Expositional Paper on Numbers 17, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The preceding chapter of Numbers 16 shows rebellion of Korah and that of the Israelites. The Israelites blamed Moses and Aaron that they were the cause of the plights befalling them while in the journey through the wilderness. A plague struck because of the murmur leading to death of 14, 700 Israelites[1]. This current chapter 17 seems to be a confirmation to the house of Israel that God had chosen Aaron to lead. Perhaps, the princes from the rest of Israel tribes murmured after Moses had chosen Aaron to be the priest in charge. The tribe of Levi was a notable tribe from which God had taken to choose priests. However, the tribes had no satisfaction for they questioned why the tribe of Levi and not the other tribes. The chapter presents an account that culminated in acknowledgement of God’s will among all Israel. They marvel at the blossoming of Aaron’s rod and fear of perishing near the tabernacle. God instructed Moses to ask the Israelites to bring a rod from each family as a sign for the unbelieving Israelites. Each leader from the twelve families brought a rod, and from the tribe of Levi, they brought Aaron’s rod. On each rod, Moses wrote the name of the tribe’s leader. Then Moses was to put the staffs in the Tabernacle before the Lord and front of the Ark of the Covenant. God had instructed the leader whose rod would sprout would be the Lord’s choice. Moses followed the instructions exactly as the Lord had given and Aaron’s staff did blossom producing fruits of almond.

The miraculous sprouting and fruit bearing of Aaron’s staff is a clear confirmation of Aaronic priesthood[2]. This goes further to prove that God was behind the setting aside of the tribe of Levi as a royal priesthood among the Israelites. We can take the blossoming rod as Christ working atonement for the entire human race. The rod stands out among the other eleven- standing out among the dead, “making atonement.” The sprouting of Aaron’s rod is figurative of Christ’s resurrection. The other rods were dead, and there was no life in them. Aaron’s rod received life, and it was able to sprout buds and produce fruits of almond. Christ, the first fruits of those that slept, rose from the dead. The miracle signifies life from the dead and represents a sinner who is dead to sin as well as serving to foreshadow the resurrection of Israel in a spiritual sense[3]. The sprouting rod preserved before the Ark of the testimony took the murmurings of the Israelites and no one among the other Israelites could come close to it except the priest serving in the earthly sanctuary. It was a provision and assurance of the journey through the wilderness to have the blossoming rod preserved before the Lord[4]. In the book of Hebrews 9: 4, we read, “In that room was a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, covered with gold on all sides and a gold incense altar. Inside the Ark was a gold jar containing some manna, stone, covenant tablets and Aaron’s staff that blossomed, with the Ten Commandments written on them. The account presented in chapter 17 of Numbers shows that God’s will is unchangeable and that He is always in control. Disobedience against God brings calamities among the sinners[5]. The Israelites suffered from plagues due to their disobedience and unbelief, but God graciously provided a remedy. The miracle of the sprouting staff was a gracious miracle compared to other miraculous occurrences like the killing of 14,700 and the destruction that happened to Korah.

The Sprouting of Aaron’s Rod

The chapter starts with “The Lord said to Moses, “Take twelve wooden staffs, one from each of israel’s ancestral tribes, and inscribe each tribal leader’s name on his staff…..” Numbers 17: 1-2.

It had been a routine for the Lord to speak to Moses. The Lord had chosen Moses to fetch the Israelites out of Egypt to Canaan the Promised Land. The twelve tribes have a basis in the twelve sons of Jacob. The taking of twelve staffs, one from each tribe, showed God’s concern over all the house of Israel. It showed the completeness of His love and care for His people. Christ chose twelve as His disciples. The word used for rod in this case sometimes represents a tribe[6]. This had a meaning that God used a miracle to make known about whom He had chosen to lead in the matter of priesthood.

3 The Lord instructs Moses to inscribe Aaron’s name on the rod belonging to the tribe of Levi, as there would be one rod for each tribe’s leader. 4 God tells Moses to place the rods in the Tabernacle before the Covenant Ark, where the Lord used to meet Moses.

The Lord through Moses had already chosen Aaron through Moses, but there was a murmur among the children of Israel[7]. According to the account given here, we tend to see a craving for the priesthood by the princes from the other tribes. Perhaps this occurred due to the privileges accompanying those who were to serve as priests. The rods brought into the Tabernacle seem to have been dry. They were not fresh or else it would not have been a miracle for Aaron’s rod to sprout. These were the rods used by the princes as symbols of authority, staves, which were old and dry, without sap. It is also probable that the rods were from the almond tree.

