Almond tree blossoms. Image from Pixabay.
Numbers 10:35-36 (NIV)
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,
“Rise up, Lord!
May your enemies be scattered;
may your foes flee before you.”
36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,
“Return, Lord,
to the countless thousands of Israel.”
The Bible is filled with symbols and connections that teach us and give us insight into Heavenly things. The For example, the Ark of the Covenant represents Jesus. This is revealed to us by the words spoken by Moses before the Ark set out, and when it came to rest. The words “Rise up, Lord,” speak to Almighty God, Who sent Messiah Jesus, Who is the power of our salvation, the provider of our daily needs, and our eternal instructor in righteousness. “Rise up, Lord” says that God is, and that He both hears and responds to His people. That which speaks to Almighty God also speaks to Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Without the Lord, the Ark would have no power, and sending it before the people in their travels would be a meaningless gesture. Verse 35 echoes Psalm 68:1 (NIV):
“Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.”
The Lord travels before His people to guide, provide, and protect. His rising causes His enemies to scatter, and His haters to flee.
How the Ark Represents Jesus
There is much about the Ark of the Covenant that represents Jesus. This discourse discusses how the objects inside the Ark (the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod that budded, and manna) represent Him.
The Ten Commandments
The tablets on which Moses wrote the Ten Commandments point to Jesus. The Ten Commandments constitute the law, and Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV) says that Christ came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Aaron’s Rod
During the Exodus, when Korah and others threatened insurrection against Moses, saying that he had not been sent by the Lord to deliver the people from Egypt, the Lord destroyed them. Then each tribe presented its staff to Moses. Of the twelve staffs collected was Aaron’s from the tribe of Levi. The Lord caused Aaron’s rod to bud, thereby verifying Moses and Aaron as leaders appointed by Him. Numbers 17:8 says:
“Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.”
In his sermon, “The Lesson of the Almond Tree,” theologian C. H. Spurgeon notes that the word almond means “wakeful.” The almond tree is a wakeful tree. It’s blossoming is one of the first signs of spring, so it “blooms while other trees are asleep.” The Lord gives us the promise God will be wakeful to perform His word. Spurgeon further notes that the almond tree blooms quickly, even as the Lord hastens to perform His word.
The symbol of Aaron’s rod that budded resonates further, because genealogically, Jesus is “the root of Jesse.” Isaiah 11:1 says: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:” Jesse is the father of King David, the ancestor of Messiah Jesus.
Manna
Manna, which the Lord sent like dew upon the ground to feed the children of Israel on their journey from Egypt to the promised land, also reflects Jesus because Jesus is “the Bread of Life.” John 6:35 (NIV) tells us:
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
The Second Coming
The words spoken by Moses when the Ark came to rest also reflect Jesus. “Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel” asks for the Lord to return, even as Jesus promised to come again. In Matthew 16:27 (NIV) Jesus says:
“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.”
What This Means Today
The going forth of the Ark before the people of Israel and the words spoken before and after are not idle rituals of the past. They are instructions for everyday living, even for Christians in the 21st Century. Like the almonds that budded from Aaron’s rod, we should be awake and alert to the voice and things of God. Also, we should ever abide in Christ, Who is the Bread of Life, because “without Him we are nothing” (John 15:5, NIV). Without the Lord we have no sure direction and are powerless against our enemies. We should love the Lord, and keep His commandments (John 14:15, NIV).As Spurgeon said in his “Treasury of David,” “Before we move, we should always desire to see the Lord lead the way.” Friends, think before you act, but also pray to the Lord to lead the way. Only in His rising will your enemies be scattered and the way made safe for your passage. Call out for God to lead the way in all that you do this day and everyday.
Until we meet again: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!” (Ephesians 6:10).
– Verneda
(Twitter handle: @vlights)
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