Numbers 17:1-18:7: Aaron's Staff Buds and God Protects His People

"The staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout." After Korah's rebellion, God confirms Aaron's priesthood through a miraculous sign. Twelve staffs are placed before the ark, and Aaron's alone buds, blossoms, and produces almonds overnight. Dead wood comes to life by God's power. In this chapter and the opening of the next, we see God establishing the priesthood that would serve until a greater Priest came, one whose resurrection from the dead confirmed His eternal priesthood forever. The Rev. Timothy Barkett, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kingman, AZ joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Numbers 17:1-18:7. To learn more about Good Shepherd Lutheran, visit goodshepherdlckingman.org.The Book of Numbers is far more than an ancient census report. It is the story of a people learning to trust God in the wilderness, and failing, and finding grace anyway. In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk through the Old Testament book of Numbers chapter by chapter. We follow Israel from Sinai toward the Promised Land, through grumbling and rebellion, fiery serpents and a talking donkey, faithless spies and faithful priests. The journey is hard, the failures are many, and God remains faithful to a faithless people. These ancient accounts point us to Christ. The bronze serpent lifted on a pole points to the cross. The rock struck for water points to the one struck for us. The high priest whose death frees the manslayer points to the Great High Priest whose death sets us free forever. Join us as we discover that the wilderness has more to teach us than we ever expected. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.