Aaron's Rod that Budded. Numbers 17. Pastor David Mitchell

could you turn your Bibles please to the book of numbers numbers chapter 16 continuing on our wilderness wanderings we've only had 23 outings we just got into the beginning of 40 years but it's not gonna take take that much longer I don't think to finish our journey but number six numbers chapter 16 and verses 36 to 39 give us a bit of that review I think it might make it to this forty I review to establish where we're up to in the sort in the story so numbers chapter 16 in verse 36 and the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron at the priest and he take up the census out of the burning and scattered out there for a on that for they are hallowed the census of these sinners against their own souls that there make them broad plates for a covering of the altar for they offered them before the Lord therefore they are hallowed and they shall be for a sign unto the children of Israel nearly all these are the priests took two brazen senses where wherewith they that were burnt had offered and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar to be a memorial unto the children of Israel that no stranger which is not at the seat of Aaron come near unto offer come near to offer incense before the Lord that it be not as Korah and as his company as the Lord said unto him by the hand of Moses so that's where we're up to now our story and I'd like to ask the Lord to bless our time in his word father we thank you for the privilege of opening up the scriptures and just reading this history and we know that father there are lessons for each of us here in this history in this story and what I pray that that those are those lessons would be made clear to us tonight by your Holy Spirit if there's anything that we need to apply to our hearts I pray that we may do it we pray in Jesus name in the last time we were with the Israelites in the wilderness we learned how three Reuben eyed leaders led a conspiracy to unseat Aaron as high priest of Israel in his place they wanted to put Korah the sound of it and I get the feeling that Cora was probably behind the rebellion clora was a co effect from the tribe of Levi just like Aaron but he wasn't God's man he wasn't the man that God had anointed to be high praised now the consequence of this futile push for power was as we saw last time that was that the earth literally opened up and swallowed the tents of Korah and his teammates Dathan and abiram there opened up their tents and their families fell in and then the earth swallowed them up added to that a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty conspirators of Korah that's what we learned about last one now you would think all of this would have quelled any further rebellion in the Israelite camp think of all that sin and all that I witnessed you think well that would end their rebellion if that's what you thought then of course you were wrong because the very next day after chorus demise let's read what happened number 16 and verse 41 but under morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying you have killed the people of the Lord so Moses and Aaron were back at the same place they'd been so many times before it must have felt like one of those repeating dreams you know that you keep having that same old bad dream when Moses and Aaron went to work the very next day here they were yet another crowd baying for their blood and then like all the other times before as the congregation stood there in defiance against Moses and Aaron it's like that they cloud over the tabernacle the cloud of the Lord just started to glow that's how I would see it it just started to glow because that glory is the brightness of God and so I believe that the cloud over the tabernacle started to glow it was the glory of the Lord and he wasn't happy have a look in verses 42 to 45 and it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and Aaron that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation and behold that cloud coveted and the glory of the Lord appeared Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation the Lord spoke unto Moses saying get up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment and they fell upon their faces this is the very next day after all that happened to Korah and his co-conspirators the glory of the Lord appeared before the congregation and the Lord spoke to Moses and move out of the way because he wanted to consume the rebels so once again Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the Lord Moses this time seemed to know that walking wasn't going to work before on different occasions he's been able to talk to the Lord and talked him out of consuming the people at this time it's obvious that Moses knew that that wasn't going to work the people had gone too far this time so Moses told Aaron what he needed to do Moses told error I don't know they're still lying on their floor aney whispers a parent he said Aaron this is what you've got to do hurry up they told him what he needed to do to prevent that complete annihilation of the people have a look in verses 46 to verse 50 and Moses said unto Aaron take our censer and put fire therein from us the altar and put on incense and go quickly unto the congregation and make an atonement for them for their his wrath going out from the Lord the plague has begun and Aaron talked as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation and behold the plague was begun among the people and he put on incense and made