The Sovereignty of God in the God-centered congregation

Numbers 1:45-46 So all the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war in Israel, 46even all the numbered men were 603,550.

Over the past few days we have looked at what makes for a God-centered congregation from Numbers 1-4 and other passages.  We have noted two marks:
1. The strength of a God-centered congregation is scripture
2. The celebration of a God-centered congregation is redemption

Today we want to consider the focal point of the God-centered congregation - The Sovereignty of God.

What is God's Sovereignty?
God's rule and reign over the affairs of creation, history and salvation are covered under the heading of His Sovereignty.  God operates by both means and ends.  He excercises His Sovereignty by Providence in History and through His redemptive plan through God the Son, which will draw history to its conclusion.  He alone has the ability to accomplish His ends through whatever secondary means He deems necessary.  Sovereignty does not exclude human responsibility not the will of any creature.  If anything, a biblical understanding of Sovereignty and human responsibility will recognize the compatability of both, even if we cannot fully comprehend how both function in relationship with one another. 

Included in this definition is the idea that all whom He calls by grace through faith, and who truly and freely believe upon Him, will never be totally and finally lost.  

God's Sovereignty in His people's lives means not one of his people will ever be lost
This principle physically illustrated
Every New Testament truth has at least one Old Testament, physical illustration.  In the physical sense, every Israelite male coming out of Egypt did not physically perish.  In Numbers 2:46 we read that 603,550 came out of Egypt.  When we compare other scriptures - we discover just how Sovereign God was in protecting the physical lives of His people:

Exodus 38:26 a beka a head (that is, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for each one who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men

Numbers 2:32 These are the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households; the total of the numbered men of the camps by their armies, 603,550.

This principle spiritually demonstrated
If this was true of the physical lives of the people coming out of physical Egypt, how much the more will not God Sovereignly protect the Spiritual lives of His people who believed on Him.  Those that came out of Egypt were physically spared, however they perished in the desert due to not ever having saving faith to begin (Hebrews 3-4).  By their fruits, that first generation sadly demonstrated they weren't God's people spiritually, even though they were physically protected and loved by Him.  Scripture is clear that they had no one to blame but themselves for failure to enter into the Divine rest of salvation. 

Understanding a little bit about the relationship between Divine Sovereignty and human responsibility
Its not that God's Sovereign intentions failed, rather the blame for unbelief falls upon man.  God's purpose to glorify Himself is still accomplished - since all he is obligated to do towards any human being is dispense His justice.  Anyone who believes on Jesus Christ does so due to God's saving grace - a gift which God freely dispenses soley out of His loving intention, rather than any obligation he owes to the creature. (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 4:19)  For eternity His Justice will be ever upon those who rejected Him, and His Mercy will be ever upon those who believed through His Graceful purpose at work in their lives. (John 3:17-19; Romans 9:22-26; 1 John 2:19; Revelation 21:6-9, 22:14-15) God will get the credit for all who are with Him in eternity, since their choosing of Jesus was due to the Spirit's work of conviction in their lives. (John 16:8-11; Jude 24-25) Whereas those who spend eternity in hell do so because they chose to reject God in Christ this life. (Luke 16) Paul writes of that first generation of Israelites that their lives and actions served as illustrations and warnings to us living in modern times. (1 Corinthians 10:6)

For those who by grace through faith truly believe on Jesus Christ, the promise is that they will be Sovereignly kept in their salvation.  Jesus Himself states in John 10:28-30 "and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30“I and the Father are one.” Peter tells us that true believers in Jesus Christ are being preserved until the day of His return. (1 Peter 1:5).  Additionally, Jude tells us that true believers will be presented before the Father's throne by Christ as faultless and blameless with great joy. (Jude 24-25)   

The Defining Marks of the God-centered congregation
And so the God-centered congregation has these following traits:

1. Their strength derives from scripture
2. Thy celebrate redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ
3. They are focused upon the Sovereignty of God, who keeps them in their salvation

God-centered congregation celebrates Redemption - P2

Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin"

It is in Numbers 3:40-51 that we see God revisiting that decree He had made over a year prior in Exodus 13. As God sets the foundations for His God-centered congregation, He places at the center of His instructions the celebration of redemption.

