Numbers 16-18 A Rebellion and Staff Buds

Thoughts

Numbers 16

Korah was Aaron’s cousin (fathers were brothers)

Kohath tribe and Reuban tribe were both south situated – so the complaints must of spread among them.

For an 80+ year old man, Moses falls on his face a lot (just wondering if it was hard for him to get up and down but maybe he is super in shape)

Moses instructed Korah and his 250 followers who had challenged Aaron’s priesthood to take censers, put burning coals and incense in them, and present them before the Lord. Only priests could offer incense.

Once again Moses asks God to spare those who probably shouldn’t be spared, but this time they were not spared.

Numbers 26:10-11 says Korah’s children did not die during the rebellion but Numbers 16:32 says that all of Korah’s household was swallowed up.

God told Moses to have Eleazar, Aaron’s son, collect the bronze censers from the dead rebels because they had been offered before the Lord and were now considered holy. The censers were to be hammered into plates to cover the altar as a permanent reminder that only descendants of Aaron were allowed to offer incense before the Lord.

Moses told Aaron to take a censer with fire and incense from the altar and run into the crowd to make atonement. A plague had already begun, but Aaron stood between the living and the dead with the incense, and the plague stopped

Numbers 17

In the Hebrew, chapter 17 starts in the middle of chapter 16 and goes through this chapter.

The staff test: 12 tribes each put staffs into the Tent of Meeting with their names on it. The staff that sprouts is the high priest.

The next day to no surprise Aaron’s staff was chosen (budded blossoms and ripe almonds).

Israel had great fear after (see question below)

Numbers 18

God essentially says in verses 1-2 You are the ones I’ve chosen, and with that comes the full weight of responsibility. If something goes wrong in the sanctuary or priesthood, you answer for it- to the point of death.

 Provisions for the Priests 

• God gives the priests portions of the offerings as their inheritance:
  • Grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.
  • The best of the oil, wine, grain, and firstfruits.
  • Everything devoted or consecrated to the Lord.
• The firstborn of people and unclean animals must be redeemed.
• Clean animals and offerings are given to the priests.
• Priests receive no land inheritance as the Lord is their portion.

Provisions for the Levites 

• Levites receive the tithes from the Israelites as their inheritance.
• In exchange, they are responsible for serving at the Tent of Meeting.
• The Levites also receive no land inheritance.

They also must tithe a tithe to the priests (from the best part)

Questions

What did this look like: “went down alive into Sheol”

Why did Aaron have to stand between the people with incense to stop the plague?

Why did the budding of the staff have to happen to prove Aaron’s role? Didn’t God literally spend so much time proving Aaron as high priest??

Was Israel repentant at end of Numbers 17 or were they complaining?

Why almonds?

Application

The main theme across these three chapters is leadership. We see rebellion against Moses as God’s appointed leader, confirmation of Aaron’s role as high priest, and a reminder to the Levites of their priestly duties. God elevates certain people to lead, but leadership comes with great responsibility. Leaders often face opposition and are held to a higher standard. While I may not be in a leadership role right now, I can support those who are like our church leaders and pastors through encouragement and even something as simple and powerful as prayer.