These are my Thoughts and Reflections on this week’s reading which is the 113th reading of the 3-year Torah Portion Cycle. It is found in Numbers/Bemidbar 17:1-18:32 (17:16-18:32).
Our reading picks up immediately where the Korah incident left off. Remember from our last reading (i.e., 112), that Korah and his posse led a revolt, challenging the leadership of Moshe and Aharon and Sons. Well, that revolt ended not only in the horrific deaths of the revolters but also in the deaths of thousands of Israelites who, the day after the revolters’ deaths, rose up against Moshe and Aharon for their leaders’ deaths.
Clearly the people, possibly for reasons that derived from their ingrained propensity towards rebelliousness (i.e., thus the stiffnecked moniker Yah attached to them). Thus could not accept the fact that Yehovah was in charge. Yah set the rules. Yah set the agenda for the nation. Moshe and Aharon were His anointed and appointed leaders. To challenge Yah’s established order for the nation was felonious and worthy of summary execution.
In order to finally put to rest any lingering question as it may relate to the ones Yah placed as leaders of the nation, Yah instructed Moshe to have each one of the 12 tribal leaders bring him a staff with their names inscribed upon them. (Aharon’s name would be inscribed upon the staff representing the tribe of Levi.) Moshe was instructed to place each of the rods in the Tent of Assembly/Testimony, specifically before the Ark of the Covenant overnight. In the morning Moshe recovered all 12 staffs and found, as Yah had foretold, Aharon’s staff had not only budded with blossom, but it also bore almonds. The Jerusalem Targum describes Aharon’s staff as having bloomed with flowers and ripened almonds, while the Targum Onkelos simply describes Aharon’s staff as having produced branches and having blossomed, and produced ripened almonds.
What’s the significance of the blossoms and almonds?
Yehovah does nothing haphazardly or without some form of symbolism or lesson being attached to it.
In terms of the blossoms or white flowers that are common to the Almond Tree, Hebraically they are symbolic of purity; holiness (i.e., qadosh); and of course became symbolic of the priesthood.
In terms of the ripened almonds, there are quite a number of opinions as it relates to its symbolism in this context:
- Life and renewal. This would be significant in light of the tragic events of Korah’s rebellion. Here, in this context, the almonds would be a contrast to the scourge of death that followed that rebellion.
- Watchfullness/Wakefullness (shaqed, which is derived from shaqad–Psa.127.1; Pro.8.34; Jer.31.28). The almond has the characteristic shape of the human eye. It therefore is symbolic of Yehovah’s eyes. Recall that the menorah cups were shaped as almonds (Exo.25.31-40). And of course, the menorah was the only source of light in the Tabernacle. Hebraically, the menorah symbolized Yah’s watchfulness and wakefulness in that place. And within the context of this reading, the symbolism of almonds sprouting from Aharon’s staff can be associated with Yah having looked upon all the tribal staffs that Moshe placed before His presence, and He, Yah, selecting Aharon’s staff, thereby certifying that Aharon was His chosen high priest. The watchfulness of Yehovah is explicitly mentioned in Yah’s revelation to and call to the Prophet Jeremiah: Moreover, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said I see a rod of an almond tree. (Jer 1:11 ASV) Then said Jehovah unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it. (Jer 1:12 ASV) In other words, one of Yah’s immutable character traits is that He is zealous and unstoppable when it comes to His promises (i.e., His word–His dabar) being fulfilled. He is a God of His Word. He does not lie, unlike humanity (Rom.3.4; cf. Psa.116.11).
House of Levi and House of Aharon
Moshe (the human author of our readings) recorded that the rod where Aharon’s name was inscribed, of the House of Levi (aka bet halevi or bet levi), had sprouted blossoms and ripened almonds (17.8 [17.23 BHS]). Moshe’s tribal designation of bet Levi/bet halevi is important on at least two levels: (1) The miracle of the blossoming, sprouting rod designated Aharon as Yah’s elect High Priest; and (2), the blossoming, sprouting rod also designated the tribe of Levi as Yah’s exclusively chosen priestly line. Remember that this miraculous event transpired on the heels of Korah’s rebellion (Num. 16 or Torah Reading 112). That uprising was incited over a contention of Moshe’s and Aharon’s authority (i.e., both manifested and religious authority) over the nation. And here we see in the events succeeding that rebellion, Yehovah definitively establishing Moshe’s, Aharon’s, and House of Levi’s chosen status over ancient Israel.
Beyond leadership designations, it also established Yehovah’s “sovereignty over nature and humanity” (Cole, R. Dennis (2000) “New American Commentary).
Aharon’s Budding Staff and the Holy Spirit–Tokens
Moshe is commanded of Yah to “bring back the staff of Aharon before the testimony as a guard and sign for the children of rebellion, and let them finish their grumblings before Me and not die” (17:10-11; LEX).
This act would serve as a memorial to Yah’s “divine decision” (ibid.). It was to be a token, which Hebraically means “a keeping or reservation” (Bush, George; “Notes, Critical, and Practical, on the Book of Numbers), as was the placing of a pot of manna in the Sanctuary (Exo. 16:33). It was a confirming of the Levitical Priesthood for rebellious Israel with the intent or purpose of ending the people’s belly-aching.