What is there to celebrate about redemption?
Our particular text on redemption is Numbers 3:40-51. In this text, we find four details about redemption that make cause for celebration. There are four traits about redemption that we find in Numbers 3:40-51. Yesterday we looked at the first two traits of redemption that make cause for celebration: namely redemption’s specific focus and redemption being about a substitute on behalf of sinners.  Today we will consider the final two traits, noting how they are fulfilled and completely worked out by Jesus Christ in the New Testament:

Redemption is about Sufficient Payment. Number 3:44-47
God had originally told the Israelites back in Exodus 13 that the firstborn of every Israelites belonged to the Lord. Here in Numbers 3, that episode is recalled - only in this instance it is given more detail. For every firstborn Jewish male, God would have a corresponding Levite firstborn serve God - full-time - in their place. According to Number 3:39 - there were 22,000 Levite firstborn. However in Number 3:43 - there were 22,273 first born in the remainer of the camp of Israel - which meant that there was not enough to cover the requirement. God already had it covered by instituting the payment of silver as "redemption money" to cover the 273 who did not have the necessary substitute. If it had not been for that provision, those Jewish males would had to been included in the service of themple, seperated from their families, and thus violating the word of God which said only the Levites could serve.

Redemption's setting is in blood. Numbers 3:48-51
In Number 3:48 we find out where the redemption money was to be paid - "to Aaron and his sons". Who were these people? The High Priest and his priestly sons - the ones who offered the blood sacrifices on behalf of the people. God reminds us here that redemption is never seperated from the shedding of blood. Ephesians 1:7 tells us that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins."

Why redemption accomplished in the New Testament is so superior
This text in Numbers points us to what would be accomplished by Christ in the New Testament.  Thankfully when He accomplished salvation, it was once for all, never to be repeated. (John 19:30; Hebrews 9:28).  Just as the redemption mentioned here in Numbers pictured substitution and the payment for one group of people by others, Christ fulfilled both by being both the sinner's substitute and paying in full the salvation of all who by grace through faith would believe on Him. (1 Peter 1:17-18; 2:22).  Unlike here in Numbers, Eternal redemption is not based upon silver and gold, but rather the precious blood of Christ, the spotless lamb of God. (1 Peter 1:17-18). Finally, unlike the redemption mentioned here in the Old Testament, what Christ did enabled the cleansing of the conscience. (Hebrews 9:14)

With the scriptures being the strength of a God centered congregation, redemption is cause for celebration.

The God centered congregation celebrates redemption

Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin"

A God-Centered Congregation Will be Cross-Centered
As we continue in our blog series on what makes for a God-centered congregation, we focus today on the celebration of redemption.  The local church that is God centered will center its living and mission around what Christ accomplished on the cross.  The Apostle Paul writes these words in 1 Corinthians 2:2 - "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."  

In the Bible redemption refers to God's purchasing of His people out of bondage of slavery to sin into the salvation of freedom in Jesus Christ.  In yesterday's post, we noted that a God-centered congregation's strength is scripture.  With that said, what is it that comprises the God-centered congregation's joy, celebration?  It is that chief work of God - prescribed and pictured in the Old Testament and accomplished in the New - redemption.

Redemption was central to God's plan for the congregation of Israel
When God brought Israel out of Egypt in Exodus 13, we read these words in Exodus 13:2 "“Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”  Now why would Yahweh, the LORD, make this statement? In Exodus 13:14-15 we see why: “And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15‘It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

It was in this decree of God to redeem His people, as well as to remind them of His action on their behalf - that God ordained this law of redemption.  It is in Numbers 3:40-51 that we see God revisiting that decree He had made over a year prior in Exodus 13.  As God sets the foundations for His God-centered congregation, He places at the center of His instructions the celebration of redemption.

What is there to celebrate about redemption?
Our particular text on redemption is Numbers 3:40-51.  In this text, we find four details about redemption that make cause for celebration.  There are four traits about redemption that we find in Numbers 3:40-51.  Today we will consider the first two, noting how they are fulfilled and completely worked out by Jesus Christ in the New Testament:

1. Redemption has a specific focus - you. Numbers 3:40
God wanted Moses to take a census of the every first-born son among the Israelites and record their names.  This tells us something: that when God wants to reveal or accomplish redemption - He has a specific focus, a specific intent.  Who or what is His specific focus? You.  1 Timothy 4:10 states - "For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers." 

