The heading for today’s chapter in The Message has it labeled as “Marching Orders”. The order in which the tribes were to set out was commanded by God to Moses when the Israelites travelled.
The Israelites were camping in tents that they could move with them. (Sound like fun Pamela 😜) Everything that they had, which would have been little, was transported with them everywhere. This represents to us our state in this world; temporary. We are here today, wandering for as many years as the Lord gives us, and then gone tomorrow.
“Then the Tent of Meeting and the camp of the Levite’s will set out in the middle of the camps.”
Having the Tent of Meeting in the middle of the pack represented God’s presence not only with them, but being in the heart of their camp. We too, while camping in our temporary tent or moving, should have God in the centre and heart of our march.
“So the Israelites did everything as the Lord commanded Moses;”
The Israelites began this journey well, but these words of absolute compliance contrast with Israel’s later folly. It seems to be much easier to start strong especially when everything is knew and maybe even exciting. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
Lock Your Wings 
Funny 😏
Again it stood out to me the huge number of people. I guess when I think of the Israelites wandering, I think of a smaller crowd where everyone knew each other. In reality the number of troops is slightly less than our city! Likely you didn’t know everyone and you may not even literally travel in the same circles. However, they did all have fun something in common despite their huge numbers: “So the people of Israel did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses. Each clan and family set up camp and marched under their banners exactly as the Lord had instructed them.”
Numbers 2:34 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/num.2.34.nlt
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