Singapore Moses

Aaron was the first high priest. As a high priest, Aaron carried the responsibility of all Israel on his shoulders before God. If he failed in his duty the whole nation would perish, for he alone made atonement for all their sins once a year (Lev. 16).

✿ A rod or staff used as a symbol of sovereignty and power (Ps. 45:6; Gen. 49:10; Num. 24:17; Isa. 14:5; Ezek. 19:11,14; Amos 1:5; Zech. 10:11). Aaron's rod was turned into a serpent (Ex. 7:9-10; magicians also did so, Ex. 7:11-12). Aaron's rod swallowed the others (Ex. 7:12).

✿ In Ex. 28: 12, we read, Aaron was sanctified for four reasons:
1. That he and his sons should sanctify the holy things eternally
2. To burn incense before God
3. To minister to Him
4. To bless His name eternally

✿ The rod of the man whom I shall choose for the priesthood, shall blossom (Num. 17:5).
Three things happened to Aaron's rod (Ex. 17:8):
1. It brought forth buds.
2. It produced blossoms.
3. It yielded almonds.

✿ Everything that happened to the rod was miraculous. To see a dead, dry stick do this overnight was surely convincing, even to the most skeptical and rebellious ones. It is called "Aaron's rod" twice (Num. 17:10; Heb. 9:4).

✿ All Israel saw the miracle of the dry rod budding, blossoming and producing almonds in overnight (Num. 17:8-9). It refers to the previous night of being laid up before the Lord with the other twelve rods to see which would be chosen. This time it was put in the ark itself beside the testimony as a memorial of God's choice (Heb. 9:4). The testimony referred to here was the two tables of the law on which the Ten Commandments were written. The first night the rod was before the testimony but now it was permanently placed inside the ark.

✿ Paul writes about the Ark of of the covenant as a box or chest about 3 x 3 x 5 feet in which were the golden pot of manna (Heb. 9:4; Ex. 16:32-34), Aaron's rod that budded (Num. 17), and the tables of the covenant--two stones on which were written the Ten Commandments (2Cor. 3:3,7 Ex. 25:16). The golden censor (Lev. 16:12) appears to have been left in the holy of holies with the ark.The Aaron's rod seemed to be missing from the ark in the days of Solomon (1Ki. 8:9); it could have been lost when taken by the Philistines (1Sam. 4-7).

✿ The eternal priesthood typified by Melchizedek was the original priesthood. It existed over 400 years before the Levitical order. Over 600 years after the Levitical priesthood David by the Holy Spirit predicted that another priest--a perfect one--would arise after the order of Melchizedek. The law, therefore, did not contain the original priesthood, which existed typically in Melchizedek and became reality in Jesus Christ.

December 11 2016 • Report