Preparation of the rods

The princes brought the rods in some of them perhaps expecting the choice to fall on them. Some saw themselves receive high honor to compete with Aaron and as priesthood candidates. Moses laid the rods before the Lord, which were to stay there overnight. He did not reject the rods with the claim that the priesthood matter was no longer a bother as the Lord had chosen Aaron. Moses did not venture to determine or solve the controversy, although he would have done it easily as a leader for the Israelites[8]. Furthermore, he did not see it unnecessary to provide a satisfaction through a sign to a people who were not ready to believe even after escaping the bondage in Egypt. This is a show of leadership qualities possessed by Moses. He had a concern for the people he led. He accepted their weaknesses and sought to bring them in accordance with God’s will. Moses simply left the matter with God as He had requested him to do.

5 God promise Moses that the man whose rod would sprout would be the one the Lord has chosen. 6 Moses, thus gave the instructions from the Lord to all the twelve Israel leaders, and they brought rods and gave them to Moses. 7 Moses placed the rods before the presence of the Lord in the Covenant’s Tabernacle.

The Lord gives a sign to identify His choice. This plays a role of encouraging the Israelites to put their trust in God’s will[9]. Moses is quick enough to relay the message from the Lord to the leaders of the tribes. The elders show cooperation. Indeed this shows that they were still obedient to Moses, and would listen to him despite the murmuring that had rocked the camp.

8 The following morning, Moses went into the presence of the Lord and found that the rod belonging to Aaron had budded producing almond fruits. 9 He brought out all the rods from the Tabernacle for the Israelites to see, and every leader took his rod. 10 the Lord told Moses to preserve the rod of Aaron before the testimony. The stuff was to be there as a token against those who rebelled. 11 Moses did as the Lord had commanded. 12 the Israelites cried to Moses they feared dying and perishing. 13 The Israelites confess and accept that anyone coming near the Tabernacle would die.

Here, we note 1. A miracle serves by determining the controversy regarding the priesthood, verses 8 and 9. Moses brought out into the public the rods from the most holy place. All the other rods remained as they were while Aaron’s rod had produced buds and yielded almond fruits- it became a living bud. Some parts of the rod had buds, while other parts had blossoms and still other regions had produced almond fruits. The sprouting and fruit yielding rod was a miracle that diminished all suspicion among the murmuring Israelites[10]. It was something impossible for an ordinary branch to have buds, blossoms and fruits simultaneously and so none could think that Moses took Aaron’s rod at night and replaced with a living branch.

Crucial Lessons from the miracle

1. The miraculous blossoming of the almond rod was a clear indication to the Israelites that God had chosen Aaron to the priesthood. None would think any more about the other eleven princes from the rest tribes. Therefore, God distinguished Aaron from the other princes and qualified him to be heavenly peculiar blessing that could yield increase without the influence of men. We learn that fruitfulness is an indication of a divine call[11]. No wonder Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits.” Meaning that we are able to distinguish whether one is a true servant of the Lord from the actions they portray. God’s trees although we may think they are dry possess sap in abundance and can blossom and yield fruits. In the book of John 15, Christ asserts that He represents the vine, and we, the branches. Those branches that bear abundant fruits attach firmly to the vine. Branches not attached to the vine would not bear any fruit for they had no life in them. What God has appointed for us, we should gladly accept and support His work.
2. This miracle was fitting to stand for the priesthood, which God had confirmed to Aaron. (a) That it was to be serviceable and fruitful to the Church of God. In addition to the blossoms, it produced almonds; because the priesthood was not only an honour to the Israelites but also a blessing. Thus, Jesus Christ ordained His ministers and apostles to go into the fields and fetch fruit with them, which should remain, John 15:16 (b) the priesthood was to be successional. The almond rod had buds and not only blossoms. The buds stood for future priests. Christ has also appointed a seed to serve, in His church, to serve continually in generations to come before He comes back for His church. (c) Priesthood was not to be perpetual, but with time, just like the blossoms and branches of a tree, was to wither and fail. The flourishing almond tree is a sign of old age, as per Ecclesiastes 12:5[12]. God had a perfect plan of salvation. Christ was to replace the earthly sanctuary in the heavenly ministration for all humankind. Aaron was a Christ, pointing to Him until the appointed time. The atonement for the remission of sins took place often, but when Christ came, the Mosaic Priesthood became invalid. We read in Hebrews 8:13 that, by a new covenant, Christ has made the first covenant obsolete and whatever grows old and become obsolete disappear readily. Thus, the Aaronic priesthood stood as a sign of the true priest ordained, by God, to serve in the heavenly sanctuary in order to bring forgiveness for the world, Hebrews 9:11-12[13].
3. The miracle was a figure of Christ and the priesthood He was to carry out: for Christ is the branch, the man, to be a priest on His throne, Zech. 6:12[14]. Christ was to grow up before His father, God, as the rod before the Ark, like a root and a tender plant out of a dry ground, Isa. 53: 2. The blood of goats, bulls and other animals could not suffice for the forgiveness of sins completely. In the earthly sanctuary, priests offered sacrifices daily and yearly for the overall cleansing of the Israelites. When Jesus came He died on the cross once, and the sins of the world crucified with Him.
4. Moses went before the Tabernacle. Usually it was not his custom to enter there because it was not his duty to do so. Aaron and the priests from the Levites are the ones who entered and ministered in the sanctuary. It is only the high priest that entered this most holy place once a year. Moses thus entered because God had commanded him to go in and place the twelve rods before the Lord. We learn that God is the one who facilitates man’s affairs and He can do it even at whatever costs for the salvation of sinners.

