Aaron was the type for our Lord Jesus Christ. There will be a rod that will be coming into this generation, that we ought to cover. This "Rod" will strike terror amongst many people.

Revelation 19:15, 16 "And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." [15] "And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." [16]

This Rod that will come and smite the nations will be at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15:51, 52 that it will happen faster than you can wink an eye, and this earth age of flesh man will be over and done with. Why? at that instant in time, all flesh will be changed from their corruptible flesh and blood bodies, into their incorruptible bodies is as the angels are. The things evil rudiments that trap man, that Satan uses to deceive men will be gone. And there will be a new kingdom established right here on earth for the next thousand years. The King of that kingdom will be our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the first advent of coming, Jesus came into the world as a baby, through the womb of the Virgin Mary. He lived a perfect unblemished life, and became the spotless, unblemished sacrifice for the sins of many, all those that would by faith repent, and come under the Blood of that Perfect, Unblemished Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was helpless at that first coming, but at the second coming, He will come with the forces of the entire universe in His control.

Our of Jesus mouth will come a sharp two edged sword, when is the Word of God. It is the truth that will do away with all evil rudiments of this world age. "He will rule them [the nations of the earth] with a Rod of iron". This Rod will not bend, but there will be a lot of correction and discipline for those children on the earth at that time. "The fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God" will be poured out upon the whole earth. This is that cup of Wrath that Jesus asked the Father, "Lord isn't there some other way?" the Father said No, This cup of wrath will be poured out.

Now stop for a moment and think on this, How do you think He is going to feel with those that claimed to be one of His and yet refuse to listen to His Warnings through the prophets of the first Christ, Satan that would come and deceive the world. Many that carry Jesus name as Christians, will be deceived into running to Satan, and becoming his harlot bride. But the point that we are bringing out here is that at this time, the close of this earth age, Jesus shall rule with a rod of iron, that shall be just like the rod of Aaron that preformed many miracles for His people. Will Jesus be mad at all His people? No, just those that turned themselves over to Satan, and bowed their knee to Baal worship of the Antichrist [Satan].

Moses used his rod in Egypt to perform the miracle of the plagues that came over Egypt, the waters turned to blood, the rod turning into a snake, and when God told him at the Red sea to hold his rod over the waters, the Red sea parted. When Jesus uses His Rod, all the nations will be melted into one crown, and that crown will be His. There will be just One Crown, One King of kings, and One Lord of Lords ruling the world with one Rod.

In Chapter seventeen the priesthood was reaffirmed in the rod of Aaron, so it becomes important to note what the compensation to the priest would be. In Exodus and numbers it was laid out just how these priests would be sustained, and what they could rightfully claim as their. Within the book of Leviticus it designated what parts of the sacrifices and offerings belonged to the priests, and what parts were to be burnt and go up in the fire and smoke. However in this chapter we will see a precise list set forth as to what belongs to the priests and their families.

In Numbers 3: God redeemed the Levites for each of the firstborn from amongst the tribes of Israel. Numbers 3:11 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,"

Numbers 3:12 "And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be Mine;"

Numbers 3:13 "Because all the firstborn are Mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto Me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: Mine shall they be: I am the Lord."

God has set these Levites aside to fulfill the duties full time at the tabernacle, so it they remain loyal and true to their responsibilities, then they must have the sustenance to provide for themselves and their families. So we will see in this chapter what their full compensation will be.

Numbers 18:1 "And the Lord said unto Aaron, "Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood."

The Lord YHVH addressed Aaron directly here; as He will do also in verses 8, and 20; but in verse 25 it will be Moses that is addressed by YHVH as the head of the entire nation of Israel. But Aaron is addressed as the head of the priesthood. This is addressing Aaron, his sons, and the house of the Kohathites within the tribe of Levi to the responsibility of the care for the Sanctuary. The Kohathites were responsible for transporting the things of the holy of holies in the sanctuary from location to location. The Ark of the covenant, the candlestick, the table of shewbread, and so forth; and even the vail itself that leads into the holy of holies. However only Aaron and his sons were allowed to wrap these things and make they ready for the journey.

It will be only Aaron and his sons that "will bear the iniquity [or sins] of your priesthood." Pay attention to this statement, for many today have pictured their religious leaders of men without sin. God points out here that even within the priesthood these is sin. Before the High priest Aaron could go into the holy of holies and offer sins for the rest of the people, he first had to offer the blood offering for his own sins, to make himself presentable before God, to be able to make the sacrifice for the sins of the people. Get in your mind the fact that there is only one man that is without sin, without blemish, and right before God was Jesus Christ, and He became our perfect sacrifice for sin, for one and all times.

