How God Trains the Israelites to Be His Army

Whatever book we read, we must not look at it in isolation. We must grasp the central theme of the entire book. Understanding what the Bible is saying becomes easy when revolving around this main thread, and then digging into the themes of these chapters along this central trunk. From the first chapter of Numbers, only those twenty years and older who could wield a weapon were counted. The entire book of Numbers, and even Exodus, records one thing: how God trains the Israelites to be His army. Chapters 7 and 8 of Numbers are all about this, and what are these things related to? Spiritual warfare is related to Jehovah God training His army. Chapters 9 and 10 continue to be about training His army.

Attributes of Jehovah God's army: First, they must be an obedient people. The disobedience of a group of Israelites prevents the people from being victorious in Jehovah's army. What results from defeat? These people will be cut off, and this cutting off is recorded many times in Numbers. Throughout Numbers, there is a constant cleansing of the Israelites, with thousands and tens of thousands dying at once, all to make the Israelites an army capable of fighting.

In the second year, in the first month, Jehovah God had them celebrate the Passover in that place, their first Passover since leaving Egypt. When observing the Passover, you see several characteristics of God's army? If God doesn't make something clear, ask Him. At this time, some people were unclean because they had touched a dead body and could not keep the Passover on that day.

We are unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?” Moses said to them, “Wait here while I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.” (Numbers 9:7-8)

This is a very important attitude. If you don't know something, you must ask and not make decisions rashly. Brothers and sisters, let us cultivate a habit: if something concerns Jehovah's army, ask God if you don't understand. If God doesn't respond, that's another matter. Why might God not respond? One simple reason is that it is not very relevant to God's army.

I once read a book called A Trip to Heaven. The book describes how, during his trip to heaven, he often saw Jesus, who would sit with him by the river, grilling fish and talking. And every time he went out and got dressed, he would ask Jesus what to wear. He felt this was confusing because he couldn't find such a precedent in the Bible. He felt he had a very loving relationship with Jesus, so much so that he had to ask God what to wear.

Moses did not get up every morning and say, God, what should I wear? God is really not that concerned about this. But the matter of offering sacrifices to Jehovah God, because they had touched a dead body and could not offer sacrifices to Jehovah God, Moses didn't know what to do, so he had to ask.

Moses began to ask God, I can go and hear what Jehovah God commands concerning you. Of course, some people say, What clothes should I wear? God, please instruct me. I have three job opportunities, can you tell me which one to take? You won't find a single verse about these things in the Bible. Choose by faith. For anything related to building the church and prayer warfare, the Spirit of God will surely reveal it to us because He is the living God.

Jehovah said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they may still celebrate the Lord’s Passover. They are to celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations and decrees. But if anyone who is clean and not on a journey neglects to celebrate the Passover, that person must be cut off from their people because they did not present the Lord’s offering at the appointed time; they will bear the consequences of their sin. (Numbers 9:9-13)

God's army is very strict, so strict as to cut these people off from the people, to drive them away. Within Jehovah God's army, there cannot be those who do not offer sacrifices, especially on the important festival of Passover. Those who do not eat the Passover lamb will be cut off from the people and bear their iniquity. If a person is not cleansed by the blood of the Lamb and does not have their sin replaced by the atoning Lamb, they shall bear their own iniquity and be cut off from the people.

An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must do so in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the alien and the native-born.” (Numbers 9:14)

This gives us an important revelation: building a church is like building Jehovah God's army, and we must have a firm attitude and follow the same rules and regulations before God. This is a characteristic of Jehovah God's army, and the Passover is a very important festival. Today, in the process of building the church, we are to observe Holy Communion. Holy Communion represents unity, unity in Jesus Christ.

Building a Holy, Unified, and Victorious Elite Church

The rules and regulations for observing the Passover have a very peculiar characteristic: it is family by family. No stranger celebrates the Passover among them. It is a unified, loving, and relational group together to observe Holy Communion. The Passover in the New Testament is called Holy Communion. Brothers and sisters, know that building a church must build a clean church. Some people, when building a church, always think about keeping certain kinds of people in the church, which is a deadly matter. That is not God's command.

