“Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of [their] fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod.” (Nu 17:2 AV)
The questions that go unanswered are intriguing. Know that Aaron’s rod that budded would be added to the two tables of stone and manna to the inside of the ark, one wonders if the LORD led Aaron to present a rod that could accomplish just that. If so, it would have been markedly shorter than the rod he used while performing ministry with Moses. The rod that turned to a snake in the present of Pharaoh would most certainly be too large. Besides, since they were to bring a unique rod, one must assume the rod Aaron was using would not fill the bill. The rod he brought had to be a new and different rod than the one he had been using. But the wonder for me remains. There is no record of any change done to the rod prior to its placement into the ark. More than likely, since the LORD made it bloom and produce almonds, no one would dare alter it in any way. So, the point to be made here is Aaron’s rod that budded was presented in the correct size to eventually lay inside the ark without any human influence by the leading of the Holy Spirit. We don’t know if the eleven other rods were any longer or shorter. All we know is that Aaron’s rod was just the right size.
Now, the size of the rod is secondary, at best, to the fact the LORD made a plain rod bud. Anyone would have seen that had to be impressed. A plain rod producing almonds in less than 24 hours, mostly in the dark, had to be a wonder to say the least. For a branch to bud and grow with any water is one thing. To grow, bud, and then bring forth almonds with no water, pollination, or sunlight is mind-blowing. So, the fact there were almonds on this rod is far more significant than the condition of the rod at the start. Yet, one cannot help but wonder if Aaron knew the maximum size he was allowed and what his reaction might have been as he saw the selections of his competitors arrive. Every detail of what God does matters. Some more than others, but they all matter. The fact God led Aaron to present a rod that would fit into the ark without any stated specifications is a miracle in and of itself. One would assume he would bring a rod relatively the same size as the one God provided before. In fact, it might stand to reason the second rod would be as close as one could get to the first. Yet, it would be at least half the length. God, Moses, and Aaron were the only three to know and believe that Aaron’s rod would bud. The other eleven thought they had the same odds as Aaron. Only three knew whose rod would bud and be placed inside the ark.
I guess what struck me was the lack of instructions at the selection of the rod. I am assuming they were at least instructed to make it a rod from an almond tree. Hence, Aaron’s rod that produced almonds. I am also assuming this was a time of year when almond trees lay dormant. Even in the best of circumstances, they would not produce almonds overnight. outside of that, there are no other instructions. No limit to length given. No consideration to branches or shoots. Simply, that each tribe was to bring forth a bare rod and the one that budded; producing fruit in the process; would come from the tribe which God would choose. There is a saying I picked up that is common in the south. “It is (was) a God thing.” What that means is the circumstances of an event are an obvious indication that God was in it. I love details. The parting of the Red Sea is one thing. But how God orchestrated the saving of the Jews during the massacre in Esther, to me anyway, is much greater. Creating all things is six days is certainly the greatest of all divine manifestations, but finding an ass tied right where the LORD said they would and the master’s willingness to part with it is beyond comprehension. God is the God of the major, and minor, details. That is all I am trying to say.
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