King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Follow The Captain
Date: Monday February 06, 2012
Today's Chapters: Numbers 1-2

Hello My Friend,

Because we believe in Jesus and live our lives for Him we are going to face a lot of criticism and rejection, but we are soldiers for Christ in His army, we are His very own elect, and the amazing thing is that He is right there with us. He is our Captain, He is very pleased that we have not gone AWOL on Him, like any good soldier we are going to face some difficulties for serving Him, but as long as we keep fighting we will see some lives saved in the battle. “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier...Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” - 2 Timothy 2:1-4,9,10.

The Book of Numbers is the forth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains thirty-six chapters. The author of the book is Moses and it was originally written to the Jews. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 1490-1451BC. The purpose of the book was to record the forty years that the Jews were wandering in the wilderness as a result of their disbelief/disobedience of God. What we are to learn from the book is that God is not pleased with anything less than a total commitment to Him. “If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” - Numbers 30:2.

It had been two years since God brought the Jews out of bondage to Egypt, God ordered the first census among the people, every male 20 years and older was numbered according to their tribe and automatically drafted into the army, except for the tribe of the Levi.

“Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies...So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.” - Numbers 1:2,3,45-50.

The reason the tribe of Levi was not numbered is because they would not be serving God as a layman, but in His ministry. While God appoints an elect to serve Him in the ministry, the majority of people will be laymen, soldiers in His army to serve Him outside of the ministry. Why? There is only so many people that can be reached in a church, laymen serve God in the occupations, studies, and even their hobbies by being a testimony for Christ. The most important job God has given us is to tell the Gospel to everyone we meet, if they do not want to hear it, that's okay, your tried and that is all God asks, but a good solider for Christ, follows their Captain by preaching the Gospel, just as He did. “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him... And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” - Matthew 4:18-20,23.

After the tribes were numbered they were given specific areas within the camp to dwell according to the number of people in the tribe. The tribes were to encamp about the Tabernacle, which was to be in the center of them. It was a token of God's gracious presence among them, yet, they were to pitch their tents at a distance from the tabernacle. “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch... Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards...And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.” - Numbers 2:1,2,17,34.

God is a God of order and not confusion, therefore, the camp of His followers should be compact, in order, training to be ready for battle, and close to the Captain and able to reach Him at a moments notice. Soldiers for Christ are not grouped up in one bunch, they are spread abroad and scattered all over the world, teaching the Gospel to all who will listen. Why? Remember our beginning Scripture? “Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” - II Timothy 2:10. We keep going, where ever our Captain leads us to find more willing souls, and more recruits for His army.

So, how do we follow our Captain? Jesus explains, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house...And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” -Luke 10:2-5,9-11.

Healing the sick is preaching the Gospel to the lost, some will accept it and be healed, some will reject it and die. “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” - Mark 2:17. There is nothing we can do if they reject Christ, but pray that God will soften their hardened hearts. It is God that saves we are merely the messengers of the Gospel, if they reject the Gospel, they are rejecting God, not us. There will be many, including family and friends, that will reject Christ, but we must keep going, we must follow our Captain and never stop believing that every soul can be saved if they believe. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” - 2 Peter 3:9.

Today's Psalm: 18:39 - “For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.”

Today's Proverb: 21:31 - “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.”

Today's Prayer: God, We want to march on as good soldiers for Christ, as our Captain gives the orders to go out and tell the Gospel let us not be weary in the fight for victory over Satan and death to every soul lost. Give us Your power and might to be bold, to march on even when we are rejected, and to keep going no matter how difficult it gets. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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