AARON’S STAFF: A SIGN TO THE REBELLIOUS

Numbers 17:1-13 / Keywords 17:10

The LORD said to Moses, "Put back Aaron's staff in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die."

 The Budding of Aaron’s Staff

17 [a]The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. 3 On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. 4 Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. 5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”

6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. 7 Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.

8 The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

10 The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” 11 Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! 13 Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?”

a. Numbers 17:1 In Hebrew texts 17:1-13 is numbered 17:16-28.

1. As with the bronze censers, God gave another illustration to teach God’s holiness and sovereignty: 12 staffs presented before the covenant law. The staff God caused to sprout indicated whom God had chosen as their mediators. They did as Moses instructed, and the next day Aaron’s staff not only budded, but blossomed and produced almonds! Only the Creator God who gives life could resurrect a dead branch like this! Through Jesus, God has chosen us too, and as we remain in Jesus we bear much fruit (Jn 15:5). This is a sign of God’s blessing and grace to us.

 

2. God instructed the branch to be kept with the ark in order to be a sign to the rebellious: when they saw it, they ought to remember it was not Aaron’s line who is sovereign, but God. God doesn’t want them to die, but to stop forgetting God, grumbling against people, and becoming rebellious. That generation was toxically sick with fear and doubt (12-13). But God never gave up hope for them to repent. God looks with hope to the next generation. God gives sign after sign, leading to his greatest sign: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

 

Prayer Father, you are holy and sovereign; you give life to the dead. Thank you that in Jesus, I – a dead branch – have been made alive and fruitful. May this sign and grace keep me from fear, grumbling and rebellion, and point others to you, my Creator.

One Word A sign so we may not die