The budding of Aaron’s rod
June 27, 2020
Commentary
In today’s passage God proves once again to the people that Aaron can be trusted and he is the High Priest of Israel (vv. 1-6). A situation was set up for a visible sign of God’s unmistakable choice of Aaron as High Priest. Each tribe was to be represented by a rod or branch of an almond tree, upon which was to be inscribed the name of their tribe. Since the number of rods was twelve (v. 6), and since one rod was for the tribe of Levi, Aaron’s name was on it. At the appointed time, the rod of the man of God’s choosing would bud, and this sign was to settle who was God’s man (v. 5).
After witnessing spectacular miracles, seeing the Egyptians punished by the plagues, and experiencing the actual presence of God, the Israelites still complained and rebelled (vv. 7-13). The next day when Moses entered the tabernacle, he saw that it was Aaron’s rod that had budded. Aaron’s staff “brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds” (v. 8). The other 11 rods were just as they had been presented and as the people saw no buds on theirs. As usual, the Israelites overreacted when they heard the news and concluded that anybody who came near the tabernacle would perish. At least they had a fear of judgment, but they didn’t have a true fear of God in their hearts. They now saw themselves as those who could not compete against God (vv. 12-13).
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.Aaron’s rod in the Holy of Holies.To encourage the believers today to be obedient children, the Lord has given us:
His Word (John 17:17).The indwelling Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19-20).The Lord’s Supper, reminding us of the death of Christ and His promised return (I Cor. 11:23-34).The interceding Savior in heaven (Heb. 4:14-16).
Application
Before I judge God’s ancient people too severely, perhaps I need to examine my own heart to see if I have encouraged others to obey the authority of His Word and His appointed leaders.
Numbers 17:1– 13 (NET)
1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites, and receive from them a staff from each tribe, one from every tribal leader, twelve staffs; you must write each man’s name on his staff. 3 You must write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi; for one staff is for the head of every tribe. 4 You must place them in the tent of meeting before the ark of the covenant where I meet with you. 5 And the staff of the man whom I choose will blossom; so I will rid myself of the complaints of the Israelites, which they murmur against you.”
6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each leader, according to their tribes —twelve staffs; the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. 7 Then Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony.
8 On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony—and the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted, and brought forth buds, and produced blossoms, and yielded almonds! 9 So Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his staff.
10 The Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s staff back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels, so that you may bring their murmurings to an end before me, that they will not die.” 11 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him—this is what he did.
12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We are bound to die! We perish, we all perish! 13 (17:28) Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of the Lord will die! Are we all to die?”
Illustration: The gift of encouragement
Do you know someone who has: A song waiting to be sung? Some are waiting to be hung? A piece waiting to be played? A scene waiting to be staged? A tale waiting to be told? A book waiting to be sold? A rhyme waiting to be read? A speech waiting to be said? If you do, don’t let them die with the music still in them. (Florence Littauer – Silver Boxes: The Gift of Encouragement).