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262 The Tabernacle In our study of the golden candlestick, we saw that the almond tree, the first to bud in the spring, speaks to us of resurrection. And we have seen abundant proof, from the Scriptures, that Aaron was a type of our Lord in His priestly ministry for His own. In the story from Num- bers, we find God's vindication of Aaron as His chosen priest; and, in type, His vindication of Him of whom Aaron was but a "shadow." The dry almond rod, severed from the tree, the source of life, budded and bore blossoms and fruit. What a picture of our Lord's resurrrection from the grave, of His risen fruitfulness and glory! He was "the corn of wheat," which fell into the ground and died, that it might yield much fruit-a harvest of mil- lions upon millions of human souls! (See John 12:24.) None but Jehovah looked upon the almond rod which Moses laid up in the Holy of Holies throughout the night; none but the all-seeing eye of Jehovah saw life and fruit and beauty spring into being. The all-seeing eye of the Father in heaven witnessed Calvary's cruel cross. It be- held as the well beloved Son was laid in Joseph's new tomb. And it witnessed the resurrection from the dead of the eternal Son of God, "the Holy One," whose body could see "no corruption" because He Himself was God. Moses was told to place the rod in the ark of the covenant as "a token against the rebels." Israel's cruci- fied and risen Messiah is now hidden from her view, but He will one day be revealed to His chosen people. In that glorious day all of Israel's murmurings will forever cease. All her rebellion and unbelief will be done away; and she will receive her King. This seems to be the reason why, in Solomon's temple, the rod that budded was excluded from the ark of the covenant. The glory of Solomon's reign was but a shadow of the yet future glory of the
The Tabernacle «Greater than Solomon." And in that coming day lsrael:s Messiah will be fully and universally owned as Israels chosen Priest, "called of God, a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." Because Israel's Messiah and the Saviour of the .world could not "be holden of death," He became also "the first- fruits of them that slept," the pledge of a greater harvest in the resurrection of His saints. That is why the grave holds no terror for the child of God. That is why we "sor- row not as others who have no hope." That is why, in hours of sorrow and bereavement, we look up into the face of the Son of God, and know that one day He will raise our loved ones from the grave. That is why we are able to say, "O death, where is thy. sting? 0 grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the s~ren~h of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 15:55-57). Concerning Israel's sin in rebelling against Aaron, as God's chosen priest, a word of warning needs to be sounded. In the Epistle of Jude the Holy Spirit likens apostates of the last days to those who have "perished in the gainsaying of Core" (Jude 11). ("Core" is the Greek spelling of the Hebrew "Korab.") The reference is to the rebellion and self-will of those in the day of Moses who wanted to establish their man-made priesthood. And the warning of the Holy Spirit, through Jude is unmistakable. Any man-made priesthood today is contrary to the express will of God, as revealed in the inspired Scriptures. To go to any earthly priest in this church age, this day of g~ace, is to fall into the "gainsaying of Korab." And besides, earthly priests today, who do not even pretend to have
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