Prophecy

I just read Numbers 2 and was struck by the beauty and prophetic nature of the arrangement of the 12 tribes of Israel when they camped in the Sinai desert. If I'm interpreting it correctly, note how the arrangement is in the shape of a cross with God's presence in the tabernacle at the center, surrounded by the priestly tribe of Levi.       

                                                      NAPHTALI

                                                        ASHER

                                                         DAN

                                                         LEVI

BENJAMIN MANASSEH EPHRAIM LEVI GOD LEVI JUDAH ISSACHAR ZEBULUN

                                                         LEVI

                                                       SIMEON

                                                         GAD

                                                           S

The 1st camp of Judah was to the east, including the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun. They were the 1st to set out when the pillar of cloud and fire moved. In my mind, this parallels the 1st millennium of Israel, 1970 BC to 970 BC, at the very end of which the great King David, a descendant of Judah, died. Of course, King Jesus was a descendant of Judah also and of King David. He died exactly 1 millennium after King David died. How appropriate that the Lion of Judah (Gn 49.9, Rev 5.5) should be at the head of God's people. Also, during Israel's 1st millennium, they went into the Promised Land from the east. The second coming of the Lion of Judah will also be from the east (Ezek 43.1-4, Mt 24.27).

 

The 2nd camp of Reuben was to the south, including the tribes of Simeon and Gad. They were the 2nd to set out. I believe that this parallels the 2nd millennium of Israel, 970 BC to 30 AD. Reuben, though Israel's first-born son, "lay with Bilhah his father's concubine" (Gn 35.22) and so lost his "preeminence" (Gn 49.3-4). However, he opposed the killing of Joseph, a great figure of Christ, so it is appropriate that his camp is 2nd. At the very end of the 2nd millennium, came King Jesus.

 

The tent of meeting, the tabernacle, carried by the camp of the Levites, who didn't go to war, with the ark of the covenant at its head, carried by the Levitical priests, was the next to set out. Interestingly, they are not designated as the 3rd camp, because, I believe, they do not represent another millennium. Instead, they represent our High Priest, Jesus Christ, Who came at the end of the 2nd millennium and Who was also our Passover Lamb, sacrificed in 30 AD, bordering Israel's 2nd and 3rd millennia.

 

The 3rd camp of Ephraim was to the west, including the tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin. They were the 3rd to set out, at least of the camps that went to war. They parallel the 3rd millennium of Israel, 30 AD to 1030 AD. This fulfills Israel blessing the younger Ephraim with his right hand and the older Manasseh with his left (Gn 48.8-22). Ephraim had the sad history of being the chief of the northern 10 tribes that rejected King Rehoboam, King Solomon's son, and the temple in Jerusalem. They were at war with the 2 tribes in the south, Judah and Benjamin, for the entire reign of King Rehoboam. This is a suitable parallel for Israel's 3rd millennium, when, after rejecting King Jesus, they were separated from Jerusalem and the temple by their destruction by the Romans in 70 AD. Israel was also dispersed mainly to the west and north in their 3rd and 4th millennia.

 

The 4th camp of Dan was to the north, including the tribes of Asher and Naphtali. They were the 4th camp of warriors to set out. I believe that they are prophetic of the 4th millennium of Israel, 1030 AD to 2030 AD. The city of Dan was most notable for the golden calves set up there and in Bethel (captured from Benjamin by Ephraim) by Jeroboam. I believe these golden calves are prophetic of the future golden 4th (Herod's was the 3rd) temple in Jerusalem, which will be an abomination to God, along with its sacrifices. It is also possible that the Jewish Antichrist will be from the tribe of Dan. Israel's prophecy about Dan (Gn 49.16-18) contains hints of this and Dan does not have 12,000 included among the 144,000 saved Jewish men (presumably 20 and over, excluding women and children) of the last 7 years (Rev 7.4-8). The city of Dan's original name, Laish, was also probably derived from an old Semitic word for "lion" (Rev 13.2). The Jewish Antichrist, leading the 10-nation Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), headed by Russia, will come against Israel from the north.

 

Lastly, it is significant that the men of war counted about 1 year after they left Egypt were about 600,000. Just like God's first day of wrath in Noah's 600th year, this is prophetic of God's second day of wrath in the 6000th year, 2030/31. By the way, compare the 4 camps to the 4 living creatures (Rev 4.6-8): 1st like a lion (Judah), 2nd like a calf (immature, incomplete before Christ), 3rd like a man (Jesus), 4th like a flying eagle (saved Jews that will "fly" at the resurrection and rapture). All have 6 wings with which to make this "flight" at the end of 6 millennia, the last 4 of which are the 4 millennia of Israel.