Scripture Reading: Num. 17
The purpose of Numbers 17 is to show us the way God dealt with Israel's rebellion. In chapter sixteen there was an unprecedented rebellion, but chapter seventeen speaks of the termination of the rebellion; it shows the way to turn away from rebellion and death. What did God do? He vindicated to everyone that deputy authority is according to His appointment. He showed the Israelites His basis and reason for appointing authority. Such a basis is indispensable to every God-appointed authority. If a man is short in regard to this basis, he cannot be a deputy authority.
God commanded the twelve leaders to take twelve rods according to the twelve tribes of Israel, and put them in the tent of meeting before the ark. Then He said, "And the rod of the man whom I choose shall bud" (v. 5). A rod is a piece of wood. It is a branch that has been stripped of its leaves and roots. It once was living but now has become dead. It once derived its sap from the tree, being able to blossom and bear fruit, but now has become dead. All twelve rods were leafless, rootless, dry, and dead. Whichever one budded was the one that was chosen by God. Here we see that resurrection is the basis of God's selection. It is also the basis of authority.
Chapter sixteen speaks of man's rebellion against God's deputy authority and how man opposed God's appointed authority. Chapter seventeen speaks of God's vindication of His appointed authority. The basis of God's vindication of His appointed authority is resurrection. By resurrection He stopped man's murmuring. Man, of course, has no right to question God in the first place, but God condescended Himself to tell man the reason and basis for His appointment of authority. The basis for His appointment of authority is resurrection. This shut the mouth of the Israelites.
Both Aaron and the Israelites were descendants of Adam and both were fleshly. By nature and according to their natural disposition, they were both sons of wrath; there was no difference between them. All twelve rods were the same. They were all leafless and rootless rods, dead and lifeless. This shows us that the basis of service is something apart from our natural life. It is the resurrection life we receive from God that gives us authority. Authority has nothing to do with man but with the resurrection that is manifested through man. Aaron was no different than all the other persons. His distinction was in God's choosing and the resurrection life which God granted him. From this we see that the basis of authority is resurrection.
The twelve rods spent a night before the ark. God caused Aaron's rod to bud, blossom, and bear ripe almonds. Here was a dead rod, yet God put the power of life into it. Moses took all the rods that were set before the ark and showed them to the Israelites. What did it mean for Aaron's rod to bud? First, a budding rod humbles the owner of the rod. Second, it shuts up the mouth of the owners of the other rods. What would our reaction be if we took a dry rod like that of Aaron's, which was dead and had no hope of budding, and found to our surprise that it had budded, blossomed, and borne fruit the next day? We would confess to God in tears that this was His doing. It would have nothing to do with us. It would be His glory, not our glory. Spontaneously, we would be humbled before God. This is what Paul meant when he said, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us" (2 Cor. 4:7). Only foolish ones would try to be proud. A person who has received grace from God will surely fall down before Him, saying, "This is God's doing. I have nothing to boast of. Everything depends on God's mercy, not on man's willing or running. There is nothing that I have which has not been received. Everything that I have comes from God's selection."
Here we see that the basis of authority does not depend on man; it has nothing to do with man. When Aaron served the Lord again with his authority, he would say to the Lord, "My rod was as dead as others' rods. I can serve while they cannot serve. I have spiritual authority and they do not. But this has nothing to do with my rod. My rod was just as dry as theirs. None of our rods count; they are not the issue. They are not the reason. The only reason is God's mercy. It is God who has chosen me." From that time on, he could no longer serve by his rod, but by the budding of his rod.
A rod signifies human position, while budding signifies the resurrection life. As far as position is concerned, the twelve leaders of the twelve tribes occupied a position of leadership. Aaron represented the tribe of Levi and was no different than the others in his representation of his own tribe. Aaron could not serve God based on his position, because his position was the same as all the others. In fact, this was why the other tribes objected to his leadership. But what did God do? He ordered that twelve rods be placed in the tent of meeting before the ark for a night. The rod of the one whom God had chosen would bud. This is resurrection. Resurrection is the mark that God recognizes. He only recognizes those who have passed through death and resurrection as His servants. Hence, the mark of ministry is resurrection. A man cannot base his service to God on his position. He must base it on God's selection. After God caused Aaron's rod to bud, blossom, and bear fruit, the tribes saw it, and they had nothing more to say.
Authority is not something that one can fight for. It is something established by God. It has nothing to do with our position of leadership. Whether or not we are an authority depends on whether we have passed through death and resurrection. There is nothing in ourselves that sets us apart as a spiritual authority. Everything depends on grace, selection, and resurrection. A man has to degrade to a great depth of darkness and blindness before he can be proud. According to ourselves, no rod will bud even if it is left to itself for a lifetime. The problem today is that it is hard to find a person who will bow down and confess that he is the same as everyone else.
