Numbers 10:9

The Bible says in Numbers 10:9-10, “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.” Verse nine says, “if ye go to war.” Unfortunately, in this life war is always a possibility. We want to be peacemakers because Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” but we also want to be ready for war if and when it comes. Jesus described the age in which we live in Matthew chapter twenty-four, and Jesus said, “There shall be wars and rumors of wars.” Notice also that it says, “if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you.” We should never be the aggressor. But we are allowed to protect ourselves.

Two things are mentioned in Numbers 10V9 that tell us how to get victory in war. First it says, “ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets.” This was a call to all the men of a nation to gather into the ranks of the military, to be organized, and to be united as a nation against the enemy. The trumpet gave a clear and certain sound of the impending enemy and of the war so that each one could do his or her part. Christians are called to a spiritual warfare. You had better be ready for the war because it involves the souls of men and women. Who will win the souls and who will lose? You certainly will not win if you do not hear the trumpet that is sounding from the Word of God and from the Spirit. Have you heard the trumpet call to war? Jesus said, “I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Jesus sent us out into His army when He said, “Ge ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” And Christians are told in Ephesians 6:11-13, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.[12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.[13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

At the end of verse nine the Israelites were told what the outcome of their wars would be if they did things God’s way: “ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” Your greatest enemy is the devil. The name of Jesus will always give victory over the powers of darkness. If you value your soul, turn to Jesus and trust in Him. Then you will have victory forever. You will be “saved.”

The start of a war is a significant event, and so the sounding of a trumpet was the perfect sound to notify everyone and get them together. There are other significant events in life from a spiritual perspective. We see in verse ten that the blowing of a trumpet was also used for many other events all through the lives of the Israelites: at any of their special feast days, at the beginning of every month, and whenever they gave a sacrifice (which was daily.) I think the lesson here is that life itself is significant. Everything that you do is important because it is the life that God has given to you. Every month is important because every day in it is important and we do not know what a day may bring forth. Every day will have beauty to experience, accomplishments to fulfill, and love to give and receive. The Sabbath feast days were important because they were full of symbolism of all the wonderful things that God had done for the Israelites and all the things that God had planned for the future. The sacrifices were important because they symbolized the provision that God has made for the forgiveness of our sins and for a final home in heaven. Jesus is our sacrifice. Every day we can remember the importance of the death that Jesus suffered on the cross for us so we could be forgiven and go to heaven.

The Bible says in Numbers 10:11-28, “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.[12] And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.[13] And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.[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.” This passage of scripture talks about the “journey” of the children of Israel through the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. That is a good way to describe life: a journey. How is your journey through the wilderness of this world going? The Israelites got off to a good start: they journeyed wherever the Lord led them. Do not go the wrong way in life. Make sure that you are following Jesus.

The Bible says in Numbers 10:29-32, “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 was a leader, a good leader. But a leader cannot do everything. He needs to have those under him who are skilled and experienced in various positions. If you want to have a successful organization, make sure to hire the right people. Hobab had lived in the wilderness his whole life. Hobab knew the wilderness. He understood how to survive in the wilderness and how to journey. God guided the children of Israel, but Moses knew that they needed human knowledge too.

The Bible says in Numbers 10:33-36, “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.” It says in Numbers 10V33, “the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them.” It is called the ark of the covenant because it had the Ten Commandments inside it. These commandments represented the law that the Israelites had agreed to follow. They are wonderful commandments that give a high and beautiful standard for human behavior. But there is one big problem of being under a covenant that requires total obedience to a high standard: human beings fail. People sin. We needed a better covenant based upon the grace of God. In the age in which we live we have the New Covenant through the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross.

As Moses travelled through the wilderness with the children of Israel, Moses knew that they would come into contact with other peoples and some of those peoples would view them as invaders and enemies. Moses had the correct view of life. If you follow Jesus, you will have enemies. Make sure that you understand what is in store for you in life, and do what Moses did in verse thirty-five: rely on the Lord to take care of you and fight your battles for you. The Lord can give victory over any enemy because God is wiser and stronger than all. And when the Israelites rested, Moses prayed, “Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.” In other words no matter what were their circumstances, Moses kept praying to the Lord and seeking the Lord’s presence.

The Bible says in Numbers 11:1-3, “And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.[2] And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.[3] And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.” The Israelites committed one of the greatest sins possible for a believer: they “complained.” No wonder that complaining “displeased the LORD” and “his anger was kindled.” Think of all that God had just recently done for them: the ten plagues in Egypt ending with the Passover, the crossing of the Red Sea, the deliverance from Pharaoh and his army, the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire to lead them, and the prophet Moses to lead them. How quickly human beings (believers) can forget what God has done for them. How quickly human beings (believers) forget what Jesus did for them on the cross. Always count your blessings. Always remember what you should remember: all the good things that Christ has done for you already. God brought judgment because they complained and the judgment was that some people were killed. God gives life and God takes it. Life on this earth is a privilege. If you do not use it rightly, maybe God will take it away. It says to Christians in First John 5:16, “…there is a sin unto death…” And it says in First Corinthians 11:30, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” If you are not going to live by faith and praise the Lord Jesus, what purpose can you serve in His great plan of spreading the Gospel to unbelievers?

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