Put an end to their grumblings.

Numbers 17:1-11, Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them a rod for each father’s household: twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households. You shall write each name on his rod, and write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers’ households. You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you. And it will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I shall lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you.” Moses therefore spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods. So Moses deposited the rods before the Lord in the tent of the testimony. Now it came about on the next day that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the Lord to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. But the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they should not die.” Thus Moses did; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.

God brought forth new life from a dead rod of wood to make it clear to the people that He had set apart Aaron and his descendents. He is sovereign and makes His own choices, just as He chose Abraham the father of them all and called him out of darkness to carry the seed of blessing for the whole world. He did this miracle to silence the destructive power of grumbling amongst the people. His sovereign choices throughout the next centuries brought Jesus to the cross, to die and be raised to new life, to be our redeemer. What do we have to grumble about?

As in that day, we are quick to complain; let us remember to give thanks for all of Your blessings, especially those we have in Jesus Christ as our redeemer, and His promised Holy Spirit our counselor!