The book of Numbers in the Bible records two censuses that God commanded the Israelites to take. The first census was taken at Mount Sinai, shortly after the Israelites had left Egypt (Numbers 1:1-46). The second census was taken 38 years later on the plains of Moab, as the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 26:1-65).
There are a few key reasons why God ordered these censuses:
1. To Determine the Size of the Community
The primary purpose of a census is to count the number of people in a community or nation. By taking a census, Moses and the Israelites were able to determine the size of the community at that particular point in time. The first census totaled 603,550 men over the age of 20, not including the Levites. The second census numbered 601,730, showing a decrease after 38 years in the wilderness.
Knowing the size of the community would help with organization, logistics and planning for the journeys and battles ahead. God frequently reminded the Israelites that they were great and numerous in order to encourage them. The census numbers were a tangible way to see God’s fulfillment of His promise to make Abraham’s descendants as plentiful as the stars (Genesis 15:5).
2. To Organize the Community for Travel and War
In Numbers 1, God commanded Moses to organize the community “by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head” after conducting the census (Numbers 1:2). Each tribe was assigned a place in the camp and given a marching order (Numbers 2).
This organization by tribes and clans allowed for more orderly travel and camp life for a massive group of over 600,000 men and their families. They knew exactly who to camp next to and who to follow on the march. Organization was crucial for a community that size on the move.
The census numbers also helped organize the fighting men by tribe and clan into an army for upcoming battles against the Canaanites as they entered the Promised Land. Each tribe supplied a designated number of fighting men according to the census (Numbers 1:3).
3. To Atone for Sin
During the exodus when the tabernacle was constructed and the Levites were consecrated, God commanded Moses to take a census of them and collect an “atonement money” or “ransom” from the rest of the Israelites as atonement for their lives (Exodus 30:11-16).
This ransom money went to the upkeep and service of the tabernacle where sacrifices were made to atone for the Israelites’ sins. The census represented a tangible reminder that God owned the Israelites’ lives. They needed atonement in order to stand before a holy God.
4. To Determine Land Inheritance
The second census taken on the plains of Moab had another key purpose – to determine how much land each tribe would inherit in Canaan. The census numbers for each tribe determined the size of land allotment that tribe would receive (Numbers 26:52-56; 33:54).
For example, the tribes of Judah, Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin were large in number and received larger shares of land. Smaller tribes like Manasseh and Ephraim received smaller portions. The census numbers ensured the equitable division of the Promised Land.
5. To Teach Respect for Human Life
Some see deeper symbolism in the taking of a census beyond just the logistics of community organization. By counting people individually by name, a census showed that each life had value in God’s eyes. Though sinful, Israel still belonged to God.
Jewish tradition claims that God ordered David to take a census in 2 Samuel 24 which led to a plague because it represented a failure to rely on God rather than numbers for security. However, the censuses in Numbers affirmed God’s covenant promise to make Israel fruitful so were not acts of unfaithfulness.
The individual care with which Moses conducted the census communicated that each person was precious to God and had a unique place in His plan for Israel’s future.
6. To Display God’s Sovereignty and Omniscience
Though the census had practical functions, it ultimately served to demonstrate God’s complete authority over Israel. By commanding the census, God displayed His sovereignty over every individual life. There was no need for God to count the people – He already knew exactly how many Israelites existed. But the census acted as a tangible reminder of God’s meticulous oversight.
The counting of Israel also mirrored God’s supernatural knowledge of them. Just as God could recite every name and number in exact detail, so too could Israel under Moses’ leadership. Each male over 20 years was individually listed by name and clan during the census-taking.
This remarkable logistical feat foreshadowed Christ’s future knowledge of His people. Jesus said, “I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). A census of earthly Israel testified to the perfect heavenly census kept in the mind of God.
7. To Prepare for the Coming Messiah
From a New Testament perspective, the censuses in Numbers hold messianic significance. The numbers and organization of the community pointed ahead to God’s future promised ruler from the tribe of Judah. According to prophecy, He would “count” and register His people individually (Psalm 87:5-6).
The census of male warriors in Numbers anticipated the coming Lion of Judah who would lead the battle against sin and conquer the enemies of God’s people. The atonement money collected prefigured the Messiah who would ultimately provide the ransom for His people (Mark 10:45).
Thus, the biblical motif of counting God’s chosen people finds its fulfillment in Christ, through whom the elect are securely registered in the census of heaven (Luke 10:20). The mundane details of Israel’s census testify to the greater purpose and plan of God for redemption through His Son.
8. To Measure Obedience and Faithfulness
The way Israel responded to God’s command to be counted also served as a test of their faithfulness. By obeying despite discomfort or uncertainty, Israel demonstrated trust in God’s instructions. The census became a measurable act of obedience.
Numbers 26 highlights this evaluative aspect of the census. After disobeying God and being sentenced to death in the wilderness, the previous generation of fighting men had all perished. Now God measured the obedience of the new generation by commanding a second census as they prepared to enter the land. This time they passed the test.
The census provided opportunity for re-commitment and a fresh start in following God’s commands. Israel’s acts of counting and being counted renewed their covenant relationship with the Lord as an obedient community.
9. To Display God’s Faithfulness
Though Israel’s numbers decreased between the first and second census, God remained faithful to His promises. Though the Exodus generation was judged, He preserved a remnant. The survival of Israel despite their wilderness rebellion displayed God’s commitment to His people in spite of their sin.
The census results served as a scorecard of God’s faithfulness. Even after 38 more years of waiting, they remained more than 600,000 strong, on the cusp of inheriting the land pledged to Abraham’s offspring. God had granted them survival, sustenance and fruitfulness against the odds. The census tangibly witnessed to God’s steadfastness.
Despite their ups and downs, the census numbers proved that God never abandoned His people. He brought them through the wilderness and made them more numerous than their ancestors, just as He promised their forefathers.
10. To Plant Seeds of Hope in Israel’s History
In the census results, God provided Israel with hope-filled memories to carry into the future. The astonishing tally of over 600,000 men cemented the exodus, wilderness wandering and conquest as epic, founding events never to be forgotten. They represented God’s miraculous power and profound faithfulness to Israel.
The public act of being counted and numbered as God’s treasured possession established their community identity and fueled courage for the conquest ahead. The detailed genealogies from the census personalized their shared history as God’s specially chosen people. He knew each person’s name and they knew His.
Thus, the census records anchored Israel in the bedrock narrative of God’s love, power, redemption and guidance. The numbers and lists told Israel’s story and fueled hope in God’s promises for generations to come. The ‘chapter and verse’ of the census endowed Israel’s past with eternal significance.
In summary, God ordered the census in Numbers for a variety of practical purposes related to organizing Israel’s community, numbering their army, allocating future land inheritance, and atoning for their sin. At a deeper level, the census acted as a test of Israel’s obedience and God’s faithfulness while pointing ahead to the Messiah. The counting and being counted of God’s people served as a profound statement of His sovereignty, omniscience and enduring commitment to them despite their flaws. Through the census numbers, Israel’s story was handed down and hope for the future kindled.
