In Numbers 2, Moses is giving his assignments to each tribe as to where they will camp in relationship to the Tabernacle and what position they will have when they march. In Num 2:31, we learn who will be last: “All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards.” (NIV)
One can only imagine some of the difficulties involved in bringing up the rear when several million people marched through the desert. The dust would almost be unbearable. Help would have to be given to stragglers and lost property would have to be picked up, not to mention the trash. Can you imagine the “Lost and Found” department? You would always be the last to know where you were going. Long after the tribe of Judah (#1) had stopped marching, the tribe of Dan would just be getting to camp.
Position seems to be such an issue today just as it was among the disciples. Who will be first? Who will be on Jesus’ left and right? Jesus was quick to bring correction to their thinking in Matthew 20:26, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NIV)
The Apostle Paul talked about this to the Corinthian church in 1 Cor. 12:21-26:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (NIV)
Every tribe had its duties while marching, whether they were in front, in the middle, or bringing up the rear. But, they marched as a nation. Every one followed the same pillar of fire by night and cloud by day. They all ate the same manna, drank water from the same rock. Most important of all, regardless of position, they all journeyed to the same inheritance.
A new year lies ahead of us. But whatever 2019 contains in its twelve months will not overwhelm us if we face it together as the Body of Christ. Every member of that body is important, regardless of position. Let’s just make sure we leave no one behind as we continue to follow the Lord’s leading.
That’s my view of things.