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Aaron's Staff Blossomed

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(Numbers 17: 8)

The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

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The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron because they wanted to rise in position themselves.

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They started to doubt if God really worked through Moses and Aaron.
So they came to Moses and Aaron and complained about many things.

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God decided to show His power to the Israelites to not make them complain again.

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God appeared to Moses and said,
"Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from their leaders.
Write the name of each man on his staff and then bring them back to me."

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Moses told them God's words.
The Israelites placed them in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony.

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God wanted to get rid of this constant grumbling against him.

What happened to the Israelites?

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The next morning, Moses was surprised because one staff among them had sprouted.
It was a miracle that a staff had sprouted.

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Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi who God chose had sprouted.
It not only sprouted but had budded and blossomed.

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More surprising was that the staff had not only sprouted, budded and blossomed but it had also produced almonds. There is nothing impossible to God. God can produce anything even from something that is dead.

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Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the LORD'S presence to all the Israelites.

They looked at the miracle staff.
They looked at the almonds on the staff that God made.

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Each man took his own staff.
The grumbling people were speechless.

They knew that God was with Moses and Aaron.

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God said to Moses, "Put back Aaron's staff in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, when they look at the staff."

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God let the staff be used as a protection for the Israelites.
If the Israelites grumbled against and betrayed God, they might be killed.
When the Israelites looked at the staff, they would not die.

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God always works through people like Moses and Aaron.
God gives them power to do His work.
Do not forget that God always helps and is beside them.

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It is wrong that someone should be envious or jealous to the people who God uses to rise in position. We should pray for people who God uses. We should try to be great faithful people.