The Rod of Aaron
The Rod of Aaron
The rod of Aaron was the ultimate symbol of resurrection power.
A man’s rod or staff was the sign of his position as ruler. With a prince, the rod becomes a sceptre, the insignia of rule.
The Lord had just previously given a practical proof to the people that Aaron was the high priest appointed by Him for service in the tabernacle, by allowing the high-priestly incense offered by Aaron to calm His wrath and remove the plague.
“Aaron obeyed, took his fire pan and ran into the middle of the assembled people. When he saw that the plague had already begun, he put the incense on the coals and performed the ritual of purification for the people. This stopped the plague, and he was left standing between the living and the dead.” (Num 16:47-48)
God wanted to make this point even clearer.
“The LORD said to Moses,Tell the people of Israel to give you twelve walking sticks, one from the leader of each tribe. Write each man’s name on his stick and then write Aaron’s name on the stick representing Levi. There will be one stick for each tribal leader. Take them to the Tabernacle of my presence and put them in front of the Covenant Box, where I meet you. Then the stick of the man I have chosen will sprout. In this way I will put a stop to the constant complaining of these Israelites against you.” (Num17:1-5)
No rod even freshly cut off, when laid in a dry place, would bear ripe fruit in a single night. As a severed branch, the rod could not put forth shoots and blossom in a natural way. But Aaron’s priesthood was not founded upon natural qualifications and gifts but upon the power of the Spirit.
“So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a stick, one for each tribe, twelve in all, and the rod of Aaron was put with them. Moses then put all the sticks in the Tabernacle in front of the LORD’s Covenant Box.” (Num17:6-7)
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The rod of Aaron not only brought forth shoots where it was lying in the Most holy place of the tabernacle but even bore blossoms and ripe fruit.“The next day, when Moses went into the Tabernacle, he saw that the rod of Aaron, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted. It had budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds!” (Num 17:8) This demonstrated that Aaron was not only qualified for his calling, but administered his office in the full power of the Spirit, and bore the fruit expected of him.
In the natural, the buds come first, then make space for the blossoms, which in turn makes space for the fruit. Not so in the spiritual. Christians are not asked to forsake their first love, but rather to return to it. “But this is what I have against you: you do not love me now as you did at first.” (Rev 2:4) |
This was something to be remembered.
The LORD said to Moses, “Put the rod of Aaron back in front of the Covenant Box. It is to be kept as a warning to the rebel Israelites that they will die unless their complaining stops.” (Num 17:10)
After Christ was slain because of the law that was broken, He arose from the dead and now abides as our eternal High Priest
The rod of Aaron speaks of Christ.
In the flesh, he did not look like much.
“It was the will of the LORD that his servant grow like a plant taking root in dry ground. He had no dignity or beauty to make us take notice of him. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing that would draw us to him.” (Isa 53:2)
Yet, He has become the source of all fruitfulness.
“I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.” (Joh 15:5)
Be bold and enter into the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle in heaven. Just like the rod of Aaron flourished, so will you!