20131205 Thursday, December 5 2013
Numbers 17: Aaron's Almond Rod

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds"

The almond is an ancient tree that originated in the Middle East, where humanity itself originated (see Genesis 10: The First Nations Of The New World). As such, almonds were well-known to the Israelites and to the nations from which they originated (e.g. see The LORD's Seed Covenants With The Two Men Of Iraq and Genesis 38: The First Jews). Similar in appearance to the peach tree, to which it is related, the almond tree has early blossoms that are quite beautiful (see the illustration below).

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) had the lampstands, or "candlesticks" as the King James Version translates them, decorated with oil bowls in the shape of almond blossoms (see the Fact Finder question below). Aaron's rod, that was used for various miracles, including defeating Pharaoh's sorcerers (see also What Is Sorcery?), was made from a branch of an almond tree (see Exodus 4: Signs For Israel, Exodus 7: The Waters Turned To Blood and Exodus 8: Let My People Go).

The tribe of Levi had been set apart to serve the LORD, by teaching and serving His people through the priesthood (see Exodus 26: The First Christian Tabernacle and Numbers 4: The Levite Clans). Moreover, the Levite High Priest was a prophetic figure of Christianity and of the Messiah (see Leviticus 8: The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One and Leviticus 23: The True Christian Holy Days).

Unfortunately, the Israelites that came out of Egypt chose to become stubborn and rebellious (see Numbers 11: Winners and Whiners). They repeatedly rebelled against the LORD, to which the LORD repeatedly responded with signs and wonders to help the rebels see the Light. Immediately after a most-recent uprising, the LORD provided them with another demonstration "to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you." The word "children" there refers to the fully-adult descendants (i.e. "children") of Jacob (see A Biography Of Jacob: The Jacobites Of Syria, Genesis 32: The Origin Of Israel, Genesis 46: The First Census Of Israel and Exodus 1: I Will There Make Of Thee A Great Nation). As it would happen, it would be the first and second generation children of those "children" who would enter the Promised Land forty years later (see Deuteronomy: The Law and History Lessons By Moses) because the adults of the Exodus refused their opportunity to be home (see Numbers 13: The Exploration Of The Promised Land and Numbers 14: Why 40 Years In The Sinai?; also Numbers 15: Why Fringes On The Border?).

"17:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod. 17:3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. 17:4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. 17:5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you." (Numbers 17:1-5 KJV)

A rod from each tribe (see also Numbers 2: Israel's Battle Formation) was brought to the Tabernacle for the demonstration.

"17:6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 17:7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness." (Numbers 17:6-7 KJV)

The next morning, "the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds."

"17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. 17:9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod." (Numbers 17:8-9 KJV)

The LORD was giving them yet another opportunity to wake up and live: "Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not."

"17:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. 17:11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

17:12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. 17:13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?" (Numbers 17:10-13 KJV)

Everything that the Levite priesthood was given to do, and the place where they were given to do it, was a living prophecy of Christianity and the Messiah (again, see Leviticus 8: The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One and Leviticus 23: The True Christian Holy Days). Aaron's rod of almonds was placed in the Ark of the Covenant, where it remains to this day.

"9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself [see The Blood Of Bulls And Goats], and for the errors of the people: 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place [see What Happened When The Messiah Arrived In Heaven?], having obtained eternal redemption for us." (Hebrews 9:1-12 KJV)

Fact Finder: Did the Menorah have oil "bowls made like unto almonds" (KJV)?
Exodus 25:33 and see The Menorah: Lighting The Way