THIRD READING.
"The rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds."—Numbers 17:8.
THE high-priest, whom God chose, had to offer sacrifices to Him. That was, the priest slew a lamb, or a goat, or a bullock, by the altar, and gave it to God. It was to show that the Son of God would come and die to take away sin. Now He has come and died, we have left off killing creatures in sacrifice, and only make remembrance over again of His sacrifice in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
The high-priest used to wear a beautiful dress. He had a mitre on his head, with a gold plate on it, and the words, "Holiness unto the Lord;" and he had a blue, red, and white robe, embroidered with gold, and round the hem little gold bells and pomegranates. He had a curious scarf called an ephod, and a beautiful breast-plate made of twelve precious stones, each with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel engraven on it.
AARON'S ROD THAT BUDDED.—Num. 17:8, 9.
God said He would show who should be His priest. So He bade Moses desire the chief man in each tribe to bring a dry rod or staff, and lay them up all night in the Holy Place. The one whose rod began to grow as if it was still on the tree should be the high-priest. When the twelve men went to look in the morning, eleven rods were dry sticks still, but one had put out green leaves and pink buds, and white blushing flowers, like almond blossoms. It was Aaron's rod; and this was the way God let the children of Israel know that Aaron and his sons, and grandsons after him, were always to be priests.