Numbers 17-18
Numbers 17 describes God’s intention to make abundantly clear to the Israelites who had His authority to serve as priests, and in chapter 18, He outlines the duties of and provisions for the priests and Levites (some of which you will remember from our time in Leviticus).
To the former, God would do this by making the staff of His chosen servant sprout (17:5a). This way, there would be no further excuse for grumblers among the camp (17:5b). “On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds” (17:8). Matthew Henry suggests that this miracle not only identified Aaron as the rightful high priest but also signified that the office of priest was to be a fruitful one that was a blessing to the people.[i] He goes on to state that there “were not only almonds for the present, but buds and blossoms promising more hereafter. Thus has Christ provided in his church that a seed should serve him from generation to generation.”[ii] What are you doing to help raise that next generation to embrace the purposes God has for them?
At this, “the people of Israel said to Moses, ‘Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone’” (17:12). By doing so, the Israelites acknowledged their sin and feared what they perceived as inevitable death as a result of their wrongdoing. Similarly, those who have not trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior can only cry out, “I am a sinner who deserves death.” But if that lost soul will only continue by calling upon the mercies of Jesus Christ to save him from his sin, he will find that God’s grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation await. “Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me…Come home, come home;you who are weary come home; earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home!”[iii]
Chapter 18 opens with a reminder to Aaron and his relatives that they would be held accountable for how they stewarded the authority God had given to them: “So the LORD said to Aaron, ‘You and your sons and your father’s house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood’” (18:1; emphasis added). David Guzik notes that “God never gives authority without accountability; the two always go together. If God gives someone headship and expects others to submit to them in His order, God also has a special accountability for that person.”[iv] Husbands, as spiritual leaders in your home, did you get that?
Specifications are then provided for how the Levites are to serve in the tabernacle (vv. 2-7). On the heels of some from this tribe experiencing friction and envy of the priestly role, it is interesting to note that God reinforces in these verses that He intentionally chose the Levites to be a blessing, help, and gift to the priests. Granted, they were not to perform the responsibilities of the priests, but their service was still very much esteemed in the eyes of God. Wives, as chosen helpmates to your husbands, did you get that?
The rest of Numbers 18 tells of how God would sustain the priests and Levites through the contributions and tithes of His people. (And to those for whom the LORD would provide, God reminds them that they were still to give their best back to Him.) Two quick thoughts on this passage:
· God didn’t want His servants to concern themselves with how they would eat or drink; He would take care of that for them. He expected those working in the tabernacle to be wholly devoted to their call.
· Isn’t it neat to consider that God frequently uses faithful stewards in today’s churches to be the primary means by which He financially provides for those called to shepherd us? The body of Christ, with differing parts to perform, all working together to advance His Kingdom on earth.
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· What are you doing to help raise that next generation to embrace the purposes God has for them?
· Are you helping to financially support those called to shepherd you?
[i] Henry, M. (2014). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible. (Vol. 1). Hendrickson Publishers. p. 465.
[ii] ibid
[iii] Softy and tenderly Jesus is calling. (n.d.) Hymnary.org. Retrieved May 11, 2026, from
https://hymnary.org/text/softly_and_tenderly_jesus_is_calling
[iv] Study Guide for Numbers 18. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/numbers/numbers-18.cfm