By Companion Jack A. Holloway
Illustrous Associate Grand Chaplain, Grand Council of Florida

Woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1860 (Public Domain-Expired)

 

And on the morrow Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. The Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the people of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. And the LORD said to Moses, \”Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign..\” Numbers 17:8-10

Companions, an old dry staff growing buds, flowers, and ripe almonds all at the same time in one night, and then only on one staff in a group of twelve was a miraculous visible sign to the Israelites; something they could see and contemplate throughout the years as a message from Almighty God. Access to God being only through one person chosen by God was the lesson taught here, making Aaron a messianic figure, a theme carried through the Old and New Testaments. Aaron\’s Rod is not just a prop Companions but a reminder. It is interesting to note that the process of budding, flowering, and bearing fruit is also the usual process of a maturing spiritual life. Thinking through this biblical history reminded me of an old hymn by Clara Scott that sounds to me like a good prayer.

Heavenly Father,
Open my eyes that I may see,
Glimpses of truth thou hast for me.
Amen.