“THE STAFF OF AARON!”

 

Numbers 17:6-7                  (ESV)

“[6] 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. [7] And Moses deposited the staffs before the LORD in the TENT OF THE TESTIMONY.”

Numbers 17:10                 (ESV)

“[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 GRUMBLING S AGAINST ME, LEST THEY DIE.”

The next two paragraphs are taken directly from a commentary regarding “THE STAFF OF AARON”:::

“THE STAFF (OF AARON) is placed in the ARK OF THE COVENANT, serving as a perpetual reminder of GOD’S AUTHORITY and the legitimacy of the Levitical priesthood.  

Aaron's staff is rich in symbolism, REPRESENTING GOD’S POWER, AUTHORITY, and THE LEGITIMACY OF THE PRIESTHOOD. It serves as a TANGIBLE REMINDER of GOD’S  intervention in the history of Israel and HIS ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD. The staff's TRANSFORMATION into a serpent, its role in the plagues, and its miraculous budding all underscore the divine endorsement of Aaron's leadership and the special status of the tribe of Levi. Throughout biblical history, Aaron's staff remains a POWERFUL EMBLEM of GOD’S PRESENCE and HIS covenant with Israel.”

ALMIGHTY GOD PERFORMS (sometimes what we call MIRACULOUSLY!) things to REVEAL HIMSELF to HIS PEOPLE!  We readily SEE that Moses was not worthy of being a “leader” of the nation of Israel (Exodus 2:11-13)!  Aaron was also “flawed”!  Although Moses “stuttered”, he had the education and attention to detail to write the first five books of the BIBLE (Torah) for humanity to explore about THE CREATOR!  

GOD is GRACIOUS enough to PROVIDE HIS GUIDANCE throughout HIStory!  In this timeframe, GOD used “THE STAFF OF AARON” as a “go-between” for HIMSELF and HIS sheep.  HE came to earth in the FORM of JESUS as the ULTIMATE REVELATION OF HIMSELF slightly more than 2,000 years ago!  

We NEED to SEE that JESUS was in “THE STAFF OF AARON”, just as HE is in Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21!  JESUS tells Nicodemus in John 3:16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, that whoever BELIEVES IN HIM should NOT PERISH but have eternal life.”  Whether JESUS was recognized IN THE FLESH while HE was on earth, or in “THE STAFF OF AARON” so many years ago, HE deserves to be recognized as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!!!

“FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU!”

 

Jeremiah 29:11                 (ESV)

“”FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU”, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.”

My plans and THE PLANS GOD HAS FOR ME have definitely NOT BEEN the same over my life!  Many times I have had to “revisit” my plans, for my choices in life were NOT fitting into where I was being led!  

When GOD spoke to Jeremiah “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU”, HE wasn’t saying anything that should surprise nor shock any of us.  GOD is OMNISCIENT, OMNIPRESENT, and OMNIPOTENT!  HE KNOWS ALL AND IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING!  John 16:33 says “I have SAID these things to you, that IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. In “the world” you WILL have tribulation. But take heart; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!”

GOD HAS A PLAN!  We “can” KNOW THE PLAN, but seldom do we know precisely WHEN HIS PLAN will be fulfilled!  Romans 11:33 says “BY FAITH we understand that the universe was created by THE WORD OF GOD, so that WHAT IS SEEN was NOT MADE out of THINGS THAT ARE VISIBLE.

”FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU” might sound a bit outlandish to some people, but GOD KNOWS, SEES, AND is in CONTROL of everything!!!  HE NOT ONLY KNOWS, BUT HE CONTROLS IT ALL!!!

“I HAVE REDEEMED YOU!”

 Isaiah 44:21-22

 The LORD Redeems Israel

    “[21] Remember these things, O Jacob,

        and Israel, for you are MY servant;

    I formed you; you are MY servant;

        O Israel, you will not be forgotten by ME. 

    [22] I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud

        and your sins like mist;

    return to ME, for “I HAVE REDEEMED YOU”.”

The ONE THING that sets us apart from everyone and everything else is that THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES has CHOSEN us to be HIS SERVANTS!  “I HAVE REDEEMED YOU”, transforming you from worthless humanity into NEW CREATIONS that HE PURCHASED before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)!!!

“THEY KNOW NOT!”

