Spirit of the Law

Scripture verse that caught my attention today: Numbers 1:25 those enrolled of the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

Observation: Chapters 1 and 2 of Numbers outline the results of a census of the Israelites (not including the Levites). The total number of the clans/tribes is 603,550. However, I noticed the number of all but one of the tribes seems to round up or down to the nearest 100. The exception, found in the verse above, ends in 50. There are no smaller numbers, no 47s or 53s or 13s and the like. So this census, though Biblical and commanded by God, would appear to be an estimation more than an exact number; it seems to offer a more of general impression rather than a hard and fast accounting.

Application: The letter and the spirit of the law are often held in tension. By “law” I could be referring to prescribed ways of doing things in the religious sector or I could be talking of secular laws or simply established policies and/or procedures related to any organization. Most ‘laws’ or policies are designed to prevent some type of abuse. Yet because laws and policies are often flawed in some way from the gitgo (wording doesn’t take certain situations into account and the like or is simply open for various interpretations), there are the ironic situations where well-intentioned laws can actually cause or allow for more abuse than they prevent.

In the Bible sometimes people get bent out of shape when the ‘laws’ are not followed precisely. This usually leads to tension and accusation. But there are other times, and this census would appear to be a case-in-point, where the spirit of the law holds seems to hold sway. A census was commanded, and they indeed counted people, but when they got the number narrowed down pretty close, it would seem they saw it appropriate to do a little rounding.

Unless, of course, the number of people in each tribe really did end on an even hundred or, in one case, fifty. I guess we’ll never know.

Prayer: Lord, in the new Testament we are told that setting one’s mind on the spirit brings life and peace. Enable us to do so. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Numbers 1-2 and Acts 24)