Whether in the New Testament or the Old Testament, know one thing: in Jehovah God's army, there cannot be mixing, and we must be holy, unified, and adhere to the truth. Brothers and sisters, unity in Jesus Christ brings victory in spiritual warfare. So, when Moses wrote the last paragraph of chapter 10: Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.” (cf. Numbers 10:35)

We cannot bring those who hate God, do not love God, and are enemies of God into the church. There is clear record in the New Testament that the church in Jerusalem dried up, though it is not clear in what era. What can be traced is that in the years of Revelation, when the old John wrote Revelation, there was no mention of the church in Jerusalem. Even when the angel in heaven revealed Revelation to the old John, there was no church in Jerusalem among the seven churches.

Why was there no church in Jerusalem? Because the church in Jerusalem was a very mixed church, mixed with many Pharisees. For example, when the Apostle Paul spoke about the church in Jerusalem, he said this: Some men came from James, and when the Apostle Peter saw those men, he began to play-act. Even Barnabas joined in the pretense. Think about how great their power was. At that time, those who came from James held important positions in the church in Jerusalem and were very powerful. This James is the James who wrote the Epistle of James. He adopted a tolerant attitude towards the entire gospel, tolerating many Pharisees mixed in the church.

Brothers and sisters, understand one thing: today we are very fortunate that Paul wrote these epistles, especially Galatians, with a firm attitude, so that this pure gospel is among us. The church in Jerusalem later became very poor, and Paul needed to raise funds in the Gentile churches and bring them to Jerusalem, giving the donated money to this James in Jerusalem. As a result, Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, imprisoned for two years, and later sent to Rome.

We begin to see that in the process of church building today, many times we cannot cut these people off from the church. Brothers and sisters, have a concept of holiness and unity. Building a church is like boarding a plane: if you are not going to that destination, do not get on this plane. If we are all going to the kingdom of God and fulfilling God's destiny, then on this plane, build the same holy and unified church. If you are willing to come among us to be healed of your illness, thank God! May God heal you. If you want to find a boyfriend or girlfriend, and you find a boyfriend or girlfriend, thank God, but this is not the place for you to stay.

Building a church must have the same Mingding Destiny, a holy unified, glorious, truth-abiding, and victorious elite church, and must have a heart for victory. Today, reading the Bible, Numbers, you will see that God's attitude is very firm. First, the Israelite army of Jehovah God must be a holy and unified army. Numbers records how to train God's army into a holy, unified, and victorious elite army. What is the second point? Jehovah God's appearance above the tabernacle was like fire. When the cloud stayed on the tabernacle, the Israelites camped there. Whether it was two days, a month, or a year, the Israelites stayed in the camp and did not set out. When the cloud was taken up, they immediately set out.

What is God doing? God is seeing if the Israelites obey Jehovah God's commands. Jehovah's army has one characteristic: we follow the rules set by God. There are some things we do not understand, and we can ask God. In fact, when I first studied Genesis, because I didn't know how to study it, God's word often came to me when I studied Genesis. It was really amazing! What I searched for online was not very useful, and I didn't really agree with it.

For example, in Genesis chapter 38, Tamar was more righteous than Judah. Later, I sought God about this matter, and God really responded. Sometimes it may not respond for a day or two, or for a week, but after praying for two weeks, God began to respond. God trains people in this way. You believe that God will respond, and God really responds. Especially regarding building God's church, God's army, and fighting spiritual battles, God will surely respond.

The cloud being taken up and staying on this tabernacle was not something the Israelites could control, nor could Moses control it. So they camped at the command of Jehovah and set out at the command of Jehovah. They kept the Lord's command, according to what the Lord commanded Moses.

You will see that God will surely lead the Israelites. Everyone must know that God not only personally reveals Himself to us in the Bible, but God also constantly manifests Himself among us, leading us step by step to victory. You will see that the cloud remained on the tabernacle for many days, and the Israelites kept the Lord's command and did not set out. If the cloud of Jehovah God did not rest on the tabernacle, they continued to move forward. This is the army of Jehovah God.