 

Luke 23:32-35                 (ESV)

“[32] Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. [33] And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified HIM, and the criminals, one on HIS right and one on HIS left. [34] And JESUS said, “FATHER, forgive them, for “THEY KNOW NOT” what they do.” And they cast lots to divide HIS garments. [35] And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at HIM, saying, “HE saved others; let HIM save HIMSELF, if HE is the CHRIST of GOD, HIS CHOSEN ONE!”

It is quite often that this humble servant will “classify” the actions of someone who performs UNHOLY works as a person whose EYES are NOT OPENED, basically they couldn’t SEE the magnitude of the evil that they were currently doing.  “The people” who were responsible for JESUS CHRIST having to experience the brutality of the cross after the experience of living in “this humanity” was PRECISELY the reason why HE came to earth to begin with.  

“These people” stood by, watching, but they rulers scoffed at HIM, scoffed at the SALVATION HE provided for their wretched souls!  GOD IN FLESH sacrificed HIMSELF on Calvary’s Cross for the very people who were criticizing HIM while HE PAID their SIN DEBT!

But the TRUTH is, HIS DEATH was precisely so BRUTAL because of “my sins” that HE WAS covering that horrific day.  My “sin debt” was PAID IN FULL by the SPOTLESS SON OF GOD !  

The writing of this devotional was partially completed on the Sunday evening the Super Bowl was being played….while NOT WATCHING one second of the game!!  The fact that “this game” so captivates humanity is just part of the deception that “the enemy” uses in the battle for the souls that are blinded by his lies!  This year I didn’t watch any of the game, but in previous years I have watched!  

It is remarkable that GOD continues to WORK ON ME to MOLD me into a vessel that HE is able to USE for HIS GLORY!  Just as I was once apart of the “THEY KNOW NOT” crowd, maybe I can be USED to direct others toward HIS LIGHT and away from the darkness of “this world”!!!

“THE WORLD HATES YOU!”

 

John 15:18-21                 (ESV)

The Hatred of the World

“[18] “If “THE WORLD HATES YOU”, know that it has hated ME before it hated you. [19] IF you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; BUT BECAUSE are NOT of the world, but I CHOSE YOU out of the world, therefore “THE WORLD HATES YOU”. [20] Remember THE WORD that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ IF they persecuted ME, they WILL also persecute you. IF they kept MY WORD, they WILL also keep yours. [21] But all these things they will do to you on account of MY NAME, because they DO NOT know HIM WHO sent ME.”

In only two verses prior to the text above, JESUS says “You did not choose ME, but I CHOSE YOU and APPOINTED YOU that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the FATHER in MY NAME, HE may give it to you.”  Now JESUS is explaining that “THE WORLD HATES YOU” simply because HE IS IN US…..and HE IS IN US because HE CHOSE US!!!

I’ll not even attempt to try and explain the concept, but it is very plain that “THE WORLD HATES YOU” because THE SON OF GOD lives inside of us AND WE CANNOT CHANGE THIS!!!  Should we even try to explain the concept that THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES actually CHOSE US BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4) to SERVE HIM before HE even SPOKE anything into existence?  We are not/were not HIS “plan B”, but HE CREATED us KNOWING the successes and failures we would have to endure for HIS GLORY!!!

Although HE LIVES in me, I don’t possess HIS OMNISCIENT mindset YET to never fail HIM.  “THE WORLD HATES YOU” is a CALLING that I have been BLESSED with, and I pledge to do my best to not fail HIS PLAN!!!

From Bishop Robert E Smith, Sr.

 From Bishop Robert E Smith Sr!

“The Anointing (Acts 10:8; 1 John 2:27), is with purpose (1 John 3:8; John 14:12), on different levels (1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 2:4; 5:3), and arenas (Gal. 2:7,8).”

“AS HE HAD SAID!”

 Genesis 21:1

The Birth of Isaac

“[1] THE LORD visited Sarah “AS HE HAD SAID”, and THE LORD did to Sarah AS HE HAD PROMISED.”

When ALMIGHTY GOD SPEAKS to a human, HE isn’t limited by anything!!!  HE KNOWS how to get through our “thick skulls”, and HE also is ABLE to “calm us” to the level of us being able to HEAR HIM!!!

GOD doesn’t need to repeat what HE HAS SAID!  HE sometimes just “makes us wait” on HIM!!

With Sarah, GOD DID JUST “AS HE HAD SAID” to her, even though she was unworthy and unfaithful!  HE did so because HE IS GOD….. AND HE DID JUST “AS HE HAD SAID”!!!