The Indwelling Set-Apart Spirit serves a similar purpose for every Nazarene Yisra’elite, certifying and confirming for us, the sovereign priesthood of our Master and Messiah, Yahoshua.
Aharon’s Budding Staff Points the Way to Life
We find tremendous symbolism associated with the 12 rods that were put before Yehovah for consideration. Before each staff was placed in the Tabernacle before the Ark, they consisted of dead, hardened wood, useful in aiding its bearer in walking along arduous terrain as well as in their personal defense. They are dead and without life, and could serve no other viable purpose.
When the rods were retrieved by Moshe the next day, eleven of them remained as dead and lifeless as they were when they were first placed before the ark the previous day. However, Aharon’s rod, having budded with flowers and almonds miraculously came to life. It was indicative of life, hope, and fertility even among the deadness of the eleven.
Thus, Yah affirmed to the nation that the Aharonic Priesthood was the only sanctioned conduit or means of worship and the pathway to life.
Today, the Aharonic Priesthood has been shelved by Yehovah, at least for the time being. The symbol of the budding rod has in a sense passed to the Malchizedekian Priesthood, headed by Yahoshua Messiah (Heb.7). This priestly order, presently serving an intercessory role in the great plan of salvation, redemption, and restoration, is the source of life, hope, and prosperity to Nazarene Israel.
The Aharon’s Budding Rod–A Symbol of the Holy Spirit–Convicts the Nation
12And the children of Yisra’ěl spoke to Mosheh, saying, “See, we shall die, we shall perish, we shall all perish!
13“Anyone who comes near the Dwelling Place of יהוה dies. Shall we be consumed—to die?” The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Nu 17:12–13.
Yah intended that the miracle of Aharon’s budding rod would confirm once and for all, through every succeeding generation, the Aharonic Priesthood as His only chosen priestly line. It was to put an end to the ongoing rebellious debate among the people as to who was to lead the people. The people in every respect were born of rebellion and disobedience (LXX) (17:10; Deu. 9:7,24).
The spiritual transforming effect the budding rod had over the people was that it produced in them an overwhelming sense of conviction. We find recorded in the Targum Onkelos associated with this passage:
“Behold, the sword hath killed some of us, and behold, the earth hath swallowed some of us, and behold, some of us are dead with the pestilence.”.
Similarly in Targum Jonathan a similar notation said to have been uttered by the people:
“Behold, some of us are consumed with flaming fire, and some of us are swallowed up into the earth; behold, we think as did they, so we all of us shall perish.”
These recognized, ironically so, the rod was physical evidence of the mercies that Yehovah had lavished upon them despite their rebellious and disobedient ways. In this we see, in a narrow sense, the beatitudinal character trait of poverty of spirit (reference Mat. 5.3). These not only experienced an overwhelming degree of conviction, they were struck with true fear of Yehovah and those things that are associated with Him:
“Every one that cometh near, every one that cometh near unto the tabernacle of Jehovah shall die; shall we be consumed in expiring, or giving up the ghost?”
Sadly, however, despite being convicted of their disobedience and rebellion, the people saw were incapable of seeing the salvation of Yehovah (i.e., His Yeshua). These saw only a bitter end to their existence (17.13).
If we take from this event Aharon’s budding rod as symbolic of the Holy Spirit, we can glean from all that transpired here the following character traits of the Ruach Kodesh’s work in the Netzer:
- He confirms the centrality of the Person and Ministry of Yeshua in the Netzer’s life.
- He convicts the Netzer in the event he/she transgresses Yah’s instructions in righteousness and of his/her sin in general, producing within them spiritual poverty which is essential for receiving and entering the Malchut Elohim (aka the Kingdom of God).
- He corrects the Netzer of any doctrinal or theological issues that may cause the him/her to err and miss the mark of the high calling in Messiah (Phi.3.14).
The remainder of our Torah Reading passage is a summary of the duties of the Aharonic Priests and the Levites in the service of the Sanctuary and to Yehovah. These were all previously delineated in Leviticus and previous chapters of this book. There is a clear delineation of the role that Aharon and Sons and their Levite brethren would play in the service of the sanctuary. Essentially, Aharon and sons would have direct access to the sanctuary and conduct worship, while their Levite cousins served more of a ministerial role to Aharon and sons (18:2). The Levites were not permitted to have direct access to the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar (18:3). This delineation was put into place to ensure that no future confusion or chaos ensued in the nation in relation to sanctioned roles among the Israelites in the service of Yehovah. To violate this delineation was defy Yehovah and to transgress His Torah (18:4-5).
And thus, Yah reaffirms the utter sanctity and exclusivity of the Tabernacle and all that is associated with it, with deadly consequences for any who would transgress or impede that sanctity (18:6-7). But the Levites would not be without value to the sacred operations of the sanctuary, but would be vital to ensuring proper care and transport of it when Yah instructed. Consequently, the Aharonic Priesthood would be responsible for receiving and using, within the framework of Yah’s instructions, the sacred implements and the gifts (aka Terumah) of Yisra’el (18:8-32). Every care of life was to be provided for from the “terumah” of bene Yisra’el. Thus, the Levites would not be awarded possessions of real property when the nation went in to take possession of the Land. Yah provides all.