Historically speaking Christ is the Savior of all men - since by His death He paid the price to hold off the judgment that is otherwise set to come upon this world.  All men right now get the opportunity to hear the Gospel as a result of God's common grace extended to all, since it is is God's preference that none would perish, but all would come to repentance. (1 John 2:2; 2 Peter 3:9) Eternally speaking Christ is the Savior of all who believe.  We know that all who believe on Jesus Christ will in no way be rejected by God. (John 6:37)  Anyone who believes in Jesus does so due to God's calling, drawing grace given in the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. (John 6:44; 16:8-16)   

2. Redemption is about Substitution. Number 3:41-43
In Number 3:41 we read twice that the Levite firstborn and cattle were numbered "instead of" the the first born sons and cattle of the remaining Israelites.  Why? Because the Levites was the tribe that represented the people before God in the service of the temple.  In the arrangement of the camp - the tabernacle or worship center of Israel was central, with the Levites camped all around it.  Any other Israelite would had been camped at least a mile away. 

Unless one brought a sacrifice to the doorway of the tabernacle, no Israelite was allowed - save the Levites.  Even then, when an Israelite brought the sacrifice - it was the Levites who took the sacrifice from their hands.  The sacrifice itself was slaughtered in the place of the offerer.  All of this points to Jesus Christ, who died in our place. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Truly Christ was the Lamb of God who was spotless and blameless, suffering the wrath of God instead of us and dying so that all who believe could enjoy eternal relationship with Him. (1 Peter 1:17-18)

Tomorrow we will consider two more features about redemption that make cause for celebration in the God-centered congregation.

Scripture is the Strength of the God-centered congregation

Numbers 1:1 "Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying"

Reviewing what we looked at yesterday - The God-Centered Congregation
Yesterday we began to look at what is meant by the term "congregation".  Local churches are often referred to by this title.  As we saw yesterday, in both the Hebrew and Greek meanings behind this English word, the idea of "God-appointed" or "God-called" is meant.  God must be central if the church congregation is to fulfill its purpose.  With that general idea put forth - we obviously need to flesh that out a little further.  What traits must be present for there to be a consistent God-centered congregation?  In today's blog, we want to consider that first crucial emphasis - namely the Strength of Scripture.

The Strength of a God-centered Congregation is the scriptures
Here in Numbers 1-4 we see several references to God speaking to Moses the words of God for their instruction.  In fact, in just the first four chapters of Numbers alone we find no less than thirteen places where God speaks to the people.  Below I will point out some observations from key verses in Numbers 1-4 that describe the function of God's Word in the God centered congregation:
 
1. God's Word is God's Words revealed In Numbers 1:1; 2:1; 3:11,14, 40, 44; 4:17,21 God "spoke to Moses", saying particular words that revealed His intent for the people

2. God's Word Compels the Conscience  In Numbers 1:19 and 3:51, 4:41 we see another word, namely "commanded being used".  Thus God's Word has the authority to compel the conscience to pursue a course of action

3. God's Words are Written Words In Numbers 3:1 and 4:41 we see reference to this phrase: "Now these are the records".  That phrase is found a dozen times in another book written by Moses - the Book of Genesis.  This term is a technical term describing the taking down of history or biographical information.  Thus when God spoke to a prophet his words - that was revelation.  When those prophets in turn wrote down the words by the supervision of the Holy Spirit - that was inspiration.  The fact that men such as Moses had to get all of his facts accurate tells us that what He wrote was without error - or inerrant.  Furthermore, the fact that the words of scripture had to lead the people into accurate carrying out of God's instruction meant they were infallible - or incapable of leading into error. 

4. God's Words are to be proclaimed to the congregation
Imagine having responsibility over the wellfare of 3 million people.  According to one commentator, the camp of Israel here in Numbers 1-4 numbered in excess of 2 million people and stretched over an area of 12 square miles!  Even with the aid of delegation, the organizational demands would had been staggering.  Moses, the man of God, had to take the word of God revealed and wrote it down under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (Exodus 24:4)  He then needed illumination to digest its contents to understand its bearing on his life and the lives of those whom he served.  Then he had to proclaim the Word of God to the people.

God's Word was revealed with the intent that it would be proclaimed, preached, taught and explained.  Without this God-ordained method, God's people will not know how to take the sacred words of pen and ink and live them out in their daily lives.  Why else do you think Moses was able to assemble the people in Numbers 1:18? Or organized the people by their camps and standards in Numbers 2?  Or explained God's words to the priesthood in Numbers 3-4?  The words of God had to be explained.  This is necessary for every generation of God's people. 

