Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their
clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one (Numbers 1:2).
Many find Leviticus difficult to read with its endless
instructions for sacrifices and observances. Upon its conclusion, those who
don’t know better might breathe a sigh of relief… until they start reading the
census in Numbers 1. The first (and last) chapters of Numbers make Leviticus
look like Disneyland.
We’ve spent the last half of Exodus, all of Leviticus, and
now the first portion of Numbers camped at Mt. Sinai. Twelve months have passed
since the Israelites left Egypt. Chapters 10-25 cover highlights spanning the
next 39 years, including fascinating episodes recounted from wilderness
travels. But truth be told, the last ten chapters of the book (including a
second census) can again get a little tedious.
What’s the point? That takes us back to the above verse. Every ten years the United
States takes a census. We would be wise to remember that our country is not
just one homogeneous group of people who look, act and think alike, but a
nation of individuals. While Ancient Near East cultures were more about the
group (clan, village, etc.) than they were the individual, the writer of
Numbers reminds us right from the start that the Israelite community is
composed of clans, families and individuals – and every story is important.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
What does it mean to know you
are part of something bigger than yourself?
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