Note: (CL) = Controling Lesson (OT) = Old Testament (OTA) = Old Testament Alternative (NT) = New Testament (NTA) = New Testament Alternative (G) = Gospel (GA) = Gospel Alternative (Ps) = Psalm; one of these will follow all lessons for the week.

Note: Please be sure to look at previous posts because some of the week may have already been posted.


Monday, June 3, 2013

Proper 5 (OT)


Numbers 17:1-13
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers’ house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. Write each man’s name on his staff, and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each fathers’ house. Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you.” Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. And the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. And Moses deposited the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony.
On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff. 10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.” 11 Thus did Moses; as the Lord commanded him, so he did.
12 And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. 13 Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord, shall die. Are we all to perish?”

Who is allowed to come near the tabernacle? There were many different groups of people who grumbled against the Lord. The Lord set up a proof for the people of Israel. The Lord decides to show them through a miracle, sign, or wonder who is really in charge. God is in control always.

Every tribe gets a staff, only one will be allowed enter and serve at the tabernacle and later the Temple. God has Aaron's staff bud, but not only bud. It produces Almonds, which would be ripe enough to roast and eat. (It could be very interesting that the staff produced Almonds.)

But the point is that a none living branch made into a staff now has become alive again. The tribe of Levi, the entire house of Israel, was dead like that piece of wood. It was used for labor and leaned on to support the Egyptians. Now the People of Israel were just beginning to bud.

At your Baptism God made you bud as well. He will cause you to blossom fully and produce perfect Almonds on the Last day. But still God has brought you from death to life. God makes his people to bud.

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