The Pattern for ensuring the Scriptures Strengthen the congregation - Proclaiming the revealed, inspired and illumined Scriptures
And so the Word of God is His revelation spoken to His prophets (Old Testament) and Apostles (New Testament). (2 Peter 1:20-21)  This revelation was not merely left to be retained in the memories of the forty biblical authors.  The revelation given by God was written, superintended by the Holy Spirit - which is what we call inspiration. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)  With inspiration completing the writings of the scriptures, the ability to understand them comes as a result of the Holy Spirit's ministry of illumination. (John 14:26, 16:15; 1 John 2:20,27) Then we see the necessity for the preacher to come and proclaim God's Word to the congregation. (1 Timothy 4:13, 16; 2 Timothy 4:1-4)

Defining a God-centered congregation

Numbers 1:1 "Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying"

A God centered congregation has its life centered around God
As we turn our attention to the book of Numbers, the chief aim of the first four chapters of the book is to outline for us the essential elements of a God-centered congregation.  The children of Israel - at least in form - were to have their spiritual lives (Numbers 2); daily lives (Numbers 3) and work lives (Numbers 4) centered around God. 

What is a congregation? Called and Appointed by God
Seventy-seven times do we see the nation of Israel referred to the title "congregation".  The term translated "congregation" in Numbers 1:2, 18 and 19 refers to a group of people who are appointed by God.  The Hebrew word also tells us that these people were to keep appointments with their God.  God is a God of fellowship and relationship.  In fact, in Acts 7:38 we see Stephen refer to the Israelites in his sermon as the "congregation in the wilderness".  Stephen uses a Greek word that we find often used in the New Testament to describe the church, a word that means "called out ones".  Thus a congregation is appointed and called out by God. To be a called out and appointed people is essential to identifying a God-centered congregation. 

The Lord and His congregation
We must never forget that the local church, identified as a congregation, is owned by the Lord.  Here in Numbers, God wanted to take a census of the people whom He reigned.  Why? So that the people of God would have a means of identifying themselves and rendering their identity in the context of God's promises.  When any king took a census, whether for good purposes or bad, it was an excercise of that King's authority over the people. 

For instance, in Luke 2:1 we read: "Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth."  Just as Caesar, no doubt under the Providence of God, took a census of those under His realm to fix in his mind and his his subjects mind that scope of his authority over their lives - so too Yahweh, the Lord of Heaven and earth, wanted to fix in the people's minds His reign over them.  Christ of course is the Head over His church, of which He purchased with His blood. (Acts 20:28; Colossians 1:13-20) 

Things the local church must remember in aiming to be a God-centered congregation
If local churches in the 21st century would remember the following truths gained from consideration of this word congregation - I believe we could have more God-centered congregations in our local churches. 

First, let us remember that every aspect of our life is to be centered around God.  That is, not only our spiritual lives but also our daily lives at home and our work lives on the job.  Then secondly, a local congregation is not formed by men, but called by God.  We are appointed to keep appointments with Christ - who calls each believer by grace through faith out of the world and into His domain.  All truely converted and then baptized believers are to compose the membership of the local church.

Then finally, if we would remember that the congregation is the Lord's, we would excercise more care, consideration and compassion towards one another.  The Lord Jesus Christ paid for the church by His own blood.  We owe our lives and allegiance to Him. 

Christ by the numbers - particularly the number 40

Mark 1:13 And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

For the past couple of days we have witnessed how the Bible uses specific numbers to convey meaning and truth about God and the Christian life.  We have looked at numbers one through ten, twelve, fourteen, forty, fifty and 1,000.  Today I want us to revisit the number forty, since it communicates so much about God's divine purposes, especially as they pertain to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

The More specific meaning of the number forty
In over 140 spots do we find mention of the number forty.  A quick survey will reveal that this number was often used to refer to God's testing of individuals.  As I think about what it is that God is looking to accomplish through the number forty in the lives of His people, three purposes come to mind:

1. Preparation Moses lived the first forty years of his live being prepared by God in the realm of human affairs.  Then for the second forty year period of time God prepared Moses' further in the realm of Divine affairs on the back side of a desert.  Why? So that He could be used of God to lead forth His people for the final forty years of his life.  Goliath taunted the people of God for forty days in 1 Samuel 17:16.  God used that time to orchestrate events wherein a young shepherd boy, David, would hear Goliath and be stirred by God to kill the Giant and make way for his eventual ascension to the throne of Israel.