an atonement for the people and he stood between the dead and the living and the play was stayed they had died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred beside them there died about the matter of Korah and Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the play was stayed a fire from the altar made an atonement for the people and thanks to Moses fast-thinking and Aaron's fast action only only fourteen thousand seven hundred people died that day only make sure wonder how many would have died if Moses hadn't told Aaron to do this Aaron put incense on the burning coals and it's as if the Lord smelt that the incense on the burning follows from the ultimately he smelled the sweet savour and his ruff was appeased and the plague was stayed now of course there's a picture here of Aaron as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ Lord Jesus is our mediator his the one who has made atonement for an hour since he is our intercessor but what I want to Chilean sight it must have been Aaron standing there with the dead and the dying on one side and the living on the other side holding that that that sense that smoking sensor that was burning the incense from the altar I think that here is as good a texture for a gospel message that I've ever seen there's the layer of the dead and there the living in the middle the center from the altar here is all humanity past and present on one side they are dead in their sins and doomed to hell on the other side are the living these are those say from ruff than with the hope of heaven in the middle is our high priest it was also our sinless substitute and he has made atonement for our sins so that we can be saved he is the difference between the dead and the living pline has paid the terrible price on the cross of Calvary that so that our sins might be attained for and I hope that everybody here tonight know as everyone here tonight is on the site of the living and not on the side of the dead I hope everyone here has come to the Lord Jesus to escape the wrath on your sins because the Lord Jesus is the only one that can make a tournament for our sins but this was the picture presented to us that day after Cora's Demers the people hadn't learned from the lesson that was taught through Cora then because of that because the people still rebelled against God and God's appointed leaders another fourteen thousand seven hundred souls paid the price but this isn't this isn't what I want to finish on tonight really wanna what I want us to look at it in the face of what we've just read I want us to get to chapter 17 because we're all those events of chapter 16 of chorus rebellion and the rebellion of environment data but they 'then they all lead to what we read in chapter 17 before there could be any more challenges you could think of the the people they rebelled God judges them people die so they rebel again God judges them more people died so before they could be another rebellion the Lord took measures so that that he could make it very clear to his people to the Israelites who was his appointed man for to be High Priest and this is really what chapter 17 is about to have quite a famous chapter you've probably heard about it so let me read verses 1 to 5 of chapter 17 to show you God's plan to show the people who was his appointed man and the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto the children of Israel and take of everyone I write according to the house of their fathers of all their princes according to the house of their fathers 12 rods right that every men's day name upon his rod and thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi for one rod shall be for the head of the house of the father's about shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony where I will meet with you and it shall come to pass that the man's rod whom I shall choose shall blossom and I will make it make to cease from me the murmurings of the children is for a whereby they murmur against you say God was going to sort out once and for all who would who was to be God his appointed high priest you know they said Brazos would still I'm sure receive challenges about being the leaders of the people but who was going to be God's appointed by priests now I'm not sure if this happened how soon after chapter 16 these happened I assumed that after what happened in chapter 16 that would need to be her mass burial think of all the first people who had died and all of the charred bodies it would have had would have been like a Holocaust and so I don't know whether it happened the very next day but I would suggest to you that it was her it was sometime very soon after the events of Korus demise then ever long it was since those events the issue of who was to be the high priest was obviously still raw among the people that people seem to think that Moses and Aaron had appointed themselves and we look in chapter 16 sep 16 verse 3 mister remind you of the accusation of Korah and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them you take too much upon you seeing all the congregation of holy are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord so he was the accusation that that were being accused of being self-appointed you've lifted yourselves up why do you think that you're better than where we are we're all God's holy people and so they were being accused of self appointment so the Lord would give a sign to show once and for all who was his choice to be the high priest and that would be the priestly family each