Our Heavenly Father is concerned about numbers. After all, HE created mathematics and the relationship of numbers. Numbers occur throughout Scripture where there are many hidden truths. Our Heavenly Father ordered Moses, in the wilderness of Sinai, to number those able to bear arms—of all the men "from twenty years old and upward," and to appoint princes over each tribe. 603,550 Israelites are found to be fit for military service. In chapter 26, a generation later and after approximately forty years of wandering the desert, the Lord orders a second census. 601,730 men are counted, exactly 1,820 men less.
The Levites were also numbered:
14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying:
15 “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families; you shall number every male from a month old and above.”
By taking a census, every person became “accountable”. The concept is no different than today’s census.
Numbers 3:39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand.
The number 22 represent light and revelation, sonship, sons of light, in Scripture thus the Levites were chosen to bring forth revelation at the beginning of the journey in the wilderness. Within this group Our Heavenly Father called forth an additional counting:
Numbers 4:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2 “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ house, 3 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.
The sons of Kohath were to focus on Spiritual warfare (enter the service to do the work) on behalf of the Israelites.
At the end of the Book of Numbers, all of the tribe of Levi were counted again:
Number 26:62 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.
The number 23 represents “death and resurrection-life.” in Scripture, prophesying the end of the Levitical priesthood just prior to entering the Promised Land and the beginning of the Order of Melchizedek. The Levites fulfilled their purpose in the Wilderness and were dedicated to the Spiritual aspects of service. Their numbers grew by 1,000 over the 38 1/2 years between the two censuses. 1,000 represents the Glory of God, Completeness. The second census prior to entering the Promised Land is a precursor to the Glory coming. Our Heavenly Father gives us only enough details to carry out the task at hand and we operate according to HIS good pleasure.
In the final accounting, there were 820 less in the total census. I am sure Our Heavenly Father will show us the relevance of this number at some point.