Numbers 2:2 NKJV
"Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own standard, beside the emblems of his father's house; they shall camp some distance from the tabernacle of meeting.
The book of Exodus showed the departure from Egypt, what God commanded the Israelites based on commandments, instruct ruction, ordinances, offerings, laws, responsibilities and ordinations, covenant, and the building of the Tabernacle for Him. This was more like a taking a foundation class from God.
In the book of Numbers the Lord commanded Moses to take census of the people while still on the journey and in preparation to take over ownership of the promise land. To inhabit a land already occupied requires certain steps
To have Victory, You have to conquer
To conquer, You have to fight
To fight, you need a strategy/formation.
To have a formation, You need an army
To form an army, You need people to be enlisted
Every enlisted soldier is divided into groups
Every group must have a leader
In all of these, there must be a command to give the instructions
Here Comes the Formation
East side: Judah, Issachar, Zebulun
On the East side, towards the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah. Judah means praise and in some occasions the Lord has commanded that Judah should go first. I asked myself some questions why didn’t the formation begin with Reuben being the firstborn. Upon further study I uncovered somethings.
Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn, his might and the beginning of his strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellence of power. But he lost his birthright by sleeping with his father’s concubine (Zilpah).
Simeon on the other side have instruments of cruelty and anger that is fierce. You wouldn’t want someone to scatter the whole formation because of anger.
These formation were Leah's direct children and perhaps much easier for Issachar and Zebulun to obey Judah as against Reuben and Simeon much older than him.
One remarkable about the beginning of the formation was the reference to the rising of the sun. This is an encouragement for me that as the morning comes, let praise go first as the Lord has commanded.
South side: Reuben, Simon, Gad
On the south side shall be the standard of the forces with Reuben. Somethings about this formation:
Reuben and Simon are Leah's direct children while Gad from Zilpah (Leah's handmaid).
God is a God of order. Reuben became the leader on the south side and still continued from the line of Leah.
Middle: Levites
In the middle of the camp, shall be the standard of the Levites. They are to carry the tabernacle. Take aways from this formation:
At the center, let God be your standard. The Levites are God’s inheritance. The day the went to the Lord’s side, everything about them.
The leader of the formation was God Himself because it wasn’t stated in Numbers 2.
The funny thing was that they were not numbered. You can’t number anything that God has marked because everything belongs to Him.
West side: Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin
On the west side shall be the standard of the forces with Ephraim. What is about this formation:
These are all the posterity of Rachel.
Jacob told Joseph that his two children are His. Many a time I wondered about this. And when Jacob was blessing them he placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head even though Manasseh was the first born.
God still maintained that order and gave Ephraim the leader of the forces.
North side: Dan, Asher, Naphtali
On the North side shall be the standard of the forces with Dan.
Dan, the eldest son of Bilhah, leads the rest;
The two younger sons of Leah’s handmaid was added to the formation
Key things to remember:
You are part of God’s army and have been enlisted.
God does the formation, allow God to lead and command you. Then you will know which group you belong to.
Your enrollment into God’s formation comes naturally, you don’t need to force yourself or dictate to be in another camp. Your inner peace will bear witness to this enrollment. God will bring other camps that you are in the same formation with, either as helpers, teachers, mentors.
Your obedience to the commands of the leader will ensure you gain victory all round.
Always stay in your formation. Don’t break the ranks.
Numbers 2:34 NKJV
Thus the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses; so they camped by their standards and so they broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers' houses.
Prayer: Oh Lord, just as the children of Israel obeyed, we receive grace to adhere to Your Commandments. Realign us back to our formations according to your purpose and will. Amen.