Today, brothers and sisters, the process of spiritual warfare is very difficult. When I was praying for a sister, that evil spirit kept talking, and it was the spirit of a cobra. The spirit of the cobra hates our way of fighting because we will be praying and fighting continuously for forty-eight hours these past few days. Many people were controlled by the evil spirit of the three-headed snake and the nine-headed snake, and many of them were later liberated. Yesterday it was a one-headed snake, and the one-headed snake admitted that it caused a sister's child to have a high fever, stomachaches, diarrhea, and some children to get sick. As a result, it said, I'm leaving, I'm leaving, and they'll be fine soon. Sure enough, when we drove the demon out, the child got better.

The child had been suffering for several days, and we prayed repeatedly. When we fought together, we saw the child get healed. In such a battle, we all rushed in, and there were more brothers and sisters praying and fighting together. The cloud is a sign God gives us. Then, when we are to move, we move forward together, and when we are to camp, we camp there. It is not according to personal will, but according to God's command.

Don't think that being a warrior in Jehovah God's army is about eating, drinking, and having fun. The warriors in Jehovah God's army are fighting. We, as the army of Jehovah God, the mighty warriors in the army, have chosen a powerful enemy, which is the devil Satan. Don't think that you can fight by eating, drinking, and having fun.

God never told us in the Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy that we can win by eating, drinking, and having fun. Only by diligently keeping and following God's word can we win the battle. As Jehovah God's mighty army that wins battles, you will surely receive the benefits that come from God. God commands when to set out and when to camp, all according to God's word.

God is training the Israelites. When the cloud is taken up, maybe someone is feeding their child, and they have to pack up quickly. Isn't this tormenting? Being tormented is better than losing the battle. Being trained in Jehovah God's army, even if you are tormented, you will willingly and joyfully persevere, and you will share in the victory that God brings.

Don't Be Afraid of Toss and Tumble

Brothers and sisters, we must choose to be people who are not afraid of toss and tumble. As God's army, we must endure more than the devil. Either be tormented by the devil, or be tossed and tumbled by God. Willingly offer ourselves to be trained as elite soldiers according to God's will. Set out when it is time to set out, and encamp when it is time to encamp. God is training our spiritual life in this, so don't be afraid of toss and tumble.

In the church, I deliberately toss and tumble some brothers and sisters. As they are tossed and tumbled, they grow. Some people don't understand and say, Why so much toss and tumble? Can people grow without being tossed and tumbled? If you don't toss and tumble, can you call it training? When you are in the army, some people are taking a cold shower, and haven't even washed the soap off, but they must run to the middle of the parade ground to assemble in two minutes. Even a lousy country requires this kind of training. As a result, they rush out with soap suds on their military uniforms and stand in the ranks. Isn't this tossing people around? It is tossing people around. If you want to be a fighting soldier, you have to do it this way.

It is said that someone was killed in the Korean War. He was killed because everyone else had evacuated, but he was the only one left making fried rice. He insisted on eating fried rice, and a bomb fell and killed him. Why? Because he did not follow orders to move forward. Today, brothers and sisters, we must know that our God values rules very much. If you don't follow the rules, you risk your life. The road is like a tiger's mouth. If you don't follow traffic rules, you don't know when the road will swallow you up. You must learn to carefully adhere to the rules. The rules that God has set in the army of Jehovah are not to be compromised.

You will find another kind of toss and tumble. God commanded Moses to make two trumpets and to blow them in this way and that way, with several different ways of blowing. Then, when the trumpet was blown, they began to gather, just like I said, when the trumpet was blown, they began to gather. What should they do if they are halfway through a shower? If the soap suds haven't been rinsed off, don't even talk about the army of God, even in the armies of the world, if the soap suds haven't been rinsed off and you slowly wash yourself, and you are one minute late for the assembly, that is a severe punishment.

