Nu. 10: Moving On

Trumpets. Israel was a large camp, spread out quite a bit probably. And rather than sending a message by word of mouth, God decided that trumpets should be the way to get the word out. Trumpet blasts were used for assembling the people or just leaders, and were the signal for setting out, for leaving the place where they were. Apparently, some sort of signal was developed to distinguish whether it was a call for assembly or a call for setting out.

It was also used for battle, that God would remember them and rescue them. It doesn’t say whether this “rescue” is for helping the Israelites kick butt or to save them if they were getting whomped. Trumpets were also a sign of celebration, for example during festivals and feasts.

2 years, 2 months and twenty days into the Israelites leaving Egypt, God lifted the cloud off the tabernacle, and it was time to go. There was probably a trumpet blast. The Israelites followed the cloud until it came to rest in the desert of Paran. I don’t know where that is.

The Bible is very precise about who went when, and after whom. It was all very orderly. The tribes on the east were first: Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. Then the Levite tribes of Gershon and Merari took down the tabernacle and left. Then the tribes on the south followed: Simeon, Reuben and Gad. Then the Kohathites left, carrying the temple’s holy things. Then the west end boys set out: Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. The northern tribes were next: Dan, Asher and Naphtali.

Moses’ father-in-law, Hobab the Midianite wasn’t too keen on going wherever the Israelites were going, and when it was time to set out, he probably figured this was a good breaking point for him to return to his own land and people. And who wouldn’t? He probably missed everyone. Plus we haven’t heard from Zipporah since she had to do an emergency circumcision. Moses convinced him to stay, promising him that he could partake of the good things in the promised land. Besides, Hobab was apparently a good outdoorsman, and knew the land and campgrounds fairly well. So Hobab went with the Israelites.

They ended up traveling three days to get to the desert of Paran.

Moses had a prayer for whenever the ark would set out, saying “Rise up, LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.” Whenever the ark came to rest, he would say, “Return LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel.” What a tiny number relative to the probable population of the world at that time. Anyway, Moses puts a lot of faith into God, faith that God would scatter His enemies, and cause His foes to flee. Inherent in this plea is the idea that Moses and the Israelites were friends of God…were on His side. I’d probably want to be too.