Numbers 26

"And it came to pass, after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: 'Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel'...These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty." vv.1-2, 51

Read chapter 26

Another census of the tribes of Israel while they are in the wilderness just like in Numbers chapter one.  This is actually the third time there is a census of Israel as the first was in Exodus 30.  The taking of the census was not for war, as we learn David did, but for seeing God's faithfulness that He would not blot out Israel and make them as numerous as sand on the seashore.  It's interesting to compare Numbers chapter one with chapter twenty-six of the population of each tribe whether they increased or decreased.  With all the times we see people die we might think that there's barely any Israelites left but the population number is just about the same.  In 1:46 we see there are 603,550 men twenty years and above not including Israelites.  In 26:51 we see there are 601,730 men twenty years and above not including Israelites.  So there's a decrease of 1,820; still a lot that have die but a lot that have been born and/or grown up. 

Today when it seems like more and more people are turning away from Christianity, we still see God preserving a remanent of believers.  When was a time you felt like the only Christian?  When have you been surprised meeting someone who was a believer?