"The sons of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers' houses" (Num. 2:2a). Every man encamping by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers' houses signifies that they were arranged without their choice according to their preference but according to God's ordination and arrangement. If an Israelite were born in the house of Reuben, he had to camp with the tribe of Reuben and be under the ensign of Reuben. He could not camp with Judah or some other tribe. We today need to learn not to have our own preferences but to be according to God's ordination and arrangement.
All the children of Israel were encamped "facing the tent of meeting" (v. 2b), with the testimony of God as their unique center and goal. The ark within the tabernacle was the testimony of God, and the testimony of God was the law contained within the ark (Exo. 25:16). The law is a portrait of God, typifying Christ as the testimony of God, expressing what God is. Hence, the ark within the tabernacle, as a type of Christ, the embodiment of God, was the center of God's people, who were journeying in fighting for His testimony. For the testimony of God, the tabernacle was called the tabernacle of the testimony; for the meeting of God's people, it was called the tent of meeting.
The children of Israel were encamped around the tent of meeting (Num. 2:2c). This was for the protection of the tabernacle of the testimony.
The children of Israel were encamped on all four sides of the tabernacle. On each side was one camp, composed of three tribes (vv. 3-16, 18-31).
On the east side, toward the sunrising, was the standard of the camp of Judah, composed of the armies of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; these were to set out first (vv. 3-9). On the south side was the standard of the camp of Reuben, composed of the armies of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad; these were to set out second (vv. 10-16). On the west side was the standard of the camp of Ephraim, composed of the armies of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin; these were to set out third (vv. 18-24). On the north side was the standard of the camp of Dan, composed of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali; these were to set out last (vv. 25-31).
The sequence of the four camps was not according to birth but according to spiritual condition. Although Reuben was the firstborn (Gen. 29:31-32), because he committed fornication he lost the birthright (Gen. 49:3-4; 1 Chron. 5:1-2). Judah was born fourth (Gen. 29:31-35), but he set out first because he was an overcoming lion among the twelve brothers (Gen. 49:8-9), typifying Christ as the overcoming fighter, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), the One who defeated God's enemy. Ephraim, the son of Joseph, was third because of Joseph. Among the camps, Dan was the last. Dan was also the worst, for he was a "serpent" (Gen 49:17), and he was the first to rebel against God's kingdom and set up a second worship center (1 Kings 12:26-30). (See Life-study of Genesis, Messages Ninety-eight through One Hundred Seven for more concerning the spiritual condition and blessing of the twelve tribes of Israel.)
Four camps of three armies each yields the number twelve. This number, composed of three multiplied by four, signifies the Triune God (three) mingled with His creatures (four), forming a unit of eternal and perfect government. The number twelve is the number of God's perfect and complete government. The twelve Apostles, for example, are for God's government.