In today’s YouTube video, Rudy Ross discusses the biblical requirement for two witnesses, highlighting Aaron’s rod budding as the second witness. We’ll explore this further in this article.
The legitimacy of the priesthood centered on Aaron and his family needed to be beyond doubt. God instructed Moses to gather 12 staffs, one from each of the leaders of the tribes of Israel, for a test.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the Israelites, and get twelve staffs from them, one for each ancestral house, from all the leaders of their ancestral houses. Write each man’s name on his staff,
And write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each ancestral house. Place them in the tent of meeting before the covenant, where I meet with you.
And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout; thus I will put a stop to the complaints of the Israelites that they continually make against you” (Numbers 17:1-5).
Moses obeyed the Lord’s instructions, bringing the staffs into the Tent of Meeting. It’s important to understand that in this context, a staff was a dried piece of wood from an almond tree, typically used as a walking stick.
A dead wooden staff cannot sprout as if it were still part of a living tree. This story requires a miracle and God’s intervention, altering the natural order to inspire wonder and awe. That is exactly what happened.
When Moses went into the tent of the covenant on the next day, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted. It put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the Israelites, and they looked, and each man took his staff (Numbers 17:8-9).
Moses was commanded to place Aaron’s staff before the covenant as a perpetual reminder of God’s choice of Aaron and his sons to serve as priests.
And the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept as a warning to rebels, so that you may make an end of their complaints against me, or else they will die.”
Moses did so; just as the Lord commanded him, so he did (Numbers 17:10-11).
The significance of Aaron and his sons in Israel’s worship system cannot be overstated. Their duties foreshadowed the ultimate priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. Much of what we find in Hebrews 4-8 provides a detailed account of Jesus’ priestly role.
Here is one significant passage from that book that resonates deeply with me.
Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Reflections
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I often chuckle at the idea of us three “old men” being YouTube influencers. Just the other day, Rudy and I joked about daring Bruce to set his hair on fire for more views—since he’s the only one with any!
The reality is, extreme actions like setting your hair on fire on YouTube or any social media often stem from some form of grievance or complaint. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from studying the complaints against Moses and Aaron these past few days, it’s that this kind of complaining should be avoided at all costs.
Another aspect of the lessons in Numbers is the alternation between the sins of the people and the sacrificial system. We see sections detailing sin, followed by instructions on sacrifices, and then a repetition of this pattern.
Why is this present?
Because God is merciful, He understands human sinfulness and provides a means for atonement. Jesus, our high priest, as explained in the book of Hebrews, is also the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. For this, we will be eternally grateful to God for His grace, love, and kindness.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 