The Ensign Of Our Father's House

More and more people are becoming happily aware of the reality that it was Jesus Christ who led the Israelites out of Egypt at the time of His Passover (see also 'Before Abraham Was, I AM' and The Trysting Tent).

"^10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; ^10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ^10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; ^10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:1-4 KJV)

But Christ was not the leader of a lawless mob, set free unto anarchy. True freedom is based on law and order, legally-protected and enforced inalienable rights for all. Those who rejected true freedom in favor of Satan's lawless perversion of "freedom" (in effect, free-dumb from hearing His spoken word) were destroyed, either by themselves due to their foolishness, or by the LORD to protect the righteous from the anarchists (a word that, although unrelated in origin and definition, is, in their case, ironically, and appropriately, similar to antichrists).

"^10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness [see 'The God Of The Old Testament']. ^10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. ^10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. ^10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. ^10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. ^10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. ^10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. ^10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:5-12 KJV)

"Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house"

Once out in the wilderness of the Sinai (see also The Wilderness of Sin), the LORD established a military-precision marching and camp order, by ancestry of the sons of Israel (see the Fact Finder question below for the historic and prophetic reasons of His doing that).

"^2:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses [see The Master's Messenger] and unto Aaron [see Aaron: The Prophet's Prophet], saying, ^2:2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign [see Ensigns] of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.

^2:3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun [see also Why Did They Face East?] shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah [see Jacob's Family] pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. ^2:4 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

^2:5 And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar. ^2:6 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

^2:7 Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun. ^2:8 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

^2:9 All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth.

^2:10 On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben [see Reuben and Bilhah] according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur. ^2:11 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

^2:12 And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. ^2:13 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

^2:14 Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. ^2:15 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.

^2:16 All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank.

^2:17 Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.

^2:18 On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim [see also Why Did Jacob Adopt Ephraim And Manasseh?] according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud. ^2:19 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.

^2:20 And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. ^2:21 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

^2:22 Then the tribe of Benjamin [see also Was Paul A Jew or a Benjamite?]: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. ^2:23 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

^2:24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank.

^2:25 The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. ^2:26 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

^2:27 And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran. ^2:28 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

^2:29 Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan. ^2:30 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

^2:31 All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.

^2:32 These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. ^2:33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.

^2:34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers." (Numbers 2:1-34 KJV)

Fact Finder: (a) What was the practical purpose of the LORD establishing military order in the ancient Israelites after He had fought their battles for them to set them free? Who is the ultimate "ensign" of our "father's house"? (b) On the day of His return, is Christ going to be leading an army? Why?
(a) See The LORD Is My Banner
(b) Revelation 19:11-21; see also Christ the Conqueror For Peace and The Coming World Dictator