"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.
[Illustration: 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.