Each of us have sinned, and each of us in these flesh bodies will fall short of God's perfection from time to time, and that is why we have the cross. We come to the Father in repentance for those sins in Jesus name, for only under the blood of Christ is their forgiveness and cleansing for our sins. That is our victory that we have in Christ, for those sins are removed far from us, and God just doesn't want them mentioned anymore.

So the sins that these priests would commit the most, were in the failure to follow precisely the instructions that God had given them with regards to the Sanctuary. With in the sin offerings that were offered will be also the priesthood cleansing the sins of the people through the items that they will take. These priests will bear both the sins of the priesthood, and the sins of the entire congregation. It will be the priest's duty to keep all the people focused on the commandment and instructions of YHVH the Lord, and protecting God's rights in the congregation.

Numbers 18:2 "And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness."

Verse two is looking at the Merarites and the Gershonites, the other two families that make up the tribe of Levi. Aaron and his sons are to bring these other two parts of Levi into the group, and give them duties to assist you in the service at the tabernacle. However only Aaron and his two sons will be the ministers in the tabernacle, and at the altar of God. So far there are three of this family that learned the hard way, that you don't mess around with God's ways. Remember Korah, who wanted an equal footing with Moses and Aaron, God opened the ground and drew him and his family in. In Leviticus 10:1, we saw Aaron's two sons Nadab and Abihu struck down for bringing strange fire to the altar of God. So only Aaron and his sons were to take care of the Sanctuary.

Numbers 18:3 "And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die."

So all three of the families, The Kohathites, the Merarites and the Gershonites, will have their specific duties in and about the Sanctuary of God. All three will have their duties, but only Aaron and His sons were allowed to come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar of burnt offering, for all others would die. Everything from the burnt offerings to the Holy of holies, which has the holy place lying between them, was assigned to Aaron and his sons only.

Numbers 18:4 "And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all service of the tabernacle: and the stranger shall not come nigh unto you."

This also is talking about all three families of the Levites, the Kohathites, the Merarites, and the Gershonites. These people were set in their own campsite, and had no part in the duties of a soldiers. Strangers were not allowed to assist in their duties in any manner. Numbers 1:51 "And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death." There is no messing around with the things of the Lord.

Numbers 18:5 "And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel."

The "Charge" in the Hebrew text is the "mishmereth" which means the "the watch, which includes the custody or sentry of the sanctuary".

Numbers 18:6 "And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the Lord, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation."

God is letting us know that it was He that took all the Levites from amongst the children of Israel, and they were redeemed as a gift to God. Remember after the Passover of the death angel, God claimed all the firstborn of both man and animal as His. Then in Numbers 3:11-51 The Levites were substituted for the Firstborn of the rest of the tribes, so that only the Levites would be obligated for the service to God. The rest of the firstborn were released for duty as men of war, and numbered for the army.

Numbers 18:7 "Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death." "

Therefore Aaron and his sons were the ones that shall keep the priest's office, and stand before the altar of God, and enter into the holy of holies to give offerings to the Lord. All others that are not of Aaron's family are the strangers that are not to come near the holy things, or they will die. In this church God Himself appointed who the leadership of this first church would be. Think of this awesome gift of grace that was given directly to Aaron and his sons. God required much from Aaron and his sons, and when one would take his office lightly, God struck that soul down. So the office of priesthood is now confirmed to Aaron and his sons; and all other are to stay away from the sanctuary duties, or they will be put to death by God.

Numbers 18:8 "And the Lord spake unto Aaron, "Behold, I also have given thee the charge of Mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever."

Here is the compensation that God has given to the priests, and the Levites. This "heave offerings, has the widest means of application to this offering, and it is referring to those most holy gifts that are given to the Lord. Those things are the meat offerings, the sin offerings, and the trespass offerings. This anointing of the priests was by God Himself, that consecrated each priest into their office; Especially the High Priest.

Numbers 18:9 "This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto Me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons."

This verse is directed to the "most holy things". There are four "most holy things" that God mentioned; these are the oblation given, the meat offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering that are given by the people. The oblation offering is the approach offering. The sin offering and the trespass offering are combined, along with the shewbread and incense offerings to make up the four most holy offerings. These most holy offerings are for Aaron and his sons only. The exception for this is in the case of the sin offering, for this offering had to be by the hand of a lay person from the congregation, before the priest would eat it. However if the sin offering was for the entire congregation, or for the priest's sins themselves, then the flesh of that offering could not have been eaten under any condition.

Numbers 18:10 "In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee."