tribe would choose one of one of the princes of their people to be in the running for the high priest okay one prince from each of the tribes and each would take a rod or a branch of a plant now we could assume that the branch was bare you didn't have any leaves or buds and each man would write on his particular branch his name and the Lord instructed Moses and Aaron and the Lord instructed Moses that Aaron was to be the one whose name appears on the branch of Levi there what I thought you know Wayne's always telling me I need to have a some practical illustration so I went out and talked a bit of the tree off didn't tell mrs. Mitchell it's still living so that's what it was would have looked something like that as though each man would come he'd bring his branch and have it have on there so that's would you believe that's my name in Hebrew hmm you wouldn't you wouldn't know would you because it's definitely not my name in Hebrew but that would have looked something like that and so each man were from the one that was chosen by his tribe would bring his rod his piece of branch with his name on it and then that branch was to be taken and to be put in the tavern after night and I believe that would be in the tabernacle proper in the holy place so Moses would take the twelve place each of them all of them in the holy place and then the Lord said he would miraculously cause the rod to blossom of the man he had chosen so this is what Moses was told to do this is what Moses took this challenge to the people and it seems that they accepted the challenge this would be a good idea this would probably they probably see within Moses and Aaron would see that day God wants someone else to be the high priest as well have a look in verses 6 and 7 and I suspect out of the tune of Israel and every one of their princes gave him a ride apiece for each Prince and one according to the father's houses that even 12 works and the rod of Aaron was among their rods and Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness so this plan that God had given was set in motion each tribes man brought up a rubber rod to my system 12 men twelve graz amasses put the rub the rods in the in the holy place in the place where no one dared touch this couldn't be nobody could mess with this and then when all the rods were in place in the holy place because they were behind those very heavy curtains and all the rods in place everybody went over the bed and went to the next day to see what would happen and what happened well this is 8 to 9 and it came to pass it on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness that's the holy place and behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was buttered and brought forth birds and bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds and Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord under the all the children of Israel and they looked and took every man his rod now there was no doubt who was God's choice to pay the high priest Aaron's rod was from an almond tree and he's where I hadn't just blossomed overnight but it had grown some freaky actually yielded yielded almonds it didn't just have little bad side but actually had almonds just overnight well that is that is if you could if you could do that I mention you could be a millionaire you know and we can get fruit grown overnight you'd be able to sell it all around the world so Aaron's rod one with his name it blossom buttered and even brought forth fruit so surely this there would silence Aaron's critics and quell future rebellion this is why God made this this challenge but for future generations just for the future generations it might bring up the question again of who should be the high priest the Lord wanted Aaron's rod to be kept kept in a safe place as a reminder have a look in verses 10 and 11 and the Lord said unto Moses bringing Aaron's right again before the testimony to be kept for a token against the rebels and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me and that they die not and Moses so as the LORD commanded him so did he I can imagine on that day it would parade the road with Aaron's name on it so that all of those princes and anyone else that it gathered there just to show them hey Aaron hey it's it's got flowers on it it's got fruit on it definitely Aaron is God's been well Lord said for future generations I want you to keep that rod that budded just in case there are generations to come and they start to question who should be the high priest to be able to bring out that rod and show them that this it's the one with Aaron's name on it now we know Aaron's rod that budded was placed by Moses in the Ark of the Covenant that's quickly go over to Hebrews chapter 9 Hebrews chapter 9 verses 4 to 2 4 Hebrews chapter 2 annoying sorry verses 2 to 4 verse two well there was a tabernacle made first where him was the candlestick and the table of the showbread which is called the sanctuary and after the second Vale the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all which had the golden censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid roundabout with gold the Ark of the Covenant wherein was the golden pot that had manna and Aaron's rod that budded and the tables of the Covenant and so here we learned the favors that Aaron's rather but it was placed in the Ark of the Covenant and there it hit like next to a pot of manna and there is play next to those tables of stone that Moses had brought down from the memory now the reason I suppose it this