Perpetual remembrance

The Lord instructed Moses to preserve Aaron’s rod before Him, in the Ark of the Covenant that it might be for a perpetual remembrance in Israel, verses 10, 11. Perhaps the fruits, blossoms and the buds remained fresh for long for the power that produced them preserved them and acted as a sign for any rebel among the Israelites. Thus, this was an outstanding miracle, whose continuance was a proof of truth undeniable by all among the tribes of Israel. God’s tree shall never have her leaves wither, Ps 1: 3. Moses preserved the rod, and the censers would take the murmurings of Israelites. Note, 1. God’s design in all of His providences, both judgments and mercies, and in their memorials, is to prevent sin and blot it away. 1 John 2: 1 says that the written scripture exists that we may not sin. Christ took away sins. 2. God, through real kindness, works for the taking away of the sins of humanity, so that we will not die. All the sharp methods God uses, all the bitter potions He gives, have a function in the elimination of diseases which would otherwise be detrimental to man’s spirituality[15]. We observe here that the pot of manna, Aaron’s rod and tables of the law lay preserved in the ark. Hebrews 9: 4 notes all of them together, helping to show to the future generations how the ancient church carried out its services in teaching, feeding, and ruling. The apostle in Hebrews also infers how valuable the sacraments, the doctrine and the church’s government are towards God and ought to be for the current generation of Christians[16]. There was another rod used, by Moses, to perform many miracles, but God did not instruct Moses to preserve it, as the keeping of it would just function to gratify curiosity of men. God instructed Moses to keep Aaron’s rod instead, which was to carry along with it the miracle, and because it would suffice to convince the consciences of men in Israel. In addition, the rod would confirm the Israelite faith in God’s institutions as well as silencing disputes concerning the priesthood. Here, we can see the difference between Christ’s sacraments for edification and the relics devised by men for superstition.

The people’s outcry

In Numbers 17: 12-13, the Israelites cried out that they would die; everyone coming near the Lord’s Tabernacle would perish. They were afraid of what they had doubted and filled with sorrow for their sinfulness. The cry could be a language of, 1. A people, repining, and quarreling with God’s judgments, which, through their obstinacy and pride had invited upon themselves[17]. Here, the people seem to speak with despair, as though God was a tough Master taking occasions to quarrel them and sought advantage against them. According to their cry, it is as if whenever they would make any slight mistake, they must all perish, they must die, meaning that God was not through with their destruction until all of them had perished from His judgments upon the rebellious people. Thus, these people seem as an antelope in a net, with the Lord’s fury filled upon it, Isaiah 51: 20, complaining of God’s hardness on them and of forced submission, which they accepted because of their helplessness. Fretting against God when we are in affliction is an extremely wicked thing. In fact, fretting in distress against God makes one to trespass more than before. If we perish, if we die, it is because of ourselves, and the blame should rest upon ourselves. These people did not understand God’s judgments on them and thus they kept on blaming God for the calamities that befell them. When we lack understanding of God’s will, we perish because of the ignorance. Or, 2. A repenting people. According to many interpreters, the Israelites were showing submission by their cry[18]. They had seen that Aaron’s work and the priesthood was according to the will of God. They promised to keep a distant from the Tabernacle, and nearer than appointed were at their own risk. They submitted to God’s appointment of Aaron and promised not to contend with the Lord’s will anymore for it would lead to their destruction. Thus, they engage Moses to intervene by making intercessions for them so that they would not die of Judgments from God. The Israelites learned a crucial lesson and God took away their murmurings. We note that God’s judgment overcomes and has the power to convict the obstinate people to confess their sins. Repentance is the most appropriate reaction to God’s judgment. We gain nothing by complaining against God in times of distress.