Today, we need to know that in the army, military law is like a mountain. We must know one thing, that if we want to build a church, we must build Jehovah's victorious army. You know that when their trumpets sound loudly, they are remembered before God and rescued from their enemies. You will see that when the Israelites chose not to carefully adhere to the rules, they were beaten to a pulp by the surrounding enemies. You have to be tossed and tumbled like this. After being tossed and tumbled, you become mighty warriors of Jehovah God, strike the devil and the enemy, and then begin to receive the rewards of victory.

Don't Live a Small Life

Today, in God's army, you must not live a small life! If you are a person who lives a small life, it is really difficult for you to carefully adhere to God's word in God's army. So the blowing of trumpets is the command for the people of Israel to gather. Gathering and the setting out of the camps are all done through the blowing of trumpets. So on the twentieth day of the second year, after the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month, the cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle of the testimony, and this was the first time they set out. They had never trained before, only saying that these were the rules, that the Passover was to be kept in this way, and that the commands were to be kept in this way. When the cloud was lifted up, they set out, and when the cloud stopped, they encamped. At this time, on the twentieth day of the second month, for the first time they trained, and they began to dismantle their tents and pack up their belongings.

You know, when I first went to Singapore, I was most afraid of moving. Moving is really a lot of toss and tumble. I moved six times in a little over a year. When I talked about finding a house and moving, my head would buzz. At that time, I tell you, it was really hard. You call people to find a place, and at that time there were no mobile phones or navigation. You agreed on where that place was, and you looked at the map. It was very hard. Finally, you found that place, and they said it was a ten-minute walk from the subway station, but it turned out to be a forty-minute walk. With no money and nothing else, you still had to find a house, pay a deposit, and move. Then, after living there for less than two months, you had to move again. It was a lot of toss and tumble.

This time, the Israelites stayed at Mount Sinai for a while, training every day. This time they set out, and the tabernacle had to be dismantled, and the tents of each family had to be dismantled. It was really a lot of toss and tumble. Then they moved forward, and this walk forward was a three-day journey.

Do you know what it feels like to walk for three days in the wilderness? There were no cars or horses, and everyone carried their own things. Let's not talk about forty kilograms, just try carrying twenty kilograms for three days. Blisters will appear on your shoulders and the soles of your feet. It's really terrible. After walking for three days, the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went before them for three days to seek out a resting place for them. The cloud of Jehovah was over them by day. It was really hard. Then Moses said, Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you. (Numbers 10:35)

What did Moses say when the ark stopped? Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel. Moses was great because of this. You say that Moses was also tired from walking, an eighty-year-old man. It was also very hard. But he did not complain, because Moses also suffered from this, but Moses accepted this training. If you walk for three days, you walk for three days. In such days, do you say there is any value in this? Can't we stop and be quiet for a while? Is it not possible to encamp and live in one place? Does God have to toss and tumble us like this? God wants this kind of toss and tumble.

Why? Because it will cause those who hate Him to flee from before God. If you want to inherit the promises that Jehovah God has given you, you must be a victorious person. I used to have a concept that serving God is so good! Everything is smooth and you don't have to suffer at all. Later, I found out that it was not the case. The Apostle Paul suffered too much in the New Testament. Some people say, Is it really God who called you? If it is God who called you, you should be eating and drinking well, how good would that be? In fact, it is not. To be a soldier in God's army, especially to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, you have to be able to withstand the toss and tumble. In fact, it is not only so in the New Testament, but also in the Old Testament.

Accept God's Challenge

You say that Jacob received his Mingding Destiny, and then went to his uncle's house with a staff. He grazed sheep during the day and guarded the flocks at night. He had to eat in the wind and sleep in the dew. It was very hard. As a result, he had no income for fourteen years, and only began to build his own property in the fifteenth year. It was a lot of toss and tumble. Today, brothers and sisters, we must know that Joseph, Jacob's son, also experienced a lot of toss and tumble. He had just received his Mingding Destiny when he was sold into slavery in Egypt. Just when he was doing well as a slave, he was framed and imprisoned. You say how much toss and tumble that was. In fact, I tell you, faith is all tossed and tumbled out. Abraham left his kindred and his father's house and went to the place that God showed him. When he arrived, he encountered a great famine. You say how much toss and tumble that was.

