Enter now Moses and Aaron. These two men are leading the children of Israel in the wilderness. There arises a controversy over their leadership. Moses and Aaron are being challenged by some of God’s people. God says to Moses, “I want you to take a rod from each of the leaders of the tribes of Israel—twelve rods. And I want you to put them in the tabernacle” (see Num. 17:1–4).
The rods were put in the Holy of Holies where only the high priest had access once a year. The Holy of Holies was the little room in the tabernacle where the presence of God rested on the ark of the covenant. The twelve rods were put behind the curtain in this room where there was no light. The only time that this room was lit up was when God’s presence appeared on top of the ark of the covenant and He displayed His glory. At all other times, the room was utterly dark.
So the Lord says, “Take the rods and put them in the Holy of Holies in pure darkness for one whole night” (see Num. 17:5–8). That was an evening. That was darkness. That was a night. Then the morning came and Moses took the rods out. Strikingly, one of them—Aaron’s rod—had budded. Life came forth from a dead stick.
In the midst of the dark night something was going on that no mortal could have imagined. In the morning, there was resurrection. The dead rod had produced blossoms.
Take note: Evening is the time of death. It’s the time of hopelessness and helplessness. But the evening is always followed by the morning, and that’s when resurrection occurs. Every evening has a promise of the morning. Every night has within it the promise of a day. The Lord takes away that He might establish.
From Revise Us Again
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In