WRITTEN WORD
The Budding Rod
9/17/13
*Be sure to read all Scripture while meditating on this word. It will open your eyes as to what God is truly saying, is coming through His power and glory, His nature.
The time has approached and is progressing in the budding of the rod, the Lord says.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “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, 3 and write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers’ households. 4 You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you.5 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.”6 Moses therefore spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods. 7 So Moses deposited the rods before the Lord in the tent of the testimony.
8 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. 9 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. 10 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.”11 Thus Moses did; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.
12 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish, we are dying, we are all dying! 13 Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord, must die. Are we to perish completely?”
What is God saying about this time of the budding rod? Many things but first, He’s saying He is going to release a sign that will be before the testimony (or the Tent of Meeting, Tabernacle—which is in this time, the one that God dwells with, 2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 15:47; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews 9:11; Colossians 3:16; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 2:19-22). The Scriptures below give you an idea of what this entails. This sign is God Himself, His Power, AND the character of Himself. This is what will be seen soon among His people He’s chosen:
This is what the LORD says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
“The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”
It is also important to understand what it was that budded from Aaron’s rod and why it did. There was much spiritual significance to this incident and about what was to come in the days ahead, speaking of this time. A rod in Hebrew can mean ‘a scepter’ or ‘a wheel-spoke connecting to a rim.’ The scepter would refer to a form of ruling or authority and in regards to the wheel-spoke, it would refer to God’s Word being fulfilled…being spoken by Him, by His authority, His Spirit (God’s voice), through His true people (Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 4:4; Hebrews 12:25-29). However, there’s more to it.
The Lord is going to release His seven-fold Spirit in this hour through His wheels.
Ezekiel 1:4-21—see also Ezekiel 10
Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. 8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. 9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
Ezekiel’s vision was speaking of wheels that were alongside the living creatures (Ezekiel 10:18-19) and IN the wheels. This would mean that Christ is alongside them and the Holy Spirit is in them (2 Corinthians 6:16; Revelation 21:3; John 1:14; John 14:23; Ezekiel 37:27). Wheels usually have rods or spokes in them. But these wheels have eyes. They will be watchful with their eyes (Luke 21:36; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Timothy 4:5).
Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 10 For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth.”
God is saying He has not removed the spokes of His wheels but the eyes are the spokes (Ezekiel 1:18). The rods or spokes of the wheels from His heavenly firmament are filled with His seven-fold Spirit (Isaiah 11:1-2). These spokes or eyes will make a sound (speak—past tense being spoke, as it’s already done, Revelation 21:6; John 19:30) like that of God (Ezekiel 1:24), like the noise of many waters , a tumult (a tempestuous uprising, a disturbance, Jeremiah 23:19; Jeremiah 30:18-24; Job 9:13-24; Psalm 11:6; Psalm 83:15; Isaiah 28:2; Isaiah 29:6; Isaiah 30:30; Amos 1:14; Jonah 1:4, Jonah 1:12; Matthew 8:24). These eyes will range to and fro throughout the earth to reveal the glory of God, His nature (Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:10-13). As you go through the previous Scriptures you will see the various ways His glory will be revealed. This will be the revealing of His ultimate plan, His will and all eyes will see it.
The rod of Aaron also budded. In Hebrew to bud means ‘to go/break forth, blossom, grow, flower.’ This authority of Himself in His full releasing of the seven-fold Spirit of God will release the Light of God, healing, and righteousness (Isaiah 58:8). It will blossom like the almond blossom of the menorah from the Branch (Exodus 25:33-34; Exodus 37:19-20; John 15:5; Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 4:2-6). It will grow in the land and spread throughout the earth (Matthew 24:14). From this rod, there will be a mass cleansing with the spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire among His people (Isaiah 4:4).
This coincides with the yielding of the ripe almonds from Aaron’s rod. In the Old Testament, the almond tree symbolized God’s unanticipated and rapid punishment of His people. Jeremiah 1:11-12 gives this confirmation:
Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.”
God’s word will be performed or executed in these days and all men will see it. The almond is also a representation of watchfulness (Habakkuk 2:1; Luke 3:5-6; Isaiah 40:5) and promise as a result of its early flowering, referring to God’s sudden or swift blessings or punishment upon His people (Deuteronomy 28). God will allow for bruising to occur to His people (Isaiah 19:22; Hebrews 12:11; Deuteronomy 32:39; Job 22:23). This is in order to allow for His mercy to be offered to them by Him, when He chooses to heal them and it’s to discipline His people into reverencing His holy name (Leviticus 22:31-33). For those that truly honor His holy name, there will be victory and healing (Malachi 4:2; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57). This victory will be victory over sin and death. This healing will be the reconciliation back to God through Christ. Almonds can also represent the ‘best of fruits’ (Genesis 43:11). In Numbers 17, it indicates that the almonds were ripe, which means they were considered the best because of their refinement. This refinement that God is working towards among His people through these situations will refine them as silver (Zechariah 13:7-9). Thus making them ripe for His Son (Joel 3:13; Revelation 14:14-20).
This IS the time of the Lord for God’s people. The budding of the rod indicates this. It will be a time of judgment and fire of a great final refining in preparation for the Son’s return. Many have seen and experienced parts of God’s nature through their understanding of Jesus’ character but in this time, the Father’s nature will be enhanced and revealed as in the days of old. His people must know Him through His fire and judgments, in order to see as God sees things. This is so they are prepared for His Son’s return because Christ will return in the glory of His Father (Matthew 16:27). And if His people do not understand the righteous judgments and ways of dealing with various situations rightly (ruling), they will not be prepared to rule and reign with Christ (Daniel 7:18; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 20:4). His people must be cleansed thoroughly, disciplined, and learn by the Spirit of the Lord how to judge rightly all things, not by the sight of their eyes but IN righteousness, in the completed work of Christ (Isaiah 11:3-5).
Hear clearly what the Spirit of the Lord is saying in all this. God has chosen the rod to bud, according to His choosing, according to His righteousness. It is to reveal the glory of God, it is the appointed time to perform His word, and it is to let all the earth know and fear His glorious name (Isaiah 59:16-19). God will let all know the word is near you (Deuteronomy 30:11-20; Luke 10:9-11; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 10:7).
Also refer to Job 38. This is what God is looking to accomplish among His people, in order that they will know the Lord (Hebrews 8:11).
ELIJAH…My God is Yahweh…I AM.