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Thank God for the grace to follow through. It’s been a while since I journaled about my Bible study, and today’s reading, Numbers 3 was such a reminder of how deeply intentional God is.

At first glance, the chapter might seem like a list of names and numbers, but looking closer, I saw so much of God’s character revealed.

The chapter outlines how specific tasks in the sanctuary were assigned to each clan of the Levites. It also explains how, because every firstborn son in Israel belongs to God (dating back to when He spared them during the final plague in Egypt), He chose to take the Levites in their place to serve Him.

The number of Levite males (one month and older) was 22,000, while the firstborn males from the rest of the Israelites were 22,273. Though that difference seems small, God still accounted for it, redeeming the extra 273 through five shekels per person. The same principle was applied to the livestock. Nothing was overlooked.

Why is this significant?

1. Delegation:
We see God assigning tasks to the Levite clans through Moses. This reminds me that greatness is never achieved alone. Whether you're a husband, wife, child, or colleague, we all carry a level of leadership and accountability. But how do you delegate or prioritize if you don’t truly know your people, your craft, or your role?

Leadership requires servanthood. You can’t lead what you don’t understand. To guide your spouse or kids, you must know them. To lead a team, you must understand their strengths and weaknesses. To perform a task well, you must know its intricacies.

2. Intentionality:
God is incredibly intentional, nothing is done by chance, and everything is accounted for. Sometimes we look at ourselves, people or things and say, “This doesn’t matter.” But everything matters. And nothing about your life is a mistake. That truth alone should lead us to rest in God's sovereignty; He is the master planner.

3. Reverence:
Though only briefly mentioned here, earlier chapters talk about Aaron’s sons who disobeyed God and were struck dead. We often forget that, as merciful and forgiving as God is, He is also a consuming fire. We were bought at a price. Reverence is still required.

Thank you.