This is covered in Leviticus 6:16; and this place is in the court of the tabernacle. Here the priests had to eat those offerings that were offered as most holy gifts. As stated here, only the males were allowed to eat the offerings that were considered "most holy thing". Remember though that anyone that came in contact with these most holy gifts, became most holy himself. This was a dangerous position to be in, for that person would be under the same place of defilement as the priest, but would not have the rights of the priest for forgiveness. So this was guarded against as to who would partake of these most holy things.

Numbers 18:11 "And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it."

The "heave offering" [terumah] is a holy offering; along with the "wave offering" [tenumah], and the firstfruits offering. This would be a heave leg, or a wave brest for a peace offering to the Lord. Notice that in this offerings, these parts of the animal both the male and the female's of the priest's families can partake of. Remember that Levi was placed over the whole house of Levi, so this by statute could be eaten by any Levite, both sons and daughters. Not only did the people eating these things have to be clean, but they had to eat these things in a clean place. If any of these sons or daughters take of these things when they are unclean, they will be cut off from their house.

Numbers 18:12 "All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee."

In most places the wine mentioned for the people was yayin or a common wine, but for the priest, it was "tirosh"; a new wine. This is talking about the first fruits that are symbolic of the elect, but the amount of the first fruit offering are not specified. That was up to the person making the offering just how much he wanted to give for the offering.

Numbers 18:13 "And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the Lord, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it."

Here again, it names "thine house", it is talking about all the people of the tribe of Levites at this time.

Numbers 18:14 "Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine."

There is a change in the subject in this verse. Now we are talking about devoted things, and not the most holy and holy things. This is the firstborn, which God claimed to be his, and those first born of the other tribes coming out of Egypt that were redeemed by the tribe of Levi. So this is a special separation here.

Numbers 18:15 "Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem."

All of the devoted gifts could not be redeemed, with the exception of these last two. Those were the firstborn males, and the firstlings of unclean animals. The laws for redeeming the unclean animals is recorded in Exodus 13:13. "And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem." In other words, you either redeem the unclean first born animal, or you break its neck. all firstborn men must be redeemed. Remember that by redeeming the first born, you free that male from the duties to the tabernacle. It is the Levites that will hold those positions.

Then in Leviticus 27:27 this law is refined to the benefit of the sanctuary. There it allowed that if the animal were to be redeemed, by Moses evaluation, it would require an additional 20 percent of the valuation of the animal. If they did not want to do that, Moses could sell the animal, according to the value of that animal.

Numbers 18:16 "And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs."

This redeeming applies only to the firstborn sons of the tribes. However in Leviticus 27 it was also possible for special vows to be made that women could take part, and it depended on the age of the person. So a male child from one month to five years old could be redeemed for five shekels of silver of the sanctuary. A female would be three shekels in this category. It all depended on the age of the person either making the vow, or being redeemed from their vow.

Numbers 18:17 "But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the Lord."

Clean animals can not be redeemed, and God is going to keep them for Himself, to be holy and sacred, to be used in the offerings given to our Lord. We are told in Exodus 22:30 "Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it Me." So why did God allow and want this sacrifice to be done, the slaughter of these animals? God told us in Exodus 13 why these things were done in those days.

Exodus 13:8, 9 "And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, `This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.' " [8] "And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt." [9]

Exodus 13:10 "Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year."

This was done so that future generation would know that it was by the power of God that the children of Israel were brought out of bondage. It was to keep the glory of God fresh in the minds.

Numbers 18:18 "And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine."

This would be the whole flesh of the animal that was sacrificed, firstborn of the cow, sheep or goat, shall belong to the Levites and the priests. As the priest gives this waving motions to heaven, the wave breast of the animal and the right shoulder then belong to the priests and Levites. This is symbolic of giving those parts to the Father, and of course it is the priest that receives those for the Father to be used by them. The priests and the Levites were God's representative here on earth.

Numbers 18:19 "All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the Lord, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee."

This verse is a summary of verses nine through eighteen. However the "Most holy" the sin, meat and trespass offerings were not to be taken of by the females Levitical family members. In Leviticus 2:13 it points out that the meat offerings shall be seasoned with salt before it was offered. This is why it is said in the New Testament that Christians are to be salty, and make a difference where they are. The salt is a covenant that cannot be broken.

Numbers 18:20 "And the Lord spake unto Aaron, "Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am they part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel."

God is speaking directly to Aaron and not to Moses. Aaron is the head of the Tabernacle, the spiritual leadership of the Israelites. This will pertain to the inheritance of the priest and the Levites. Think of that, God is the only inheritance of the priests and the Levites, what a great honor.

