Basic HTML Version
The Terrible Grumblings of God’s People
This chapter is based on Numbers 10 to 12.
The government of Israel was very organized, amazingly com-
plete and simple. God was the center of government—He was the
ruler of Israel. Moses stood as leader to administer the law in His
name. Later, a council of seventy was chosen to assist Moses in the
general business of the nation. Next came the priests, who consulted
the Lord in the sanctuary. Chiefs, or princes, ruled over the tribes.
Under these were “leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders
of fifties, leaders of tens” (
Deuteronomy 1:15
).
The Hebrew camp was separated into three great divisions. In
the center was the tabernacle, the dwelling place of the invisible
King. The priests and Levites were stationed around the tabernacle.
All the other tribes were camped beyond the priests and Levites.
Each tribe was assigned a position. Each was to march and to
camp beside its own banner, as the Lord had commanded (
Numbers
2:2, 17
). The mixed multitude that had accompanied Israel from
Egypt were to stay on the outskirts of the camp, and their children
were to be excluded from the community until the third generation
(
Deuteronomy 23:7, 8
).
Strict order and specific sanitary regulations were enforced, rules
essential to preserving health among so large a group of people.
It was also necessary to maintain perfect order and purity. God
declared: “The Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to
deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp
shall be holy” (
Deuteronomy 23:14
).
In all of Israel’s traveling, “the ark of the covenant of the Lord
went before them ... to search out a resting place for them.” Priests
with silver trumpets were stationed near the ark, and these priests
received directions from Moses, which they communicated to the
people by the trumpets. It was the duty of the leaders of each
234