I just counted. The name of the Jewish High Priest “Aaron” occurs 62 times in the Book of Leviticus! The name means “light-bringer!”
And in the Book of Numbers he is mentioned 99 times! (Yet in Deuteronomy, only 4 times, total, purposely no doubt.)
So, easy to see, “Aaron” is a key character (a “proper noun”, a personal name) tying these two Pentateuchal Books together, both Leviticus and Numbers.
And in Numbers, continuing the grand Theme of Leviticus, of the whole Mosaic Corpus really … we see God longing to be in fellowship with man, with sinful man. And for that sweet Communion to occur, blood must be shed (atonement made) … a task entrusted to the High Priest or else one of his sons.
I am trying to say that just as the Books of Genesis and Exodus led us up to the Message of Leviticus … now Numbers and Deuteronomy lead us forward from the beautiful Message of Leviticus!
And the (theological) center of Numbers (not the numerical center) just might be an event narrated in Chapter 17 of that Book.
A group (large in number) of “rebels” had attacked Aaron’s leadership! As High Priest, I mean. God judged them promptly. Then God enacted a miracle (indeed) … authenticating His appointed means of fellowshipping with human beings.
The “Lord being with His people” is this important, fundamentally so! God “tabernacling” among mankind!
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod.And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels ….” Numbers 17:1-10
A dead tree limb (a rod) came back to life, one of twelve such dead limbs! And it was the one with the name of the Tribe of “Levi” on it, Aaron’s family!
Read it again, of the dead, dry rod … “Behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.”
Amazing!
Yes, clearly God wants the sacrificial System left in place, untampered, so that He and man can dwell together in sweet harmony.
Precious!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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