Today's passage continues God's response to the Israelites' clamoring for new leadership. As God makes His selection clearly known, we get a wonderful picture of God's work through those He calls to Himself. We were originally connected with God as branches on a living tree or vine. In our rebellion (sin), we separated ourselves from Him, so we withered and died. When we confess our sins and place our faith in Jesus alone to make us right with God the Father, He uses what we bring--ourselves. He causes us to fulfill our living function again. May the word of God imbue us with new life to complete the work He enables us to do and to show His goodness and glory to all around us.
Numbers 17:1-13
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers' house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff, 3 and write Aaron's name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each fathers' house. 4 Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5 And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you.” 6 Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs. And the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. 7 And Moses deposited 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 behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff. 10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.” 11 Thus did Moses; as the Lord commanded him, so he did.
12 And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. 13 Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord, shall die. Are we all to perish?”
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ Why were there 12 staffs? [v2-3]
+ Where were the staffs to be placed? [v4] (Note: The "testimony" is the Ark of the Covenant, which contained items that testified to God's work with His people.)
+ How would God make it clear which leader He selected? [v5]
+ Whose staff sprouted buds? [v8]
+ Who saw the budded staff? [v9]
+ Where was the budded staff placed, and why? [v10]
+ How did the people respond? [v12-13]
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Are there times you think you have a better plan, or could make better choices, than God? What does today's passage indicate to be the truth?
+ How has God caused new life and growth in your life? Like Aaron's staff among other key artifacts served as a testimony of God's work, what reminders do you have of God's work in your life and the lives of those in the Church or around you?
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?
+ Testimony serves its purpose when shared with others. With whom can you share your testimony--the work you have and continue to witness God doing in your life and the lives of those around you--this week?