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This week’s Torah portion is called BaMidbar, “In the Wilderness”. In the English versions of the Bible this book of the Torah is named “Numbers” because it begins with a census. BaMidbar covers Numbers 1-4:20. It begins with Adonai speaking to Moses in the wilderness, this being the Sinai desert or in Hebrew; the Arabah. Now a year and two months into their journey, the Lord directs Moses to take a census of all the men over the age of 20. He wasn’t instructed to accomplish this all on his own; the Lord commissioned heads over each of the 12 tribes who would assist in the effort.
This monumental task wasn’t merely a simple head count to survey their readiness in the event of a war, but the recording of the nation by clans, and by father’s houses as they were associated with each of their specific tribes. Not only did this provide order amongst the rank and file, but put in place a comprehensive system of readiness as well as a genealogy for each and every Israeli.
The census did not include the mixed multitude at this point; the still newly freed nation was the primary focus of God. At the end of the census, this figure totaled an impressive 603,550 men fit for war. Here we also witness the faithfulness of God’s word being fulfilled in His promise back in the book of Genesis to greatly multiply Abraham’s descendants. Can you imagine – from just 75 individuals who entered Egypt in the time of Jacob, now over 600,000 able-bodied men left Egypt, along with their families. Truly a multiplied generation as promised by God.
Toward the end of this chapter we learn that the Levites were exempt from military service; God had set them apart to serve in the Tabernacle, also known as the Tent of Meeting. This may be a result of the event back in Exodus 32. To recap, the nation was camped at the base of Mount Sinai while Moses was top side in conference with God, and also receiving the Ten Commandments. Upon Moses’ descent, he found the newly freed nation worshiping a calf made of gold. He was upset, Adonai had already demonstrated His faithfulness and supernatural power to free them from Egypt, and yet, they had so little loyalty or faith.
God was angry, and so was Moses. Here he challenged the people to decide whether they were going to be faithful to the Lord or not. The people of the tribe of Levi were the only ones willing to be loyal and follow Moses and God. They would later be rewarded with the honor of being the chosen tribe and the overseers of the priestly duties associated with the Tabernacle.
In chapter two, the camp of Israel was broken down to four distinct companies, three tribes contained in each. With the Tabernacle positioned at the center, God configured the layout so as to provide layers of protection while they were encamped, but also gave instructions on how they would break camp and the formation in which they would move. This again provided levels of protection while on the go .
In chapters 3 and 4 the content is directly related to an internal census and the distribution of responsibilities amongst the tribe of Levi.
Let me share some reflections from this parasha:
To be BaMidbar – ‘In the Wilderness” is a natural phenomenon we as believers in the true and living God will most certainly experience in our journey of faith. In the preceding Torah portions we learned of Abraham’s wilderness experiences and of Moses’ forty years tending flocks in Midian before God raised him up to lead Israel from bondage out of Egypt. Even David did a lot of desert time hiding out from Saul before God made him king. And of course we all know that Yeshua was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days upon receiving His baptism.
Looking back in the Torah, the land of Canaan was God’s destination for His people both in the physical and spiritual sense. Not only a land flowing with milk and honey (symbolic of abundance), but also a lasting dwelling place where He; their Creator and Redeemer would dwell in the midst of His people. Looking back, what should have been an 11-day journey to Canaan turned into an arduous 40-year wilderness trek. Just as God’s chosen nation endured its wilderness experience, we today should realize this is a divine requirement for all of us at some time in our lives.
It’s a detour, sometimes involving long delays. But we need to remember that it isn’t our home. How long we spend there will be determined based on our personal level of faith and obedience to the Word and direction of God. It might help us to remember that Paul and Silas offered up praise and song during their ‘wilderness’ of imprisonment at Philippi (Acts 16:25).
Sometimes the desert experience can take a long time because the world’s culture and ways have been ingrained in our hearts and minds. Perhaps this is what Moses was referring to in Deut 10:16 when he stated, Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. God will permit wilderness or desert conditions in our life to refine and build us to a level of complete dependence on Him alone. God’s goal is the Land of Promise for those who have fully placed their faith in Him. He will take us through the wilderness of this world and, if necessary, strip us of all our material comforts, the idols that somehow make us feel complete and in control.
Adonai will permit situations where we are forced to come to terms with our weakness, our inability to bring repair, remedy or change. At times the lessons of faith, submission and reliance on our Creator come at great expense, and for this reason; sadly, many will not make it out of the wilderness. Let us all be reminded how the chosen nation fared in their desert experience. Out of the roughly two million people who were part of the original Exodus, only two; Joshua and Caleb, entered the Promised Land. We must place our trust in Yeshua to the fullest extent to provide all our needs, not only during the passing from death to everlasting life but for each day we reside here on earth. We can choose to turn away today, accepting the ‘misery’ of our wilderness or desert experience, or we can choose life, joy, and an everlasting fellowship with our Creator. The choice is yours. My comments on parasha BaMidbar are not meant to add to the complexities of life, but to simply point out the necessity of keeping our eyes on the goal. Paul put it this way in Timothy 4:7; I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Shabbat Shalom.