The Budding Rod

I was reading in Numbers the other day and came across the story of Aaron and his budding rod. So today I want talk about the story of the budding rod of Aaron, and how this rod can be symbolic of Christ. Let’s begin.

“Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them a rod for each father’s household: twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households. You shall write each name on his rod,

Numbers 17:2 NASB

So this story begins by God telling Moses to get twelve rods from the leaders of the households, or tribes. And God was going to show the Israelites who He had chosen by making the rod sprout.

It will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you.”

Numbers 17:5 NASB

So all the leaders brought their rods and Moses placed them before the Lord in the Tent of Meeting.

Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.

Numbers 17:8 NASB

So Aaron’s rod was chosen and his rod budded, produced blossoms, and it bore ripe fruit. So Moses took all the rods and brought them before the Children of Israel to show that Aaron was chosen.

Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the Lord to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. But the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.”

Numbers 17:9‭-‬10 NASB

So part of the reason why God chose to make a rod produce fruit was that He wanted to show the Children of Israel once and for all who He had chosen. Now the interesting part of this verse is that it doesn’t say what exactly Aaron was chosen for. And why did God chose Aaron’s rod and not the rod of Moses? I think it has to do with the Aaron and Jesus connection. So let’s look at some connections. Jesus is called the branch and if we look at the word used for rod, in some translations it can also come out as branch. And Jesus died and came back to life, just as the rod of Aaron was dead and than came back to life. The rod of Aaron bore fruit, and Jesus was resurrected on the day of first fruits. God said the rod of the man I will chose will sprout, and God had chosen Jesus and thus He resurrected Him from the grave. And lastly Aaron’s name was written on the rod. If we look into the name of Aaron, one of the meanings is exalted. And Jesus was the branch that was exulted.

You have a strong arm; Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted.

Psalms 89:13 NASB

I hope you guys can start to see the connection that the Holy Spirit is showing me in this passage. If you feel I may have missed any feel free to let me know in the comments.

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