Leviticus 27:1-34; Numbers 1:1-54

The Lord commands that a census be taken of the people to determine how many fighting men there are.  This census is not to include the Levites, as their responsibility is to care for the Tabernacle.

I have often struggled with the importance of keeping track of attendance at church.  There have been many Sundays in my life when I have looked at the attendance board while leaving the church and (to some extent) judged my value on those numbers.  In that case knowing attendance was a negative thing.  However, God wanted to know the number of people who were following him, and perhaps more importantly he wanted to encourage the people by letting them know that they were a nation.  They had brothers who would fight alongside them if attacked.  They and their tribe were not alone, but had the other tribes.  In this case it was important to know the numbers.