Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious

Numbers 17:1-13

The Lord said to Moses,  “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”

The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! Anyone who even comes near the Tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?”

Why?

In order to let the Israelites not grumble again, the Lord let twelve tribes staff in the tent, and only Aaron's staff sprouted and budded, blossomed, and produced almonds. This is the symbol that the Lord has chosen Aaron as the priest before the Lord. Other tribes are not chosen.

It is the Lord who shows his power and decisions and symbols before the Israelites that who is chosen before the Lord. 

Israelites have gotten the grace from the Lord but still rebel against the Lord, for men easily forget the grace of the Lord when private desire rises up and overcomes the heart of fear the Lord, then grumble comes out.

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瘟疫止住了，亞倫在死人活人中間是為百姓禱告，神聽了亞倫的禱告，已經證明亞倫有這樣的權柄。再次以亞倫的杖來證明亞倫的權柄來自神！

本來只是可拉這族人的不滿，後來卻漫延到全會眾，摩西、亞倫是唯一能夠親近會幕的人。杖代表權柄。只是隔天杖就開花、結果，其他的杖是枯枝，只有連在葡萄樹上才能開花結果。這也代表神的創造性的權能，及生命的延續。代表亞倫也領受從神來的權柄與生命。結了熟杏，杏樹在耶利米書中，杏樹在春天最早開花，也預告春天來了。耶利米書中表示神的證話話快成就了。神揀選了亞倫，利未支派，必定會成就的，同樣進入應許之地也必成就。神必定成就神的話。

以色列人對摩西說：我們死啦！我們滅亡啦！都滅亡啦！凡挨近耶和華帳幕的是必死的。我們都要死亡嗎？Why?

百姓原來對神的話是存懷疑的態度，現在反而嚇死了，沒有想到是否相信神，反而百姓擔心自己是否也被擊殺。百姓沒有想到這是神的恩典，只是單純害怕神，神是要人尊榮神，不是要人因為神的刑罰而怕神。

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How?

Fear the Lord and obey the command of the Lord is our way and salvation in our short life in this world.