“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.” (Numbers 17:8, ESV)
Because Aaron’s priestly authority was challenged, the Lord commanded the head of each of the tribes to bring his staff to Moses. This was done for the purpose of determining which tribe was to perform the sacred duties of the priesthood. Each leader was to inscribe his tribe’s name on the staff. Aaron inscribed his own name on his staff. Since the staffs were likely old and dried out by this time, the staff that miraculously budded and blossomed would signify the family or tribe that the Lord had chosen. Aaron’s staff was the one that budded and this affirmed the Lord’s choice of him for these sacred duties.
The word for staff is matteh, which also translates as tribe or branch. The Lord chose a branch and made it bear fruit as a sign to all.
Jeremiah prophesied of a righteous Branch that would bear fruit.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” (Jeremiah 23:5, ESV)
This is a prophesy looked forward to the coming of the chosen Messiah of Israel, who is Christ. The coming Messiah, the righteous Branch, would be both King and Great High Priest. In His kingdom there would be loyal subjects who would reign with Him as members of a royal priesthood. This would be a fruitful reign of justice and righteousness.
As God chose Aaron’s branch to bear fruit, so did He choose the righteous Branch to bear fruit. We are that fruit and He also chose us to bear fruit. However, we do not bear fruit on our own. For apart from Christ, we can do nothing. We bear fruit by our position of abiding in the righteous Branch, Christ. In Him we reign, in Him we are a royal priesthood, and in Him we bear the fruit of righteousness.
Renewing the Heart 