Abraham never had a shower room or bathing facilities in his life. He just lived in a tent. It was very hard. But it doesn't matter. These people have seen through the things of this world. If spiritual people see through all things, we will understand what it means to live. Either be tossed and tumbled by the devil, and then be ridden and beaten by the devil for the rest of your life. Although some people occasionally eat, drink, and have fun, and indulge in pleasure, they are often ridden and beaten by the devil.

A few days ago, I saw a news report about a suicide by jumping off a building in Singapore. I saw a video that someone took with their mobile phone. They were yelling and screaming in surprise. Someone jumped from the building. That building was very high, and it took more than ten seconds for them to fall down and die. It was a wealthy person. There was another one who also jumped off a building. He was an entrepreneur. At the beginning of this year, one of the four young masters of Beijing also committed suicide. We will see in this generation that if you don't become a mighty warrior in the army of Jehovah God, you will become a slave of the devil. People have to see through the things of this world. Anyway, we are all alive. No matter what, I must be victorious. Let God toss and tumble me. Even if I am not tossed and tumbled in this way, I will be ridden and beaten by the devil. Today, I will begin to become a mighty warrior who casts out demons.

One of them was Moses' brother-in-law, his wife's brother, Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law. Moses said, Please do not leave us, for you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us. And if you go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you. But he said to him, I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to my kindred. Moses said, “Please do not leave us.” Think about it, this Hobab thought about it, if I toss and tumble with you, when the cloud of Jehovah is lifted up, I have to set out; when the cloud of Jehovah stays there, I have to encamp. Whether it is one day or two days, or one month, or one year, I have to set out at any time. I can't afford to toss and tumble like that.

So Hobab counted the cost. If I toss and tumble with you, I might as well go back to my own people and my own kindred. The good things that Jehovah has promised to the Israelites, you can have them all. I don't want them. You want the good things that Jehovah has given you. I have not seen or received any good things. I have only seen toss and tumble. So he did not want to follow Moses, and he left on his own. That is to say, we humans have a choice. We can choose to say, God, I want to receive the good things that you have promised us.

But if you want to receive the good things that Jehovah God has given us, you need to train a victorious army. Look at the church today, how desolate it is. Why is the church so desolate today? Because they have not built Jehovah's victorious army according to God's commands. They don't want to toss and tumble, and as a result, the whole church becomes desolate and is tossed and tumbled by the devil. But today, we must determine to choose to toss and tumble with God, and define ourselves as mighty warriors of Jehovah, to completely strike the devil and the enemy. No matter what kind of toss and tumble it is, we accept it, and we run forward with faith, and then we will surely receive all the good things that God has promised.

Today, I must say that this matter has been confirmed. Today, I tell everyone, look at many of us who willingly offer ourselves to God to serve Him, and are willing to submit our work and life to God. What is their work and life like? They clearly see God's presence in their work, and they also clearly see God's presence in their lives.

Our brothers and sisters must know that our good is not apart from God. If you have not seen the goodness of God, one of the most important reasons is that the army of Jehovah God has not walked according to God's commands. If you covet comfort, you will not be able to be mighty warriors of God, and you will not be able to draw upon the promises that victory brings. Therefore, in Numbers chapter 11, the Israelites began to complain, because all they saw was the current toss and tumble. They did not see the good things that God had promised behind the toss and tumble.

Today, brothers and sisters, we must know for sure that our good is not apart from God. The good things that God has promised us are all obtained through fighting and victory. If we do not fight and win, where will the good things come from? If we do not build a victorious church, if we do not build a holy, unified, glorious, and victorious elite church, our brothers and sisters will see that in a weak church, everyone is being tossed and tumbled half to death by the devil. Therefore, brothers and sisters, accept God's challenge no matter what, be trained to become mighty warriors, strike the devil and the enemy, and then plunder the enemy. In the spiritual world, plunder the devil and the enemy, and then we will surely receive all the good things.

And when the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” (Numbers 10:35)