Aaron’s Staff That Budded

INTRO

Today, we are studying Numbers 17 and 18. What stands out from the previous chapters is how Moses and Aaron still wanted to bless the people, even after they rebelled. Korah’s rebellion was one of the worst rebellions in Scripture. They didn’t trust Moses and Aaron, so God opened up the earth to swallow them and then brought fire to burn up the 250 followers. In chapter 17, God said that if the Israelites need more proof that He was with them, then He would give them more proof.

TEACHING

Numbers 17:1–3: The Lord instructed Moses. Here we see this dialogue again, that there was a test coming. Moses was to speak to the Israelites and to take one staff from each leader of the 12 tribes. Then he was to write the name of each man on his staff and write Aaron’s name on the Levite’s staff. There was one staff for all of the houses of Israel.

Numbers 17:4–5:

Next, Moses was to place the 12 staffs in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony (the Holy of Holies). Aaron was the only one who saw in to the Holy of Holies. The Lord instructed, “The staff of the man I choose will sprout and I will rid Myself of the Israelites’ complaints that they have been making about you.”

Numbers 17:6–7: Moses asked the Israelites to give him a staff from each leader of the 12 tribes. Aaron had done a couple of dumb things, for example, (Exodus 32:4) the golden calf. He had a wife and had four sons, two of whom had died. God was going to show all the Israelites that this man, Aaron, was His chosen vessel. Keil and Delitzsch wrote that, “A man’s rod was a sign of position as a ruler in the house and congregation.”¹In the story of Esther, if the king didn’t lower his scepter to her, she wasn’t allowed to come forward. The staff was a symbol of power and authority. Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony.

Numbers 17:8: The next day, Moses entered the tent of testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted, but it had budded, blossomed, and produced almonds. The staff went from dead to sprouted. Wenham wrote, “Almonds blooms early with white blossoms and its fruits were highly prized.”²

• Genesis 43:11: “Then their father Israel said to them, ‘If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and take them down to the man as a gift—some balsam and some honey, aromatic gum and resin, pistachios and almonds.’” They were taking this to Joseph. The color white also symbolizes purity, holiness, and God himself.
• Isaiah 1:18: “‘Come, let us discuss this,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow.’” God was showing purification and fruit at the same time. They go hand in hand.
• Daniel 7:9: “As I kept watching, thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of His head like whitest wool.” White always represents the presence of God.
• Revelation 20:11: “Then I saw a great white throne and One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.” Wenham wrote that, “Jeremiah the prophet associates almonds with watching.”3
• Jeremiah 1:11–12: “Then the word of the LORD came to me, asking, ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ I replied, ‘I see a branch of an almond tree.’ The LORD said to me, ‘You have seen correctly, for I watch over My word to accomplish it.’”

Numbers 17:9–12: Moses brought the staffs out for each man to look at. The Lord told Moses to put Aaron’s staff back in front of the tent of testimony as a sign to the rebellious. He was to keep it as a sign to end their complaining or they would die. We all need reminders that point us to the Lord. Moses did as the Lord commanded him. Maarsingh wrote, “Just as God could make an apparently dead rod miraculously bear fruit, so he could elect a line of descendants like any other and enable it to render priestly service fruitfully.”⁴Weirsbe wrote, “As usual, the Israelites overreacted when they heard the news.”⁵The Israelites lamented, “We will die. We are lost.”

Numbers 17:13: The Israelites questioned, “Anyone who comes near the tabernacle will die. Are we all going to die?” Aaron had had this staff all his life.

Exodus 7:8–10: “The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘When Pharaoh tells you, “Perform a miracle,” tell Aaron, “Take your staffand throw it down before Pharaoh. It will become a serpent.”’ So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent.”

Exodus 7:19: “So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron: Take your staffand stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers, canals, ponds, and all their water reservoirs—and they will become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in wooden and stone containers.’”

Exodus 8:15–16: “But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said: Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron: Stretch out your staffand strike the dust of the earth, and it will become gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’”

Could it be that the Israelites finally saw the wretchedness and sinfulness of their lives? Weirsbe wrote that “the Lord gave Israel three reminders to encourage them to obey His law and submit to His will: the tassels on their garments, the brass plates on the altar, and Aaron’s rod in the Holy of Holies.”⁶

CLOSING

What does the Lord give us as a parallel, so we are obedient with Him? Weirsbe wrote:⁷

The Word of God ((John 17:17): “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.”

The Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20): “Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.”

The Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23): “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, ‘Take, eat. This is My body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’”

Interceding Savior (Hebrews 4:14-16): “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.”

So, we can go from dead to becoming alive (Romans 8:11). All of this comes from a simple picture of a dead stick that now has fruit. Numbers 18 just talks about the provision for the priesthood, then gets into support for the priests.