In the life of Jesus we see him tempted in the desert for forty days prior to the beginning of his public ministry.  From the time Christ was baptized until he began to speak parables we see forty episodes in all four Gospels.  Then from the time He began to speak parables until He confronted the Pharisees in Matthew 23 was another forty episodes.  Then from that time until the night of His betrayal, prior to His crucifixion, passed another set of forty events in the life of Jesus Christ. 

2. Purification The Israelites wandered for forty years in the desert around the Sinai Peninsula for the unbelieving generation to die off and for the new generation to be purified.  Numbers 33 records the people traveling to 42 different spots in the course of those forty years.  Yesterday we identified 42 and 40 both referring to times of testing.  Christ never needed to be purified, since He himself was sinless. 

3. Proving Often we see the number forty associated with times of proving - whether it God proving Himself to His people or the people getting the chance to prove whether or not they'll operate in faith or unbelief.  The spies in Numbers 13 went to spy out the promised land for forty days - the the people's response proved that they were unbelievers. (Hebrews 3-4)  Jesus was tempted in the wilderness to prove  that He is the sinless, spotless lamb who provides the ability for every child of God to overcome temptation.  Following His resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared over a period of forty days before He ascended in to heaven.   

As we have witnessed, the number 40 communicates the three points of testing in the life of the Christian: Preparation, Purification and Proving.  May this number, and really all the numbers of scripture, point the way to Christ - who alone can enable us to pass whatever test may come our way. 

More Numbers used in the Bible

Matthew 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Yesterday I blogged about biblical numerology - that is - the study of how God uses certain numbers in the Bible with different meanings.  We looked at numbers one through ten, noting how they are used in the scriptures.  Today we want to continue this survey, noting more numbers that we can definitely say teach us about the major themes of God's revealed Word.

1. The Number Twelve -The Number of God's people. In the Old Testament we see Israel divided up into twelve tribes.  Jacob, Abraham's grandson, has twelve sons, from whence trhe twelve tribes came.  In the New Testament Christ of course had his twelve disciples.  In Revelation we see references to the 24 elders - most likely pointing back to the twelve sons of Jacob (the patriarchs) and the twelve apostles.  On the foundation of the New Jerusalem there are twelve layers of foundation, inscribed with the names of the Apostles. (Revelation 21:14) 

2. The Number Fourteen - The Number of Redemption. We see this most readily in Matthew Gospel, wherein he mentions three sets of fourteen generations in Jesus' geneaology. 

3. The Numbers Forty & Forty Two - The Numbers of Testing. This number has extensive use throughout the scriptures.  Noah had forty days of testing during the flood when it rained for forty days and forty nights.  (Genesis 7:4)  Moses went up and down Mount Sinai three times, each times for a forty day period of time.  The spies of Israel in Numbers 13-14 spied out the land for forty days and brough back a bad report.  For forty years they wandered following their unbelief, and ended up traveling to 42 different locations. 

Saul reigned in Israel 40 years, so did David and so did Solomon.  The Kings following the reign of Solomon, when you add them all up, equalled forty in number.  Elijah the Prophet fasted for forty days.  Christ was tempted for forty days.  Many more significant patterns could be mentioned, but the primary thrust of this number is that of testing God's people for the purposes of either: purification, preparation or proving.

4. The Number Fifty - The Number of celebration. Fifty days after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, the Law of God was revealed to them on Mount Sinai. (Exodus 12-20)  The Jews, every fifty years, celebrate Jubilee, wherein all debts were cancelled, all slaves were set free and houses returned.  We also come to the New Testament and see the Holy Spirit coming on the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus' resurrection. (Acts 2)

5. The Number 1,000 - The Number of Kingdom. When David killed Goliath, the women of Israel sang: "David killed his thousands, but David His tens of thousands." In Psalm 90 we read that a thousand years is like a day unto the Lord.  Scholars debate whether the thousand years in Revelation 20 are literal years or figuarative.  Those that take Revelation 20 to be referring to a figurative view of the 1,000 years often appeal to passages such as Psalm 90.  Others who take the 1,000 years to be more literal, stress that six times in that chapter we find the number mentioned.  We will leave further discussion about Revelation 20 for another time - since it would take us beyond the scope of today's blog. Whichever view one takes, there can be no doubt that the Kingdom or Reign of God is in view. 

The above numbers are some of the more significant ones mentioned in the scripture.  I would encourage the Bible student to tuck them away as useful tools in studying through God's Word.