We read in Ezekiel 44:28 of another inheritance, that of the Elect of this earth age, the Zadok. "And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession." This is speaking of the Millennium age, and the reason there is no possession for inheritance, is that it all is the Lords, all of it; and our Lord has given it over to his elect, those that held true in the days when the whole world chassed after Satan thinking he was the true Christ.

Numbers 18:21 "And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation."

The Tenth is the tithe, and Leviticus 27:32 establishes this fact. "And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord." So now here God is giving that tenth in all Israel for an inheritance to the children of Levi for the service that they gave to the Lord. So does this raise the Levites to the same level as the priesthood, for their service? This tenth is not for a reward, but for the services that they faithfully perform at the tabernacle, the cleaning, the wood cutting, the transporting of the tabernacle and so on. Without the continual care of the things of God, the service to the Lord would not be possible.

Numbers 18:22 "Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die."

Remember that this service was given just to the children of Levi, the three families to transport and care for the things and tabernacle of the Lord. If any other person, stranger of of the tribes came near to do their work, they would sin and die.

Numbers 18:23 "But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance."

In that they shall bear their iniquity, means that if they do not handle the things of the Lord in the manner that the statute given by God requires, they will have sinned. So this brings the Levites up to the level with the priests. With that responsibility, comes either the blessing from the Lord, or in the case of carelessness, no inheritance. Once the children of Israel have gone into the land and established their nation there, these Levites will even be given land to keep their cattle.

Numbers 18:24 "But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance."

In this tithe, or tenth, it is covered in Leviticus 27:32 it states that if a man raises cattle, then each year, he was to take the increase of his heard and hold a rod over them, and count each tenth animal that passed under the rod belonged to the Levites. This way God did the choosing, not the farmer. He held the rod, and the animals were to pass freely. The farmer only separated each tenth animal from his flock. This tithe was given directly to the Levites. It just didn't matter what the condition of the animal, only that it was the tenth. Of course the Levites watched as this process was being done, and when there was a doubt as to the selection, then the Levite got both animals in the doubt.

Remember that the people of Israel were given everything in the land of Canaan. God either killed or chased off all the nations, and they left the cities in tact. The walls around the cities, even the food on the tables in the houses. The crops in the field were given to the Israelites, and all the animals and birds in the barnyards left behind. Get the picture? All God wanted back was His tenth for the payment of service by these Levites that would receive nothing, accept the tithe.

Numbers 18:25 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,"

Numbers 18:26 " "Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, `When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe."

Moses is now going to speak directly to the three families of the Levites; the Kohathites, the Merarites, and the Gershonites. He will not speak to the sons of Aaron here. So the Levites will get their ten percent.

Numbers 18:27 "And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress."

In other words, if you follow this practice in the tithe, then it will be just as if you sowed the corn, and tended to the vineyards yourself. However, there was a condition to receiving this tithe.

Numbers 18:28 "Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the Lord of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the Lord's heave offering to Aaron the priest."

So the Levites received on tenth from the people of the heave offering of their crops, and one tenth of what they received went on to the priests. That was for the keep of the priests and their families. This is the same reason that we give our tenth today to the church house that we support, for it is for the keep of the pastor, the upkeep of the church house, and all the fees and expenses to keep the doors open for worship.

Numbers 18:29 "Our of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the Lord, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.' "

The point here is that these Levites couldn't just take the tenth they wanted out for their gifts, but they had to have the heave offering, and the Lord by the wind selected the portion that would flow to the priests. Remember that we are to take the ten percent of the very best that we have to offer to the Lord service.

Numbers 18:30 "Therefore thou shalt say unto them, `When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the winepress."

This again is directed to the Levites; and their offering of ten percent will be counted just as it was in verse twenty seven. It will be counted by God as if you did the work to get these goods, and it will be as your increase from producing a crop or grapes of the vine or what ever the goods. Before God, it will not be as a gift, but fruits from your labor.

Numbers 18:31 "And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation."

So this is what was done with the nine tenths that was left over after Aaron and his sons received their nine tenths. God expects His servants to be paid for their service just as you would at the mill, down on the farm or in the industry that you work. A man is worthy of his hire, and God has select these Levites for a service, and freed each of the firstborn of Israel by the purchase of redemption with silver so that this service in the tabernacle would be the job of the Levites.

Numbers 18:32 "And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die." 

This is referring to the place where these things are eaten, such as an unclean place, or by females eating the portions directed only for the males, or any of the other instruction that God gave to observe in the tabernacle.