Vers. 1-3.-God commands a census. I. THE PLACE AND TIME 011' THE COMMAND-. God spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. Many wildernesses, though uncultivated~ were fertile and well watered, but the wilderness of Sinai was a desolate place. Moses calls it "the great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents and· scorpions and drought, where there was no water;" and, again, " a desert land, a waste howling wilderness" (see Stanley's' Sinai and Palestine'). Very different from the- riches of Egypt left behind, and the riches of Canaan lying before. But though a wilderness, the tabernacle of the congregation was there, made by God's appointment and direction, even down to its minutest arrangements and furniture. As long as the tabernacle in their midst was honoured, the people could dwell safely even in the- wilderness. Il THE PURPOSE OF' THE N(J'MDERING. To ascertain the strength of the peO'ple fo'I" war. Canaan, towards which they were advancing, was in the possession of enemies, who appreciated all it.a riches, and would not relinquish them without a aevere- struggle. At the time of the census the Israelites had not brought on themselves the· ·penalty of the forty years' wandering. The census was meant to be one preparation for immediate conquest, as the mission of the spies was another. There was every- thing to give them courage and strength of mind when they remembered that there- were more than 600,000 fighting men amongst them. And as they counted up their resources for war, so we may he sure Christ would ever have his militant Church 011c earth to do the same. The tone of the New Testament is not leas warlike than of the- Old, our Canaanites being principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places, III. THE METHOD OF' THE NUMBERING. The method was determined by the purpose. Note, first, the ezdusio'IUJ. The women and the children were left out. In counting the Levites the children were not left out. Every male from a month old was- numbered, for theirs was a constant service, and even the youngest was looked on as in training for it. But when war is imminent we can only count on such ae can be- ready at once, those from twenty years old and upward. The Church of Christ still divisible in the same way-those who can fight, and those who cannot; the men whe> are strong, because of the solid food they take, and the bal,e11 who are still hanging on milk and spoon meat. The Levi,tes also were left out. A numerical loss may yet be a real gain. Tha Israelites were strong in their 600,000 only as long as they served God, according t.o his statutes and commandments. For the Levites to go to battle meant that all would go to neglect and disorder in the tabernacle. God obeyed and honoured is God on our side, and who then can be against us ? The man who keeps- his fifty-two sabbaths every year for God has not lost them, and the weekly contri- bution 11et aside for God's cause is not wasted. Secondly, the order observed in the numbering. By each tribe and family the result would be more speedily and correctly arrived at. Nature, evm under the curse of sin, has it.a order, and will help ue, if w& are observant of it, to do the work of grace in an orderly way. Though there is a,. ~H. I, 1-16.) THE BOOK OF NUMBERS.
limit o.t the one end of life, there is none mentioned a,I, the other. A man is never too old to fight for God, directing and inspiring the stronger ann of younger men. There is room for a Nestor o.e well as an Achilles, and Venice loved to keep the fame of " Blind old Dandolo, Th' octogenarian chief, Byzantium's conquering foe." Thirdly, with all the information gained, there was much unknown. Those fit for fight by age could be counted up; but what of disposition? who could sift out tl,e Korabs, Dathane, o.nd Abiro.ms, o.nd the people whose hearts lingered after the flesh- pots of Egypt ?-Y.
Vere. 5-16.-The men of renown who managed the census. I. THEY ARE MERE NAMES TO us. Were we asked who Eliab was, wo should say the eldest, envious, ,angry brother of David, not the census-taker for Zebulun ; or Gamaliel, he who stood up in the council, not the census-taker for Manasseh. High as they may have been once, their position in human history is little better than oblivion. "The long, proud tale of swelling fame Dried to a brief and barren name." II. Yet though mere names now, they WERE ONCE WELL KNOWN. Every child of Zebulun would be to.ught to look up to Eliab. III. Though mere no.mes to us, THEY DID A USEFUL WORK IN THEIR TIME. It would be no small satisfaction to them, if they looked at the thing rightly, to consider that they had been able to undertake for Moses such o.n important work as making sure of the fighting strength of each tribe. IV. There was doubtless some appreciation of their services AT THE TIME, both by Moses and the sober-minded of the people. V. But in any case Goo HAS MARKED WHAT THEY DID. He has the record of all the fo.ithful and the holy who have only their names in human history, and the far _greater part of them not even that.-Y. Ver. 3.-" From twen,ty years old and upward." By this census all the young men of Israel were urged to the consideration of a possible claim upon them. It is .to the young men that a country looks when her integrity and liberties are in danger. Young men are wanted still to take a brave and intelligent po.rt in tho strife of the Church militant. "I have written unto you young men because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." So Paul to 'Timothy: "Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." God's people h1<ve to deal with the Co.naanites, Amorites, and all the rest of the hostile nations. Many iniquities are in possession of the earth. Old men, who have struggled against them :and done something to diminish them, ask who will take up the sword and shield and go forth o.gainst the mighty. The word comes to us. "You are fit to fight. Will you iight?" Young men dazzled with the visions of military glory, here is a campaign where not men are slaughtered, but the evils that ruin men. Our Lord, the Captain ,of our salvation, will richly equip us with weapons mighty for tho pulling down of -etrongholds, the armour of righteousness on the right hand and the left.-Y.