Ⅰ
We need to see and experience the major types concerning Christ in Numbers:
Ａ
Aaron's budding rod typifies not a dead Christ but the resurrected Christ, the budding Christ, who not only buds but also blossoms and bears fruit to maturity (17:8):
１
The word in Numbers 16:3 and Moses' word in verses 9 and 10 show that the root of this rebellion among God's people was ambition, the struggle for power and for a higher position; ambition undermines God's plan and damages His people; throughout the centuries many problems among Christians have been caused by ambition (cf. Matt. 20:20-28; 3 John 9-11).
２
As God's deputy, or delegated, authority, Moses referred the case to God as the highest authority, for His speaking, exposing, and judging; in a struggle for power the only One who can judge and expose the real situation is God Himself (Num. 16:4-5).
３
Korah and the others went down to Sheol alive and directly (v. 33); they did not need to die first (cf. Rev. 19:20); this was something new that Jehovah brought about (Num. 16:29-30).
４
God's judgment on the two hundred fifty men who rebelled with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram signifies the judgment of the cross on all of man's service to God that is according to man's opinions, by his flesh, and in rivalry with others.
５
Since the rebellion of Korah and his company in Numbers 16 was related to the priesthood (vv. 3, 8-10), the budding of Aaron's rod was a vindication indicating that Aaron was the one accepted by God as having authority in the God-given ministry of the priesthood (v. 5).
６
The principle to every service lies in the budding rod; resurrection is an eternal principle in our service to God; what we can do belongs in the natural realm, and what is impossible for us to do belongs in the realm of resurrection (cf. Rom. 1:9; 7:6; 2 Cor. 1:8-9).
Morning Nourishment
Num. 17:8 And on the next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony, and there was the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi: it had budded; it even put forth buds and produced blossoms and bore ripe almonds.16:5 And he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, In the morning Jehovah will make known who is His and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself...
A rod is a piece of dead wood that has not only been cut but is also dried up. Yet [in Numbers 17] such a dead and dried-up piece of wood budded! A bud is something organic, something of life. The budding rod of Aaron typifies not a dead Christ but the resurrected Christ, the budding Christ, who not only buds but also blossoms and bears fruit to maturity. Such a Christ imparts life to others (John 12:24; 1 Pet. 1:3). Today He is still budding, and we are the fruit, the almonds, of His budding. (Num. 17:8, footnote 1)
The root of this rebellion [in Numbers 16] was ambition, the struggle for power and for a higher position. Ambition undermines God's plan and damages His people. Throughout the centuries many problems among Christians have been caused by ambition (cf. Matt. 20:20-28; 3 John 9-11). (Num. 16:3, footnote 1)
Today's Reading
Although Moses was humble in falling on his face (Num. 16:4), he did not give up his God-given position as God's deputy authority (vv. 5-11, 16-18). Moses did not fight back; rather, he brought the rebels and the ones against whom they rebelled to God. As God's deputy, or delegated, authority, Moses referred this case to God as the highest authority, for His speaking, exposing, and judging. In a struggle for power the only One who can judge and expose the real situation is God Himself. (Num. 16:5, footnote 1)Korah and the others went down to Sheol alive. They went there directly; they did not need to die first (cf. Rev. 19:20). This was something new that Jehovah brought about (Num. 16:29-30). (Num. 16:33, footnote 1)
God's judgment of these two hundred fifty men signifies the judgment of the cross on all of man's service to God that is according to man's opinions, by his flesh, and in rivalry with others. (Num. 16:35, footnote 1)
Since the rebellion of Korah and his company in Numbers 16 was related to the priesthood (vv. 3, 8-10), the budding of Aaron's rod was a vindication indicating that Aaron was the one accepted by God as having authority in the God-given ministry of the priesthood. (Num. 17:8, footnote 1)
The principle to every service lies in the budding rod. God returned all the eleven rods to the leaders, but kept Aaron's rod inside the Ark as an eternal memorial. This means that resurrection is an eternal principle in our service to God. A servant of the Lord is one who has died and resurrected. God testifies again and again to His people that authority to serve God lies in resurrection, not in a person himself. All services to the Lord must pass through death and resurrection before they will be acceptable to God. Resurrection means that everything is of God and not of us. It means that God alone is able and that we are not able. Resurrection means that everything is done by God, not by ourselves. All those who think highly of themselves and who hold a misguided judgment of themselves have never realized what resurrection is....If a man continues to think that he is able, that he can do something, and that he is useful, he does not know resurrection. He may know the doctrine of resurrection, the reason for resurrection, or the result of resurrection, but he does not know resurrection. All those who know resurrection have given up hope in themselves; they know that they cannot make it. As long as the natural strength remains, the power of resurrection has no ground for manifestation. As long as Sarah could beget a child, Isaac would not come. What we can do belongs to the natural realm, and what is impossible for us to do belongs to the realm of resurrection. (CWWN, vol. 47, "Authority and Submission," pp. 248-249)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1960, vol. 1, "Synopsis of Numbers," chs. 21-22; CWWN, vol. 47, "Authority and Submission," ch. 15