Bible History – C. 1446 BC

ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES of the NATION and ARMY

It may have been in the hidden valleys of Mt. Hor (Gebel Harun) that the Hebrews may have assembled and trained he army that would be the conquering instrument that Joshua would use to invade Canaan.

The FIRST CENSUS

The first census of entire community gives us an idea of the size of the fighting force.

While in other field armies, the protection was heavy around the king, emperor or supreme commander, for the Hebrews, the centre of this fighting force to be fortified was the Tabernacle. It was to be rendered impenetrable and holy with the Levites as its garrison or “praetorian guards”. (Numbers 1:51-53)

Did the Tabernacle really need protection? It was mostly a reminder to this huge army of over half a million that it’s real commander, it’s source of strength, it’s grand strategist was always God!

Numbers delineates:

(a) Setup of the army.

(b) Duties of the clans.

(c) Order of battle.

The people continued to structure their administration as a nation, proper, began to take shape. The Levites were given cities of refuge and leaders were appointed. God gave priority to every detail, to the point of finding the people the camp ground to settle in each day.

POINT A CROSS

We can clearly see how the people’s setup for march is in the shape of a cross. Moreover, this setup strikes a parallel with Christ in that each clan has different gifts and duties but they all make up the body of the army that God had gathered.

Each one of us that has received the Holy Spirit was given a certain gift. These are all different throughout the body of believers yet they are all the work of one and the same Spirit. He distributes them to each one, just as he determines. Just like Christ is a body made up of many parts and, like Christ, we were all baptized by one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:7-14)

PRAISE & WORSHIP

Thank you, Lord God, for our invincibility against our adversaries which is unnecessary to fear: for the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony and your strong and mighty right hand who has made in your image, ensure our victories. To you be given all the praise, honor and glory, my God. ¹

OTHER PEOPLES in the LEVANT

At this stage of the Israelite advance, many kingdoms in the Levant were in turmoil at his point in history:

(a) Ammonites had taken over the Rephaites;

(b) People of Esau from Seir took over the Horites;

(c) Caphtorites from Crete took over the Avvites in Gaza.

God protected the land of Seir for the descendants of Esau, forbidding the Israelites from entering it. He also forbade entry into Moab, Ar and Ammon.

A little further away, Egypt also; it lay divided into Upper (in the South) and Lower (in the North) Egypt. Its focus was on its own political strife along the Nile rather than the once crucial frontier of Canaan, which had served as a buffer zone against other encroaching empires.

BIBLE HISTORY on LOCATION around the Wilderness

Eilat; ancient Ezion-Geber;
southernmost tip of Israel, on the Gulf of Aqaba
Southern Negev

Eastern Negev; military installation near Jordan
border.

Tank territory

[next time: “Defeat at Hormah“]

1. Num. 14:9. Trevor M Chase