Conclusion

Number chapter 17 shows God establishing a test for the Israelites. All the leaders in charge of the tribes each submitted a rod. Each rod had the name of the leader inscribed on it. The Lord had given the sign to Moses the leader whose rod would produce buds, fruits and blossoms would be the chosen of God. Moses did as God had instructed and we find Aaron’s rod budding diminishing all contentions from the other tribes.

God chose the tribe of Levi whose meaning is “attached.” From a look at Levi, one would not expect the tribe to do service for God, but God chose it because He wants those who attach themselves to Him. All the twelve staffs were dry, but Aaron’s staff bloomed because it had a connection with God, the source of life. The choosing of the tribe of Levi has a meaning that leadership in the sight of God is as per attachment to Him and not merit or personal ability.

God never intends for His children or His church to be as dead branches, but to be alive[19]. Aaron’s rod was different at the sight of all people, and everyone noticed the distinction. Aaron’s rod had an abundance of life. Aaron’s living rod was a form of resurrection symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The rod confirmed the position of Aaron over the other tribal leaders. The fact that Jesus resurrected distinguishes Him and shows that He is the true Messiah.

Bibliography

Blomberg Craig, Hubbard, L. Robert and Klein, W. William, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, (Nashville, Tennessee :T. Nelson, 2004), 203-225.

Cole R. Dennis and Cole R. Dennis, The New American Commentary – Numbers,
(Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2000I), 89-93.

Lee W. Won, Punishment and Forgiveness in Israel’s Migratory Campaign (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003), 123-130.

Stubbs, L. David, Numbers, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Brazos Press, 2009), 29-35.

Van Seters, John. The life of Moses: the Yahwist as historian in Exodus-Numbers. Kampen, Netherlands: Kok Pharos, 1993. ATLA Religion Database, EBSCOhost (accessed May 30, 2012).

Wright, Archie T. “The Spirit in Early Jewish Biblical Interpretation: Examining John R. Levison’s Filled with the Spirit.” Pneuma: The Journal Of The Society For Pentecostal Studies 33, no. 1 (March 2011): 35-46. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 30, 2012).

[1] Van Seters, John. The life of Moses: the Yahwist as historian in Exodus-Numbers. Kampen, Netherlands: Kok Pharos, 1993. ATLA Religion Database, EBSCOhost (accessed May 30, 2012).

[2] Stubbs, L. David, Numbers, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Brazos Press, 2009)

[3] Blomberg et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, (Nashville, Tennessee :T. Nelson, 2004)

[4] Wright, Archie T. “The Spirit in Early Jewish Biblical Interpretation: Examining John R. Levison’s Filled with the Spirit.” Pneuma: The Journal Of The Society For Pentecostal Studies 33, no. 1 (March 2011): 35-46. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 30, 2012).

[5] Lee W. Won, Punishment and Forgiveness in Israel’s Migratory Campaign (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003)

[6] Cole R. Dennis and Cole R. Dennis , The New American Commentary – Numbers,
(Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2000I)

[7] Van Seters, John. The life of Moses: the Yahwist as historian in Exodus-Numbers. Kampen, Netherlands: Kok Pharos, 1993. ATLA Religion Database, EBSCOhost (accessed May 30, 2012).

[8]Stubbs, L. David, Numbers, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Brazos Press, 2009)

[9] Blomberg et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, (Nashville, Tennessee :T. Nelson, 2004)

[10] Blomberg et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, (Nashville, Tennessee :T. Nelson, 2004)

[11] Cole R. Dennis and Cole R. Dennis , The New American Commentary – Numbers,
(Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2000I)

[12] Stubbs, L. David, Numbers, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Brazos Press, 2009)

[13] Wright, Archie T. “The Spirit in Early Jewish Biblical Interpretation: Examining John R. Levison’s Filled with the Spirit.” Pneuma: The Journal Of The Society For Pentecostal Studies 33, no. 1 (March 2011): 35-46. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 30, 2012).

[14] Blomberg et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, (Nashville, Tennessee :T. Nelson, 2004)

[15] Blomberg et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, (Nashville, Tennessee :T. Nelson, 2004)

[16] Lee W. Won, Punishment and Forgiveness in Israel’s Migratory Campaign (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003)

[17] Lee W. Won, Punishment and Forgiveness in Israel’s Migratory Campaign (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003)

[18] Stubbs, L. David, Numbers, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Brazos Press, 2009)

[19] Blomberg et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, (Nashville, Tennessee :T. Nelson, 2004)