sinai when God’s people are on tiptoe to see the Promised Land; when the covenant promises are almost within grasp.

See, we’ve had a census (chapter 1). Later in the month the people will begin their journey (chapter 10). But before they head off, there’s a flashback to the tabernacle being set up (chapters 7 and 9) which actually happened the previous month, prior to the census (Exodus 40). But in the Numbers story it’s significantly placed here. Yes, here, again, we revisit all the fuss of priming the tabernacle for God’s residence and the first worship festival. Make no mistake, gang. All important to this journey is that God is with us.

And then, we’re given a sing-song retrospective of cloud-time (see Numbers 9:15-23 & 33 for the journey of the cloud of God’s presence). Cloud sits – we stay. Cloud moves – we move. Be assured. God is our commander to our journey’s end, and we march to his orders.

Prayer:

Master of time and space, teach me, like the Israelites, to order each day in the light of your presence and your command. May my diary be more than time intervals and my calendar more than dates. May my journal be about divine intervention, and my life story keep pointing to you.