Is God A Number's Guy???
Reflection: Is God a number’s guy? Do numbers matter to God? Is it quality or quantity? Or both? As one reads through the bible, we see quite a bit of focus on numbers. After all the original covenant promise to Abraham was that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, or the sands on the sea shore. Too hard to count but still related to numbers!
The animals were counted two by two on the ark to make sure they were accounted for. Of course, we have the twelve tribes of Israel, the 40 years the Israelites spent in the desert, the Ten Commandments, and the counting of the fighting men number a little over 600, 000 in King David’s time. We even have a book in the Old Testament called “Numbers”. So it appears as if numbers have spiritual significance. Why? Because they account for things that are important to God, most of all people!
As we see in the Psalm 8, David marvels at God’s handiwork and the crown of his creation, human beings, which were made just a little lower than the heavenly beings. And God has made us rulers over everything that His hands have made. We see in the Chronicles passage it was a dark time in the life of Israel after the Jews were deported from the Babylonian invasion. But there are still 690 from the tribe of Judah kept as a faithful remnant and 1,760 from the house of Benjamin.
In Acts, we see six men sent to Peter’s house and his subsequent visit to Cornelius’ house where Cornelius and his household are saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and are baptized. The leadership of the church realizes that they cannot prevent these people from being part of the church, because obviously God has brought about these conversions and added to their number. And we see when Barnabbas is sent there to encourage them, that a great number of them are saved and begin one of the first great churches in Antioch. In a few verses (v.26) it will say the believers were first called “Christians” at Antioch.
So I think the answer is” yes” God is a numbers guy, because numbers represent people who matter to Him. Of course we can make the mistake of getting our value from how many numbers we have, or how big our buildings are that is pride, which is a sin. But if we can keep our focus on why numbers matter to God and have accountability for the people and properties God has entrusted to us we have the right perspective.
Psalm 8
For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David.
1 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.
2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
1 Chronicles 9:1-34
9 All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.
The People in Jerusalem
The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. 2 Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants. 3 Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were: 4 Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah. 5 Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. 6 Of the Zerahites: Jeuel. The people from Judah numbered 690.
7 Of the Benjamites: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; 8 Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Micri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah.9 The people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956. All these men were heads of their families. 10 Of the priests: Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin; 11 Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God; 12 Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer. 13 The priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God.
14 Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite; 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zicri, the son of Asaph; 16 Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites. 17 The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their brothers, Shallum their chief 18 being stationed at the King’s Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites. 19 Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family (the Korahites) were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the Tent just as their fathers had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of the Lord. 20 In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was in charge of the gatekeepers, and the Lord was with him. 21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 22 Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. 23 They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the Lord—the house called the Tent. 24 The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. 25 Their brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. 26 But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. 27 They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning. 28 Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out. 29 Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the flour and wine, and the oil, incense and spices. 30 But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. 31 A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. 32 Some of their Kohathite brothers were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table. 33 Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.34 All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.
Acts 11:11-24
11 “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?”18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
The Church in Antioch
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
There is no perversion of justice with the Lord our God, or partiality, or taking of bribes. 2 Chronicles 19:7
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1-2
Jesus, our redeemer, thank you for dying to save sinners; grant us courage to share the salvation story with those who are still lost. Blind our eyes and hearts from race, color, or creed. In your name we pray. Amen.
The animals were counted two by two on the ark to make sure they were accounted for. Of course, we have the twelve tribes of Israel, the 40 years the Israelites spent in the desert, the Ten Commandments, and the counting of the fighting men number a little over 600, 000 in King David’s time. We even have a book in the Old Testament called “Numbers”. So it appears as if numbers have spiritual significance. Why? Because they account for things that are important to God, most of all people!
As we see in the Psalm 8, David marvels at God’s handiwork and the crown of his creation, human beings, which were made just a little lower than the heavenly beings. And God has made us rulers over everything that His hands have made. We see in the Chronicles passage it was a dark time in the life of Israel after the Jews were deported from the Babylonian invasion. But there are still 690 from the tribe of Judah kept as a faithful remnant and 1,760 from the house of Benjamin.
In Acts, we see six men sent to Peter’s house and his subsequent visit to Cornelius’ house where Cornelius and his household are saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and are baptized. The leadership of the church realizes that they cannot prevent these people from being part of the church, because obviously God has brought about these conversions and added to their number. And we see when Barnabbas is sent there to encourage them, that a great number of them are saved and begin one of the first great churches in Antioch. In a few verses (v.26) it will say the believers were first called “Christians” at Antioch.
So I think the answer is” yes” God is a numbers guy, because numbers represent people who matter to Him. Of course we can make the mistake of getting our value from how many numbers we have, or how big our buildings are that is pride, which is a sin. But if we can keep our focus on why numbers matter to God and have accountability for the people and properties God has entrusted to us we have the right perspective.
Psalm 8
For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David.
1 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.
2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
1 Chronicles 9:1-34
9 All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.
The People in Jerusalem
The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. 2 Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants. 3 Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were: 4 Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah. 5 Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. 6 Of the Zerahites: Jeuel. The people from Judah numbered 690.
7 Of the Benjamites: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; 8 Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Micri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah.9 The people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956. All these men were heads of their families. 10 Of the priests: Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin; 11 Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God; 12 Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer. 13 The priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God.
14 Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite; 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zicri, the son of Asaph; 16 Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites. 17 The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their brothers, Shallum their chief 18 being stationed at the King’s Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites. 19 Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family (the Korahites) were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the Tent just as their fathers had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of the Lord. 20 In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was in charge of the gatekeepers, and the Lord was with him. 21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 22 Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. 23 They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the Lord—the house called the Tent. 24 The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. 25 Their brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. 26 But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. 27 They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning. 28 Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out. 29 Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the flour and wine, and the oil, incense and spices. 30 But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. 31 A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. 32 Some of their Kohathite brothers were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table. 33 Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.34 All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.
Acts 11:11-24
11 “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?”18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
The Church in Antioch
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
There is no perversion of justice with the Lord our God, or partiality, or taking of bribes. 2 Chronicles 19:7
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1-2
Jesus, our redeemer, thank you for dying to save sinners; grant us courage to share the salvation story with those who are still lost. Blind our eyes and hearts from race, color, or creed. In your name we pray. Amen.
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