The Numbers Study Part 1: Finding Order in the Desert

Ever feel like your life is one giant to-do list that never gets checked off? Like you're wandering through a spiritual wilderness with no clear direction?

Welcome to the book of Numbers.

This often-overlooked book of the Bible has something profound to teach us, something we desperately need in our chaotic, overstimulated lives. It's about finding divine order when everything around you feels like desert.

This is Part 1 of a 5-part series we're going to walk through together. And I genuinely believe that if you stick with me through all five parts, you'll walk away with a deeper understanding of how God organizes His people for purpose, and how He wants to do the same in your life.

Why Numbers? (And Why Now?)

Most people skip Numbers. I get it. The name alone sounds like a math textbook, and the opening chapters are filled with census data and tribal arrangements. Not exactly the stuff that makes it onto inspirational coffee mugs.

But here's what I've learned after years of pastoral counseling and walking alongside people through their hardest seasons: the things that feel boring on the surface often hold the deepest treasures underneath.

Numbers isn't just about counting heads. It's about a God who cares enough to organize His people, to give them structure, identity, and purpose, before sending them into the unknown.

And if you're in a season that feels like wandering, this book has your name written all over it.

The Five-Part Framework

Here's something that might surprise you: the book of Numbers isn't a random collection of events. It has a deliberate, logical structure that corresponds to specific geographical locations and spiritual seasons.

Let me break it down:

• Chapters 1–10 (At Sinai): The Israelites receive the census, the law, Tabernacle instructions, and priestly ordination. This is the preparation phase.

• Chapters 11–13 (Journey to Kadesh): The people travel toward Kadesh Barnea. Movement begins.

• Chapters 14–20 (At Kadesh): An extended encampment, possibly lasting many years. This is where failure, consequences, and waiting happen.

• Chapter 21 (Journey to Moab): The journey resumes toward the plains of Moab.

• Chapters 22–36 (Plains of Moab): The final encampment before entering the Promised Land. Reorganization and renewal.

See the pattern? Preparation → Journey → Failure → Journey → Renewal.

Sound familiar? That's because it mirrors the spiritual formation process most of us experience in our own lives.

God doesn't just dump us into destiny. He prepares us, tests us, disciplines us, and then, when we're ready, He moves us forward.

What "Wilderness" Actually Means

Here's a detail that changed how I read this entire book.

The Hebrew word for "wilderness" is midbar. And it doesn't mean what most of us picture, endless sand dunes, scorching heat, tumbleweeds rolling through a lifeless wasteland.

Midbar actually refers to an unpopulated area with sparse vegetation. Think of it more like rugged, open terrain, challenging, yes, but not completely barren. It was the kind of land where God could supernaturally sustain an estimated 2 to 2.5 million Israelites through manna, quail, and water from rocks.

Why does this matter?

Because your "wilderness season" isn't God abandoning you. It's God bringing you to a place where you have to depend on Him: where the normal resources dry up so you can discover that He is your provision.

The wilderness isn't punishment. It's preparation.

Order Before Movement

Now, here's the practical part I want you to grab hold of.

Before God moved the Israelites one inch toward the Promised Land, He organized them. He counted them. He assigned them positions. He gave them roles, responsibilities, and a camp structure that had the Tabernacle (His presence) at the center.

In other words: God established order before He called them to move.

This is a principle I've seen play out in my own life and in the lives of countless people I've counseled over the years. When we're in a hurry to get to the next thing: the new job, the restored relationship, the breakthrough: God often presses pause and says, "Not yet. First, we need to get your house in order."

That might look like:

• Getting your finances organized

• Establishing healthy boundaries in relationships

• Building consistent spiritual disciplines

• Addressing unresolved wounds or patterns

• Creating rhythms of rest and work

It's not glamorous work. It doesn't make for viral social media posts. But it's the foundation that everything else gets built on.

The Center of the Camp

One detail in Numbers that I can't stop thinking about: the Tabernacle: the dwelling place of God: was positioned at the center of the Israelite camp. Every tribe was arranged around it. Every family knew their position in relation to God's presence.

This wasn't arbitrary. It was intentional design.

When God is at the center, everything else finds its place.

When He's not? Chaos. Confusion. Wandering without purpose.

I've met so many people who are trying to organize their lives around careers, relationships, achievements, or even ministry activities: but they've never actually put God at the center. And no matter how hard they try to create order, things keep falling apart.

The first step toward finding order in your desert isn't a new productivity system or a better calendar app. It's repositioning your life around the presence of God.

A Question for Your Wilderness

If you're in a wilderness season right now: and maybe that's exactly why you clicked on this post: I want to leave you with a question to sit with this week:

What is God trying to organize in your life before He moves you forward?

Maybe it's your time. Maybe it's your heart. Maybe it's a relationship that needs attention or a habit that needs to change.

Don't rush past the preparation phase. Don't resent the waiting. The structure God is building in you right now is the very thing that will sustain you when you finally step into your Promised Land.

What's Coming Next

In Part 2 of this series, we're going to look at what happens when the Israelites start moving: and what we can learn about navigating transition seasons with faith instead of fear.

For now, I'd encourage you to read Numbers chapters 1–10 this week. Don't skim. Don't rush. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants to organize in your own life.

And if you're looking for someone to walk alongside you in this season: whether through coaching, resources, or just a starting point for deeper growth: I'd love to connect with you.

Visit www.laynemcdonald.com to learn more about how we can journey together.

The wilderness isn't the end of your story. It's where God prepares you for what's next.