Numbers 17

Even in the Old Covenant, the Lord had established more than one system of governance. The tribes had leaders under Moses who were to move forward as he moved forward with the tribe of Judah in a position of prominence. But at the center of the camp was the Lord's sanctuary under Aaron, the High Priest, a Levite.

This second authority, the permission to draw near to God in accord with His Word, was an important marker in our preparation for the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who was not only the King of the Lord's Kingdom, but the High Priest over a royal priesthood. He was not of the descendants of Aaron, because the Old Testament priesthood would not continue in the New Covenant. The right of access to God through Jesus would allow all of God's children, Jews and non-Jews, to boldly approach our Father through the Son of God.

For the Old Testament period, challenges to Aaron's authority as High Priest were answered not only by Moses, but also by a visible sign given by the Lord Himself. Only Aaron's rod, out of all the staffs from the leaders of the tribes, would miraculously produce buds. Moses deposited the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony. On the next day, only Aaron's staff had not only buds, but blossoms, and even almonds. A dead piece of wood had been given life.

This blossoming staff was a visual testimony of the Lord's seal on his own Word. This should have stopped all the grumbling over spiritual privileges among the descendants of Israel.

The reaction of the Lord's children was recorded for us to consider in the final verses of the chapter: “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”

It was true that all who would transgress the Law, approaching the Lord in unauthorized ways without regard for the spiritual duties and privileges given to Aaron, deserved to die. But there was a future hope, not only for Israel, but for all the tribes of the world included in the Lord's promise to Abraham. God's intention was to bless all the nations through the Seed of Abraham.

The singular Seed, an individual, has saved the plural seed, a community. The union between the One and many is something that the church celebrates every time we eat the holy bread together. We proclaim the Lord's death until He comes, and we ourselves are called the body of Christ.

This great privilege of access to the Father is ours through Jesus, our High Priest. The door to heaven is open to Jews and Gentiles in Christ. There is no other Name given among men by which we must be saved.

He is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the new blossom of everlasting spiritual authority. He bids us to come to Him, and to find everlasting life, peace, rest, and fruitfulness. Through Him, we shall not perish.