Budding Rod

Numbers 17:8
And on the next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony, and there was the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi: it had budded; it even put forth buds and produced blossoms and bore ripe almonds. 

 Note from the Recovery Version Bible 

A rod is a piece of dead wood that has not only been cut but is also dried up. Yet such a dead and dried-up piece of wood budded! A bud is something organic, something of life. The budding rod of Aaron typifies not a dead Christ but the resurrected Christ, the budding Christ, who not only buds but also blossoms and bears fruit to maturity. Such a Christ imparts life to others (John 12:24; 1 Pet. 1:3). Today He is still budding, and we are the fruit, the almonds, of His budding.

This morning as I was enjoying the Lord through the ministry of the word, I was so touched by the truth of the budding rod. Though I knew the spiritual significance and interpretation of the budding rod, it never became so subjective as it was today morning. The more I prayed over the word the more the Lord's word became subjective to me. 

In fact, I realised there are yet areas in my life I really need a subjective experience of the budding rod. Perhaps, there are areas in my life that need the resurrection life to overcome the deadness and dryness of the rod, and this rod must bud. It also dawned in me afresh the need for the resurrection life of Christ to overcome any negative things; the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. The continual struggling even of the ones under my shepherding can be overcome with the experience of the Lord’s resurrection life as the budding rod. The message today morning was loud and clear: Resurrection, resurrection, resurrection life is the solution, to live an Overcoming Life. 

Four matters that also impressed me are:

Where can the rod bud? Only in the Holy of Holies. Only in this place where we enjoy Christ in God’s presence, we can experience the resurrection life of Christ. To experience the budding rod I must be in the Holy of Holies, in my spirit; this is my sole responsibility to be the budding rod. 

God’s Selection: The budding rod is the basis for God's selection. Similarly, in our lives or in our service, whether we are approved of the Lord depends on whether we are in resurrection or not.  

God's Authority: Authority in our lives or in our service also depends on whether we are in resurrection or not. One must come to the end of Himself for the Lord to exercise His authority in him and through him.  

Resurrection: Resurrection means God is and we are not, God is able and we are not able, with God all are possible which otherwise are impossible, and as such a man must come to the end of himself until God can begin His work in him and through him. Brother Watchman Nee's statement has enthralled me in this regard: The end of man is the beginning of God! 

Resurrection is an eternal principle for our service to God. As God asked Moses to place the budded rod in the Ark in the Holy of Holies as an eternal memorial, so must our life and service be in resurrection ever.  

Numbers 17:10

Then Jehovah said to Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the Testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, so that you may put an end to their murmurings against Me, and they not die.

Purpose of Resurrection: The main purpose of the resurrection life of Christ experienced is for the fulfillment of God's eternal purpose. With the resurrection life there is the divine capacity that can do everything for the carrying out of God's economy; to know God, to live God, to be constituted with God in His life and nature to become His increase, His enlargement, to be His fullness for His eternal expression. 

This is my morning manna for today, and perhaps, my manna for all the days of my life. Praise the Lord for the budding rod! And I must experience the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ as typed by the budding rod and produce blossoms and then bear ripe  rod and produce blossoms and then bear ripe almond!

Lord, preserve me in the Holy of Holies, and in my spirit, to ever be the budded rod.