Sorry, you must have Windows Media Player 9 or higher.

PEERING THROUGH THE SECOND VEIL

01-16-11

PRECEEDING LESSONS: His sin is revealed to Moses as a poisonous serpent (Exo 4:1-5), but when it is controlled (prevailed over, conquered), it becomes in his hand a rod of great power for God.

1.      (Exo 4:16,17)  And he [Aaron] shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs [Heb: signals: miracles].

2.      (Exo 4:20)  And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

THE ROD OF CORRECTION

(DECEPTION: PHARAOH’S MAGICIANS PRODUCE A BOGUS MIRACLE)

(Exo 7:8-14)  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's [self-controlled (temperance: Gal 5:23)] rod swallowed up [Heb: to make away with, destroyed] their rods [and no thing was left]. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.

1.      enchantments = Heb: a blaze; also (from the idea of enwrapping) magic (as covert):--flaming, enchantment. [rather like inducing hypnosis]

2.      enchant = Dict: 1. to subject to magical influence; cast a spell over; bewitch. syn- fascinate, captivate, enrapture.

THE ROD OF GOD IS A BRANCH FROM AN ALMOND TREE, PICTURED AS THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK, AND SYMBOLIZING THE HOLY SPIRIT

(Exo 25:31-34)  And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold [symbolizing the light-giving Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God]: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches [7 mentions], his bowls, his knops [“buds” NIV], and his flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.

1.      (Jer 1:10-12)  See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, [and then] to build, and to plant. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

2.      (Jer 10:14-16)  Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name. [We are Israel, the rod of His inheritance]

MIRACULOUS POWER WITH GOD ISSUES FORTH FROM THE ROD

THAT MANIFESTS SELF-CONTROL

(Num 17:1-11)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom [thereby manifesting the miracle of resurrection life]: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

THE ROD OF COMFORT (FOR US - ONLY)

(Psa 23:1-6)  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want [Heb: lack]. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still [Heb: quiet] waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

1.      (Eccl 4:1)  So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

2.      (Lam 1:9)  Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

3.      (Lam 1:16)  For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

4.      (John 14:16)  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

5.      (John 14:26)  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

6.      (John 15:26)  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

7.      (John 16:7)  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8.      Commentary: “for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” = representing respectively, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son.

THE ROD OF POWER DWELLS WITHIN US; IT HAS BECOME PART OF US

(Heb 9:1-5)  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first [tabernacle/ veil], wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second [tabernacle/] veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant [made of shittim wood (us)] overlaid round about with gold [symbolizing the OT covering purity of God, and the NT covering blood of Jesus Christ], wherein was the golden pot that had manna [bread: God the Son], and Aaron's rod that budded [power and miracles: God the Holy Spirit], and the tables of the covenant [Law: God the Father]; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

1.      Parenthetical Commentary: “the second veil” = (Luke 5:3,4) And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land [through the first veil of the Holy Place (supported by the (shallow) water of the Holy Spirit)]. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left [Gk: ceased] speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep [Gk: profound, mystery] [through the second veil of the Most Holy Place], and let down your nets for a draught.

Amen