Guard Your Hearts

The Lord instructed Moses: "Speak to the Israelites and take one staff from each of them for each ancestral house, 12 staffs from all the leaders of their ancestral houses. Write each man's name on his staff. Write Aaron's name on the Levi staff, because there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral house. Then place them in the Tent if Meeting in front of the Testimony where I meet with you. The staff of the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of the Israelites complaints that they have been making about you.
The next day Moses entered the Tent of Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds! Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord's presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, each man took his own staff. The Lord told Moses: " Put Aaron's staff back in front if the Testimony to be kept as a sign for the rebels, so that you may put an end to their complaints before Me, or else they will die." So Moses did as The Lord commanded him. Numbers 16:1-11

God here has shown the priority of the Aaronic priesthood. The white blossoms of the budding almond tree represented holiness and purity that God expected from His priestly servants. The Aaronic priests were to serve as mediators between God and His people. Holiness and purity were to permeate their words as they taught the people of God's word. 
Aaron's priestly line prefigured the high priesthood of Jesus Christ, who exemplified the qualities of purity and holiness in His earthly ministry, who as a priest of the higher order- of Melchizedek- offered Himself as the unblemished pascal lamb for our sins. (Taken from commentary in HCSB study bible)

God was demonstrating to the rebels His choice and His choice alone took precedence.

The reader may wonder at the Israelites and their rebellion, yet a people with time on their hands start thinking things that they should never act on.

Do you ever find yourself thinking about your position or those you relate to and discover rebellious thoughts trying to creep in? They do! Be on your guard! Just as critical thoughts start the ball rolling, it is the enemies tool.'He used it on Adam and Eve, two sinless beings, and he will use it on you.

The New Testament tells us to guard our thoughts. Just as we are renewed by the transformation of our minds, we are destroyed by the laziness of our minds to guard our hearts. The enemy wants your heart, that is the prize. Don't stray! Stay pure! Amen!

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