The Book of Numbers continues the story of the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land. The Israelites had just come out of Egypt, walked through the Red Sea, and were led into the wilderness. Their journey should have taken eleven days, but instead, it took forty years because of their unbelief and disobedience.
Numbers takes place in the wilderness, where God tested the Israelites, and they failed. None of the disobedient generation made it to the Promised Land except for two faithful Israelites.
The Israelites’ experience clearly reflects the covenant pattern laid out in Deuteronomy: blessing tied to obedience and judgment tied to disobedience. Scripture tells us their unbelief kept that generation from entering the land God had promised (Hebrews 3:19). At the same time, their story serves as a warning: persistent unbelief hardens the heart and keeps us from trusting God. While the specific promises to Israel were tied to the land, the principle remains-faith responds to God in trust, while unbelief resists Him and leads to spiritual unrest.
Within the pages of Numbers, we find hints of the coming Messiah. Not only can we find types of Jesus in persons like Moses, but we also see types in events such as the Exodus and articles such as Aaron’s rod. Here, we will explore Jesus in the Book of Numbers and discover how, through these hints, truths about our Messiah are revealed. We will see Jesus in the Israelite’s wanderings in the wilderness, Aaron’s Rod, the Red Heifer, the Brazen Serpent, and in Balaam.
Wilderness Wanderings
We see Christ in the Israelites’ journey to the promised land. Like the Israelites, Jesus came out of Egypt (Matt. 2:15), passed through the waters of baptism (Matt. 3:16), and was led into the wilderness (Matt. 4:1), where Satan tested Him for forty days. But where Israel failed in the wilderness, Jesus remained faithful. Through His obedience, He accomplishes what Israel could not and leads His people into the true rest and inheritance promised by God.
Aaron’s Staff (Rod)
(Numbers 17)
During the Israelites’ time in the wilderness, Korah, a Levite, and his followers thought Moses and Aaron had too much power and conspired against Moses. Because of their rebellion, God caused the earth to open and swallow them. However, God’s warning did not end the rebellion. Other tribal leaders joined in. In response, God sent a plague that killed 14,700 of the Israelites. But this didn’t stop the rebellion either. Finally, God ended the unrest by using Aaron’s staff to confirm Israel’s leader.
Moses took a staff from each of the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. Each leader’s name was written on a staff; Aaron’s was on the staff of the tribe of Levi. The staffs were placed in the Tabernacle in front of the ark of the covenant and left there overnight. God instructed Moses that “the staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites” (Numbers 17:5). The next day, upon examination of Aaron’s staff, Moses saw that “it had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds” (Numbers 17:8). The grumblings against Moses and Aaron stopped.
Ways Aaron’s Staff Revealed Truths About Christ
Like Aaron’s staff, Jesus Christ is also described as a living branch from what appeared to be unlikely and humble origins (Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 53:2), pointing to life emerging where it was not expected. After the Babylonians took the Israelites captive, the Davidic branch appeared dead. But Isaiah prophesied that “a shoot will come up from the branch of Jesse; from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). This Branch was Jesus Christ.
In the same way Aaron’s staff was cut off from a living tree, God’s Son, Jesus, was also cut off in death. Yet just as Aaron’s rod, though lifeless, miraculously budded and produced fruit, Jesus rose from the dead, demonstrating God’s power to bring life where there was none.
The budding of Aaron’s rod confirmed that God had chosen him. In a far greater way, the resurrection of Jesus publicly vindicated Him as the Son of God and the one appointed by the Father. Lastly, after the staff budded, it was placed in the presence of the Lord. Similarly, after Jesus was resurrected, He returned to His Father’s presence.
Red Heifer
(Numbers 19 )
A red heifer was part of a purification ritual to make clean those who had come into contact with the dead and allow them back in the presence of God. A Priest would take a red heifer without blemish that had never been under a yoke and slaughter it outside of camp and then burn it. The red heifer’s ashes would be used in the cleansing water.
The red heifer and Christ have three main similarities. First, both were without blemish. Second, both were sacrificed outside of the camp. Christ was crucified outside of Jerusalem (Hebrews 13:11-12). As the ashes of the red heifer provided ceremonial purification from defilement associated with death, the blood of Christ provides true cleansing — removing the stain of sin — so that we may draw near to God (Hebrews 9:13-14).
Brazen Serpent
(Numbers 21:4-9)
As the Israelites traveled through the wilderness, they constantly grumbled and complained. In response to their continued rebellion, God sent venomous snakes among them, and many died (Numbers 21:6). Yet even in judgment, God provided mercy.
Although God sent the snakes as a judgment against Israel, He also gave them a way out. He told Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then, when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived (Numbers 21:8-9). Because God is holy, He must deal with our sin (judgment). Because He is love, he chooses to offer us mercy.
Ways the Brazen Serpent Revealed Truths About Christ
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” John 3:14-15
First, both the serpent and Jesus were lifted up. The Israelites looked to a snake on a pole for healing from poisonous venom, just like we look to the Savior on a cross to heal us from the poison of sin. Secondly, the Israelites were given a way to escape from immediate physical death, just like we are given a way to escape from eternal spiritual death. Thirdly, in faith, the Israelites had to look at the bronze serpent on the pole, believing that they would be saved, just as we, in faith, have to look at Jesus on the cross, believing that we will be saved.
Balaam as a Prophecy of Hope
Numbers 22:1-Numbers 24:25
By Gustav Jäger
Balaam was a non-Israelite prophet who was called upon by the King of Moab to curse the Israelites. Although not part of Israel, God spoke through him. Despite knowing God’s will, Balaam’s heart was drawn toward gain, and he was willing to act against Israel for profit. God warned Balaam not to curse the Israelites because God had blessed them. Balaam tried anyway. In response, God sent an Angel to stop Balaam. Each time Balaam tried to curse Israel, he blessed them instead.
Interestingly, this wicked prophet prophesied about the coming Messiah. He said, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth” (Numbers 24:17).
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.”
Balaam prophesied about someone who wasn’t with the Israelites at that moment, and He wasn’t coming soon. But He would eventually come.
“A star will come out of Jacob.”
This imagery points to a coming ruler. The language of the star and the scepter together emphasizes kingship, authority, and victory. Balaam is pointing forward to a future king who will arise from Israel.
From Numbers, we see the weight of unbelief and the call to trust God. Israel’s experience warns us of hardened hearts, yet at the same time, the book points us forward to Christ. In unexected places–a rod, a red heifer, a bronze serpent, and words of a pagan prophet–God reveals shadows of what was to come. These are not the substance, but they direct us to Jesus, who fulfills what they anticipated and brings His people into the rest and life they could not secure on their own.
Believe and Trust: Finding Life in God Now #shorts
Making Him Known March 27, 2026 1:46 pm