Chapter X: Aaron's Rod That Budded

NUMBERS 16 AND 17

BEFORE we begin to talk about the pleasant happy story of Aaron's Rod, and how it came out into buds and flowers, there is a very dark and sorrowful story which we must think of first.

The Lord told Moses to make a beautiful Tabernacle or Tent, where He would speak to him face to face; and He appointed the different Tribes to pitch their tents round it.

God choose Aaron, the elder brother of Moses, to be the High Priest. Aaron was the head of the tribe of Levi, and his family were the only ones who were allowed to approach God in the offerings which were to be presented for sin; and to offer the sweet Incense on the Golden Altar of Incense, which was in the Holy Place in the Tabernacle.

God said this Incense was to be made in a special way, and no one was to make any like it. And the Lord warns the people that "the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death."

Even Aaron's two elder sons, Nadab and Abihu, died before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, when they took their censers, "and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not."

These things were well known, and understood by the Israelites; but so evil are men's hearts and so easily excited to jealousy, that three men named Korah, Dathan and Abiram, gathered together a number of the Princes of the Congregation, and came to Moses and Aaron with complaints, that Moses and Aaron were taking too much upon themselves, and that all the Congregation were equally fit to draw near to God, and to do those parts of the Holy Service, which God had appointed that only Aaron and his sons should do.

Moses was dreadfully grieved, and he fell on his face in bitter sorrow.

Then he told Korah and the Princes that they were to present themselves at the door of the Tabernacle on the following day.

He said to them, "This do: Take you censers, Korah and all his company, and put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to-morrow."

But Moses warned them that the Lord would choose who was holy, and who should draw near to Him.

Korah and his company would not heed the warning. They had time to think over and repent of their sin, for the Lord is a God ready to pardon. But they went on in their proud arrogance, and oh! to what a dreadful end it led them.

So the next day Korah gathered all the Congregation together against Moses and Aaron, at the door of the Tabernacle. But Dathan and Abiram, who specially strove against the authority of Moses, would not come up, but remained in their tents.

Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron to separate themselves quickly from the Congregation that He might consume them all in His anger.

But once more Moses and Aaron fell on their faces, and interceded with the Lord for those people who had not joined in the rebellion; and the Lord heard their prayer, and told Moses to send the people to a distance, lest they should be consumed in the sins of these rebellious men.

So the people fled from round about the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

And then God sent an earthquake, and the Earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up Dathan and Abiram, and their families and their tents.

And as the Congregation fled still further from the awful cry of them, a fire came out from the Lord, and destroyed Korah, and the two hundred and fifty Princes, who had offered Incense.

It is an awful thing to risk God's punishment.

This is a very, very sad story; but it is written down in the Bible, to show that we must obey God's commands, and seek Him in the way He has provided.

In the Old Testament times, the way to approach God was by the Priests whom God had appointed to present the Offerings for sin, and to burn the Incense; but now, since God sent His dear Son, Jesus Christ, to make atonement for our sins, Jesus is the Way to God. He is "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."

After all these dreadful things happened, the Lord spoke to Moses again. God told him that each of the Princes at the head of the Twelve Tribes, was to bring a rod, with his name clearly marked on it, and Moses was to take the twelve rods and place them in the Tabernacle before the Ark of the Testimony.

Aaron the High Priest was the head of the Tribe of Levi, and his rod, with his name on it, was to be sent in with the others.

And God said, "The man's rod whom I shall choose, shall blossom; and I will make to cease the murmurings of the Children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you."

Moses did this, and went in on the morrow to look at the rods; and "behold the rod of Aaron, for the house of Levi, was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded Almonds."

Then Moses carried all the rods out for the children of Israel to see, and the Lord said, "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."