was kept was I said what started that if in future generations the question came up about who should be high priest then there will be able to bring this out and see see Aaron's rods the one that buttered it's Aaron's family that should have the priesthood and that way rebellion could be avoided people would once again rise up to place someone else into the pre priesthood and and if if there was no rebellion about that point then God wouldn't have to once again punish the people you see God's not just God doesn't like punishing people he doesn't want to punish people that's just I mean people rebel against him he they cause him to have to act but God never takes pleasure in judgment quickly go over to the ezekiel chapter 33 ezekiel chapter 33 another well-known in the first Zika 33 verse 11 Lord spoke to Ezekiel said say unto them that's unto the house of israel as I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turned from his way and live turning turn you from your evil ways for why will you die o house of Israel God plea is pleading with these people why why why do you keep rebelling please turn I have no pleasure in judgment I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked why do you continue to reveal turn you turn you turn you from your from your rip of wicked ways because I don't want to judge will have no pleasure in judgment it was only the stubborn rebellion of the Israelites that brought about their demise they were like that child that is smack for something and then they do it again in your smacking for the same thing and they do it again and again it's it's very frustrating he loved them but they force you to discipline them for their own wood that's a rebellious child and that's how the children of Israel were towards a ward and Moses and Aaron the Israelites were stubborn in their rebellion and you know the Bible tells us that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft first Samuel 15:23 for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry you might say I don't worship idols yes but you are stubborn you're stubborn in resisting God's will you're stubborn in going against what God wants for you and that was the heart of the children of Israel that was stubborn in their rebellion now if we go back to number 17 just to finish the story just a few verses it seems that after the Lord performed the miracle of Aaron's rod budding it seems that after that it's kind of like a you you put them put the peanut in the balloon outside all that the fire their rebellion seemed to dissipate and it seems the gravity of all that they time finally begin to dawn on the people maybe as as the princess saw that Aaron's rotten wow it didn't just bad but it had actually almonds on as each of the princes saw that and they saw oh right well that is God Wow and then they will go back and tell the people in there in the various tribes what they've seen it seems the gravity of all they done finally begin to dawn on them because we read that after they saw that it was Aaron's Robert but it that he was God's choice we read this in verse 12 and the children of Israel spake unto Moses say behold we die we perish we all perish whosoever cometh anything near the tabernacle of the Lord shall die shall we be consumed with dying seems to me that the people started to realize you know just the the terrible behavior that they they'd been having and and all the terrible things that they'd done against the Lord and they were fearful that they were in trouble and how often do people push against the Lord and they go their own way and they realized too late the damage they've cause they get that in the in the heat of the moment or in stubbornness of rebellion they do the wrong thing and after that's all over they realize the damage they've done to themselves to their families to their relationship with God it's better not to go our own way at the outset it's better to surrender to the Lord and to do his will right from the word go then we don't have to worry about the damage that our rebellion causes Paul told the Corinthians now these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted so we can learn from the rebellion the stubbornness of these Israelites we are to learn from their failures and not to repeat them so if you or I have been resisting stubbornly resisting what God wants us to do and don't do what the Israelites did because it ends in defeat and ends in loss remember Aaron's rod that budded remembered as a token to not cow against God's will there are always consequences and that is our story tonight in the wilderness wanderings so shall we pray father when we look at those Israelites reaction to the things that happened Lord I know I see my own heart I see how often I rebelled or how often I don't learn from Lord my failure sir I know that father we could judge them but Lord our hearts just as deceitful our hearts are just as weakened and I pray that father we would listen to your spirit when he would convene convict us and convince us of sin or when he would want us to go your way I pray that Bobby won't resist your spirit I pray that we would surrender your will because we know that what you want for us is the best thing for us so father we thank you for the things we've learned tonight from your word and we pray in Jesus precious name

Channel: Coffs Harbour Bible Church

Views: 2,603

Rating: 4.8709679 out of 5

Keywords: Israel, God, Jesus, Yeshua, Numbers

Id: v9nI0BQo4_s

Length: 28min 45sec (1725 seconds)

Published: Sun Nov 06 2016