After Korah's rebellion challenged the high priesthood of Aaron, God took further action to endorse that priesthood. He instructed each tribe to submit a staff to Moses, who would place the staffs in the tabernacle in front of the ark.
On the day after Moses placed the staffs in the tabernacle, the staff of Aaron, representing the tribe of Levi, had bloomed overnight and bore ripe almonds. This was a powerful demonstration of God's support of Aaron's priesthood. The staff was then placed near the ark as a reminder to would-be rebels (Num 17).
There is additional symbolism in this miracle. The Hebrew word for "blossoms" in Num 17:8 is the same as the word for the gold "plate" on the high priest's turban (Exod 28:36).
The tabernacle menorah was patterned after an almond tree. The word for "almond tree" is similar to the word for "watching," as we see in Jer 1:11-12. In Jer 1:11, Jeremiah sees a vision of an almond branch, and God explains the meaning of this image: "I am watching over my word to perform it." So Aaron's budding staff carried the message that God was watching and would surely carry out his word. Rebels would be punished, and Israel, after its period of training, indeed would occupy the Promised Land.
The miracle got its message across, causing the Israelites to consider the fact that God was present among them. "Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord, shall die, Are we all to perish?" (v 13)
Commentator Dale Brueggemann suggests two answers to this question: (1) No, not if you put your trust in God. (2) Yes, the older generation is going to perish before the end of the 40 years.
Additional response is given in Num 18, where the importance of the Levites is emphasized. further. The Levites would guard the tabernacle and act in some sense as spiritual "lightning rods" (vv 1-7). Because of their important role, they received substantial benefits from things offered to God (vv 8-19). The tithes of the Israelites also went to them. This was the Levites' income, so they in turn would give tithes to the priests.
Israel would be making a substantial investment in the tabernacle's operations, putting their "treasure in heaven."
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