When the Lord Jesus went into Jerusalem on a colt, the people cried, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Mark 11:9). When the colt heard the people shouting "Hosanna" and saw them spreading branches before the Lord, it could have turned around and asked the Lord, "Are they shouting to You or to me?" It could even have turned to its own mother and said, "I am better than you are after all." If the colt had done this, it would not have known the One who was riding on it. Many servants of God are often this foolish. The colt was no different than other colts. The difference was the Lord who was on the colt. It was not the colt who was being praised, but the Lord who was on the colt. When others cry "Hosanna," they are not crying to you. The branches and garments on the ground are not laid for you. Only a foolish person would say that he is better than others.
When Aaron saw his rod budding, would he not be the first one to be taken by surprise, and would he not bow down in tears and worship the Lord, saying, "Why has my rod budded? Is not my rod the same as the rods of all the others? Why is such great glory and power bestowed upon me? By itself, my rod would never bud." That which is of the flesh will always be the flesh. Aaron was the same as all the other people of God. After this experience, others could still be deceived, but not Aaron. He should have realized that all spiritual authority is from God. Today we need to realize also that there is no ground whatsoever for us to be proud. We have mercy because God is willing to grant us mercy. We are not sufficient in ourselves to undertake this ministry; our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor. 3:5). It is a strange thing that a man can claim to live before the Lord and yet not be humbled. What extreme self-confidence and foolishness would the colt have had if it assumed on that day that the praises were directed towards it! The day will come when we will realize how shameful this is. Even if we crave for glory, our glory lies in the future, not in the present.
All young brothers and sisters have to learn humility. You have to realize that it is not you who is able to go on. Do not think that just because you have learned some spiritual lessons, you are different from others. Everything depends on God's grace, and everything is from God. We can do nothing in ourselves. Aaron knew that God caused the rod to bud; it was the work of supernatural power. Through the budding God spoke to the Israelites, and He also spoke to Aaron. From that day on, Aaron knew that service was based on budding, not on oneself. If we want to serve the Lord today, we must also realize that our service is based on resurrection, and resurrection is based on God, not on us.
Now my question is: What is resurrection? Resurrection is everything that is not out of our natural life, not out of ourselves, and not based on our ability. Resurrection speaks of the things that are beyond us, which we cannot do in ourselves. Any rod can be engraved with flowers or painted with colors, but no one can make it bud. We have never heard of a rod which can still bud and blossom after being used for decades. This is God's work. No woman in the world has ever given birth after her womb has been closed, but Sarah bore Isaac (Rom. 4:19). This was God's doing. Hence, Sarah typifies resurrection. What is resurrection? Resurrection means that one cannot do anything by himself, that he can only do it through God. It means that it is not by oneself, but by God. Resurrection means that one ignores what he is and trusts only in what God is. It matters little whether or not you are smarter than others or more eloquent than others. If you have any spirituality, this spirituality is not based on yourself, but on God's work in you. Suppose Aaron had been foolish enough to say to others, "My rod is different from your rod. My rod is smoother, brighter, and straighter. This is why it budded." How foolish and silly that would have been! If we think for a moment that we are different from others, that is the most foolish thought. Even if there is something different in us, it is the result of God's work. Resurrection means that everything is out of God.
The name Isaac means "laughter.'' Why did Abraham call his son "laughter"? He called him Isaac for two reasons. First, God promised Abraham that Sarah would give birth to a son. When Sarah heard, she laughed. It was natural for her to laugh. When she looked at herself, she could not help but laugh. Her time of childbearing was past, and her womb was closed. How could she ever bear a child? She thought that this was impossible. Therefore, when God told Abraham that she would have a child, she laughed. Second, when Sarah brought forth a son a year later, she was indeed laughing for joy. Hence, God called the child's name Isaac (Gen. 18:10-15; 21:1-3, 6-7), which means "laughter." The first time she laughed because of the impossibility of the promise. The second time she laughed because she discovered to her surprise that it was possible. If a man has never experienced the first laughing, he can never experience the second laughing. If a man has never realized his own inability, he can never experience God's ability. Sarah knew herself; she had full knowledge of herself. She knew that she could not make it. But as soon as she looked to God's work, she was able to laugh. What is resurrection? Resurrection means that God has given us something that we did not have in ourselves. The Bible testifies again and again that man cannot make it by himself. But many people think that they can make it. In the matter of service, if some would truly laugh at themselves, saying, "I cannot make it," they would find themselves laughing again, saying, "I did not make it. I have seen through myself. The Lord has made it for me." If there is any manifestation of authority in us, we should say to the Lord, "You are the One who has done it. It is none of my business." Resurrection means that you cannot make it and that God is the One who has done everything.
