Numbers 17: Fruitful Faith

​Key Verse
8 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…
 
Meditation
Fruitfulness is the mark of growing faith and a confirmation of godly leadership.
 
Paul warns Timothy to be aware of people using church leadership to validate themselves: “People will be lovers of self… having the form of godliness, but denying it’s power.” (2 Timothy 3:2-5) James describes fruitless faith as dead faith, no works to witness to a living relationship with Jesus (James 2:14-26). God’s work of grace alone awakens a soul for His Spirit to dwell and bear fruit (Galatians 5:23-24).
 
Today’s reading picks up after Israel had rebelled against Aaron, God’s appointed priest (chapter 16). God emphasizes Aaron’s exclusive leadership through a miracle, a sprouting staff to be kept as a sign for rebels to remember the consequences of their complaining. God commanded Moses to mediate the miracle (vv. 1-5), God caused the fruitfulness as a mark of whom He had chosen (vv. 6-9), and God explained the miracle (vv. 10-11). Like Aaron’s staff, God marks His leaders with flowering fruitfulness.
 
Jesus’ commissioning by the Father was confirmed by wonderful works (John 5:31-37). Jesus teaches that fruitfulness will distinguish disciples who abide in Him (John 15:4-5) as He warned His disciples be cautious of leaders with bad fruit: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. … 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:15-20). 
 
Fruitfulness rises from union with Christ, through God’s Spirit, confirming growing faith and validating godly leadership.
 
Today’s Reading
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers' house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff, 3 and write Aaron's name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each fathers' house.4 Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5 And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you.” 6 Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs. And the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. 7 And Moses deposited the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony.

8 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. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff. 10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.” 11 Thus did Moses; as the Lord commanded him, so he did.

12 And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. 13 Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord, shall die. Are we all to perish?”
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the miracle of God that marks the man chosen by God to lead as priest?
 
-Where in the Christian church today do you see God’s people claiming godliness but not bearing fruit of the Spirit- leading without power? Do you see this in your own life and leadership? 
 
-What does abiding in Jesus look like for you? Specifically, how can you focus your faith more on the person and work of Jesus?
 
Key Verse
8 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…