Establishing Aaron Before The People (17:1-13)
Neal Pollard
The events of Numbers 16 firmly ensconced Moses’ position as undisputed leader of the people. The original charge was against Moses and Aaron, that they were not special nor exalted above the congregation (16:3). The events that followed, in chapter 16, proved Moses’ sanctification. Moses shows this rebellion was against God, not him (16:8-11). The showdown that follows proves his claim (16:16-40), as the 250 Levites who were consumed by fire for their insurrection and Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with their families, were swallowed up by the earth.
Now, in chapter 17, God moves to reconfirm His approval of Aaron. Aaron’s most valiant work comes at the end of chapter 16, when he checks the plague that was sweeping among the rebellious of Israel (16:41-50). He took his stand between the dead, nearly 15,000 of them, and the living. The Lord speaks to Moses concerning Aaron’s authority as High Priest (1ff).
In the form of a contest, God calls for each tribe to bring a staff from a chief in their father’s house. Each tribe of Israel was to select a staff from a chief man, write his name on the staff, and submit that staff to Moses. The tribe of Levi was to write Aaron’s name on their staff. The staff that budded would be the man God chose (5). Not only did Aaron’s rod sprout, but it produced blossoms and bore ripe almonds (8). Moses presented the evidence to the people. The miraculous budding of Aaron’s rod, to the extent of ripe almonds, was meant to evaporate any reasonable rational for grumbling. Aaron’s staff was placed in the ark of the covenant (cf. Heb. 9:4) as “a sign for the rebels” (10). The people, having witnessed the punishment of the rebels in chapter 16 and endured the plague that punished their complaining, are fearful to even approach God in worship (12-13).
This rebellious generation suffered from several chronic spiritual problems, including insubordination against authority, grumbling, and fear of worship. The writer of Hebrews will help us understand the root of all of this. He writes, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief” (Heb. 3:15-19).
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