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NUMBERS
CHAPTER 10

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. 5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. 6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. 7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.

The silver trumpets were made for three specific purposes and one
additional purpose.
Notice that it is the priests, Aaron's sons, that have the responsibility of
blowing the trumpets. The action by the Lord puts the tabernacle, the priests,
and God Himself in the center of all the activities described.
Shouldn't it be that way? And the priests of God ought to be His
mouthpiece!
FIRST - the trumpets were used to call a general assembly of the whole
congregation (verse 3). The call for general assembly was sounded by two
trumpets. They would blow a long blast, one time. This was the signal for the
whole nation to assemble at the tabernacle.
SECOND - the trumpets were used to call the elders together. If the same
long blast were sounded by only ONE trumpet, this was a call for only the elders
to come to the tabernacle (verse 4).
THIRD - the trumpets were used to sound an "ALARM." If someone saw
an invasion coming, then short blasts from both trumpets would sound. Specific
marching orders are given in verse 5 for those on the East side of the tabernacle.
Then more instructions for the South side at the second sound of the alarm.
Some people (Who have studied more than I have) tend to believe that the following
occured at the sound of the alarm:
1st warning -- Judah, Issachar, Zebulun marched;
2nd warning -- Reuben, Simeon, Gad marched;
3rd warning -- Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin marched;
4th warning -- Dan, Asher, Naphtali marched.
((((See chapter 2 and the diagram of the camp))))

When there's trouble in the land, God's people (priests) should sound the alarm!
Call the elders, call the congregation, and get moving to change the situation.
REFORM for our USA today MUST come from Christian people!
Evil dominates when good men do nothing. ((See Joel 2:1, Is. 58:1))

9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. 10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.

Here the OTHER purpose for the trumpets:
1) for going to war. Can you imagine, in the pre-dawn hour, hearing the sound of
the short trumpet blasts as the Israeli army marched toward the enemy? That must
have been very disconcerting, to say the least!
2) for gladness and feast days. Certain worship times have deep significance, such as
Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc. God's "priests" should concentrate on calling
people to worship at those times especially.
Does your church make a special effort to gather the people on special worship
days? Do YOU?

11 And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.

On the first month of the second year, the Israelites observed the second Passover.
In the second month they did the two censuses. Now, near the end of the second month, (on the 20th day) they began their first journey under God's carefully orchestrated
marching plans.
The sign to BEGIN that journey was when God's Shekinah Glory Cloud moved upward from
the tabernacle and moved forward.
Does God give evidence when He wants us to change places or positions in the world?

12 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

the first journey was to the wilderness of Paran. This place is generally considered
to be South of Judea, West of Edom, and North of Sinai.
God wants ALL Christians to move progressively from when they first meet Him to
being closer to Him.

13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

Notice that they marched as God had commanded before (Chapter 2).
In our walk with God on this earth, we need to take our "marching orders" from God's Word.

14 In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came. 22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.

These verses describe the marching order in detail. And an interesting note is found in verse 21.
The tabernacle, even when folded up, was still in the CENTER.
We must always remember to keep God in the CENTER of our lives, even in our transition periods.

29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel. 30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. 31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. 32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.

Moses' brother-in-law had been with them all this time. But now the Israelites are beginning their
journey tward a new home. And he decides to return to his own home.
Moses persuades him to stay with them, because Moses feels a need for his scouting prowess (vers 31).
Not that Moses needed Hobab to know where to camp; but he needed him to tell of the good and the bad
of the country as they were traveling.
Even though we are led by faith, we still need practical insight. That's just good
common sense.
Notice that moses promises whatever the Israelites receive of God, will also be given to Hobab (vers 32).
Sometimes it is very difficult for those reared in different cultures and with different religions
to give up who they are and be God's people. It is even harder when they see all the wonderul things
God is doing for His people. But with a little reminder of God's promise of eternal life they can
be persuaded.
The promise that Moses made to Hobab is similar to what Christians should give to non-believers
(see Acts 3:6).

33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. 35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. 36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.

They walked three days and found a camping site. Each day as they walked, the Shekinah Cloud was
over them - guiding them.
Moses pronounced an invocation and a benediction each day. As the cloud would rise
for them to begin their journey in the morning, Moses would say, "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies
be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee."
This was an acknowledgement of God's promise to lead and protect them. It was also a prayer, requesting
that God indeed do as He had promised.
Then, in the evening, when the Shekinah Cloud settled and became still, they would camp.
At that time Moses would say, "Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel."
In making this statement Moses acknowledges God's CONSTANT presence, and requests that God continue
His protection of the people with His presence.

Do you begin your day acknowledging that God is guiding your way and requesting Him to
protect you in your journey for that day?
Do you end your day acknowledging that God is constantly with you and asking Him to protect
you through the night by His presence?

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