What Camp Are You In?
What Camp Are You In?
Twice in Luke 13, Jesus said, “I don’t know you or where you’re from.“ CertainlyJesus is not talking about their physical address or town, but rather which camp they belonged to while living.
”Judah’s military divisions will camp on the east side toward the sunrise under their banner.
The leader of the descendants of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab.
Reuben’s military divisions will camp on the south side under their banner. The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur.
The tent of meeting is to move out with the Levites’ camp, which is in the middle of the camps. They are to move out just as they camp, each in his place, with their banners.
Ephraim’s military divisions will camp on the west side under their banner. The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud.
Dan’s military divisions will camp on the north side under their banner. The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.“
Numbers 2:3, 10, 17-18, 25 HCSB
While the Israelites were traveling in the desert with Moses they would move out and camp under the banner of the tribe at the end of their row. My guess all camps had their banner but the ones of Judah, Ruben, Levi, Ephraim, and Dan were bigger. Any Israelite would be able to find home by finding their camp’s flag. There were five flags, one at the center to find God and one at each end of four legs to make a cross. If you ran into another Israelite you would learn which tribe they were from and who they were camped by.
The early church had the same kind of setup.
”What I am saying is this: Each of you says, “I’m with Paul,” or “I’m with Apollos,” or “I’m with Cephas,” or “I’m with Christ.”
1 Corinthians 1:12 HCSB
They had divisions within the church at Corinth. Some people skidded with Paul, Apollos, Peter, or Jesus. I saw a YouTube video that broke down the divisions of the church by these four men. Watch it here. When in reality the Gospel is based on Jesus and was taught by Peter, Paul, and Apollos.
But we too have divisions. We call them denominations. But I think we have 4 or 5 major ones: Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Non-Denominal. Each is a branch of Jesus’ church body. One is not more saved than another and we all could learn a bit more from the others.
But in the end, there are only two camps. God’s followers and Satin’s. Everyone is born into Satin’s. We must choose to live in God’s. God’s camp moved among the people of Israel in the form of Jesus. Everyone liked to listen to Him and eat the miracle food he often provided. But they were unwilling to pick up their tent from the comfortable camp of Satin and into the hard camp of Jesus. His camp was so hard that at one time all his followers left but the twelve and even then they too would leave for a period.
”He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted to him by the Father.” From that moment many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him. Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you? ” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God! ”
There is a move across America and the modern Church world that will be dismantling the denomination in Jesus’ church body. Will you be hanging on to the old or will you embrace the new that is coming? If we hang on to the old for too long we just find ourselves in the wrong camp and Jesus will say to us, “I don’t know you or where you’re from.“
I want to be known by Him and in His camp at the end of my days.
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