Numbers 17-18
And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel. – Numbers 18:20
Click to read passage
Are humans good students? Well, the answer is both yes and no. When we consider how mankind has progressed from living in caves to residing in skyscrapers we must conclude that indeed God has blessed man with superb learning and thinking capabilities. On the other hand, when people repeatedly make the same mistakes we may wonder if we are truly good students.
Today’s text follows the Kohathites’ challenge to Moses and Aaron’s leadership over Israel recorded in Numbers 16. In that instance, God quelled the rebellion immediately by causing the ground to open up and swallow up the rebels and their families ( Numbers 16:31 – 34) while their 250 followers were burned to death from the Lord’s fire (16:35).
Some commentators suggest that the people had always been unhappy with Moses because they perceived Moses as monopolizing power over Israel by appointing his brother Aaron as the high priest, not forgetting his sister was also a prophetess. To put to rest the people’s suspicion and grumblings, God instructed Moses to collect one staff from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, the most holy place in the tabernacle. On each staff, the name of the leader of the tribe was to be written. Specifically, for the tribe of Levi, Aaron’s name was to be written.
A staff is but a wooden rod used by shepherds to tend to their sheep. But it is also a symbol of authority. For instance, Moses’ staff was called “the staff of God” (Exodus 4:20). It was used to turn Egypt’s water into blood (Exodus 7:19). And when Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, God rained hail upon the land of Egypt (Exodus 9:23).
In ordering the staffs to be deposited in the tabernacle God made clear that the staff of whom He chose as high priest will sprout. The next day when Moses went into the tabernacle he found that Aaron’s staff had not only sprouted and put forth buds it had also produced blossoms and bore ripe almonds. Now, remember a staff is but wooden rod. It is a piece of deadwood, if you like. For it to not only sprout but bear ripe almonds God is sending a crystal clear message to the people that it was Him and not Moses who appointed Aaron as the high priest.
There are three important lessons here. First, whom God appoints He will also affirm. Here we see that God had gone the extra mile to affirm Aaron by causing his staff to not only sprout but also bear fruit. Second, whatever may be man’s intention, God’s sovereignty will prevail. Proverbs 16:9 makes this clear: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps”. Third, as mortal beings we must learn to accept with humility that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways because as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8, 9).
When the people saw what God had done, they trembled. They said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone”. The fear of the Lord enveloped them.
Reflection:
At the heart of the people’s unhappiness with Aaron and Moses’ authority lies not only envy but also forgetting that God is God. Unless the fear of the Lord is ever present in our lives, we too, like the Israelites, will make mistakes and suffer from their consequences.
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, thank you for reminding us that your ways are always higher than our ways and your thoughts than our thoughts. We pray that the fear of the Lord will be deeply embedded in our lives as we submit ourselves to your Lordship. Strengthen our faith to follow you where you will lead us and help us to bear fruits for the glory of your Name. In our Lord’s precious Name we pray, Amen.
Click to read passage
Are humans good students? Well, the answer is both yes and no. When we consider how mankind has progressed from living in caves to residing in skyscrapers we must conclude that indeed God has blessed man with superb learning and thinking capabilities. On the other hand, when people repeatedly make the same mistakes we may wonder if we are truly good students.
Today’s text follows the Kohathites’ challenge to Moses and Aaron’s leadership over Israel recorded in Numbers 16. In that instance, God quelled the rebellion immediately by causing the ground to open up and swallow up the rebels and their families ( Numbers 16:31 – 34) while their 250 followers were burned to death from the Lord’s fire (16:35).
Some commentators suggest that the people had always been unhappy with Moses because they perceived Moses as monopolizing power over Israel by appointing his brother Aaron as the high priest, not forgetting his sister was also a prophetess. To put to rest the people’s suspicion and grumblings, God instructed Moses to collect one staff from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, the most holy place in the tabernacle. On each staff, the name of the leader of the tribe was to be written. Specifically, for the tribe of Levi, Aaron’s name was to be written.
A staff is but a wooden rod used by shepherds to tend to their sheep. But it is also a symbol of authority. For instance, Moses’ staff was called “the staff of God” (Exodus 4:20). It was used to turn Egypt’s water into blood (Exodus 7:19). And when Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, God rained hail upon the land of Egypt (Exodus 9:23).
In ordering the staffs to be deposited in the tabernacle God made clear that the staff of whom He chose as high priest will sprout. The next day when Moses went into the tabernacle he found that Aaron’s staff had not only sprouted and put forth buds it had also produced blossoms and bore ripe almonds. Now, remember a staff is but wooden rod. It is a piece of deadwood, if you like. For it to not only sprout but bear ripe almonds God is sending a crystal clear message to the people that it was Him and not Moses who appointed Aaron as the high priest.
There are three important lessons here. First, whom God appoints He will also affirm. Here we see that God had gone the extra mile to affirm Aaron by causing his staff to not only sprout but also bear fruit. Second, whatever may be man’s intention, God’s sovereignty will prevail. Proverbs 16:9 makes this clear: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps”. Third, as mortal beings we must learn to accept with humility that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways because as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8, 9).
When the people saw what God had done, they trembled. They said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone”. The fear of the Lord enveloped them.
Reflection:
At the heart of the people’s unhappiness with Aaron and Moses’ authority lies not only envy but also forgetting that God is God. Unless the fear of the Lord is ever present in our lives, we too, like the Israelites, will make mistakes and suffer from their consequences.
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, thank you for reminding us that your ways are always higher than our ways and your thoughts than our thoughts. We pray that the fear of the Lord will be deeply embedded in our lives as we submit ourselves to your Lordship. Strengthen our faith to follow you where you will lead us and help us to bear fruits for the glory of your Name. In our Lord’s precious Name we pray, Amen.