The principle to every service lies in the budding rod. God returned all the eleven rods to the leaders, but kept Aaron's rod inside the ark as an eternal memorial. This means that resurrection is an eternal principle in our service to God. A servant of the Lord is one who has died and resurrected. God testifies again and again to His people that authority to serve God lies in resurrection, not in a person himself. All services to the Lord must pass through death and resurrection before they will be acceptable to God. Resurrection means that everything is of God and not of us. It means that God alone is able and that we are not able. Resurrection means that everything is done by God, not by ourselves. All those who think highly of themselves and who hold a misguided judgment of themselves have never realized what resurrection is. No one should be mistaken to think that he can do anything by himself. If a man continues to think that he is able, that he can do something, and that he is useful, he does not know resurrection. He may know the doctrine of resurrection, the reason for resurrection, or the result of resurrection, but he does not know resurrection. All those who know resurrection have given up hope in themselves; they know that they cannot make it. As long as the natural strength remains, the power of resurrection has no ground for manifestation. As long as Sarah could beget a child, Isaac would not come. What we can do belongs to the natural realm, and what is impossible for us to do belongs to the realm of resurrection.
God's ability is not manifested in His creation but in resurrection. God's greatest power is manifested not through creation but through resurrection. When God's power is manifested in creation, it does not need to be preceded by death. But when His power is manifested in resurrection, there is the need for it to be preceded by death. Every created thing needs no precedence for its creation, but everything in resurrection has its precedence. If a man can survive by what he possessed in the first place, he has not experienced any resurrection. If a man's ability is according to what he had in the first place, he does not have resurrection. If he is what he was in the first place, he does not have resurrection. If what he has is what he possessed in the first place, he does not have resurrection. We must acknowledge that we can do nothing, are nothing, and have nothing. We are like a dead dog. If we acknowledge this, and we find that something is still alive in us, that is resurrection. Creation does not require the knowledge of death, but resurrection requires that we fall down, prostrate before God, and confess to Him, "I can do nothing. I am nothing, and I have nothing. This is what I am. If I can give anything to others, it is because You have given it to me. If I can do anything, it is because You have done it through me." Once we prostrate before the Lord in this way, everything we have will become God's work in us. Henceforth, we will never be mistaken. We will realize that everything that is dead belongs to us and everything that is living belongs to God. We have to separate ourselves from the Lord clearly; everything that has to do with death belongs to us, and everything that has to do with life belongs to the Lord. The Lord is never confused, but we are often confused. A man must come to the end of himself before he will be convinced of his utter uselessness. After Sarah gave birth to Isaac, she would never be foolish enough to think that her own strength was responsible for it. The colt would not be mistaken to think that the hosannas were directed at it. God has to bring us to the point where we will no longer be confused about what is of God and what is of us.
Everyone who is an authority should know this; he should not be mistaken in any way. There must be no misunderstanding with authority. Authority is of God and not of us; we are only those who keep custody of authority. Only those who have seen this are qualified to be a deputy authority. Brothers and sisters, when you set out for your work, I hope that none of you would be foolish enough to think that you have any authority in yourself. As soon as you offend the principle of resurrection, you lose authority, and as soon as you try to exhibit your authority, you instantly lose authority. A dry rod can exhibit nothing but death. But when you have resurrection, you have authority, because authority rests with resurrection, not with the natural life. Everything that we have is natural. Hence authority does not rest in us but in the Lord.
Paul's word in 2 Corinthians 4:7 matches the teaching here. I have often thought that Paul painted a wonderful picture in that chapter. He compared himself to an earthen vessel, one made of clay. He compared the power of resurrection within him to a treasure. This is like the precious ointment in the alabaster box. He knew very well that he himself was just an earthen vessel. But the treasure within him constituted the excellency of power. There is a vast difference between these two things. Paul said that this resurrection power is a treasure and that it is a surpassingly great power. This is truly the word of an honest man; he said it like it was — "the excellency of the power." Following this he said that he was pressed on every side, but that he was not constricted because of the efficacy of the treasure. In himself he could not find a way out, but with the treasure he was not utterly without a way out. In himself he was persecuted, but with the treasure he was not abandoned. In himself he was cast down, but with the treasure he was not destroyed. As far as he was concerned, he was pressed on every side. But as far as the treasure was concerned, he was not constricted. On the one hand, there is death, but on the other hand, there is life. On the one hand, we have a constant deliverance to death, but on the other hand, we have the producing of life. Death operates on the one hand, and life is manifested on the other hand. Second Corinthians 4 and 5 unfold the center of Paul's ministry. Here we find the principle of death and resurrection and nothing else. Everything in us is death, and everything in the Lord is resurrection.
If there is any authority in us, this authority comes from God, not from us. We should never be mistaken. We should see clearly that all authority comes from the Lord. We are here on earth merely to maintain His authority; we are not here to maintain our own authority. Authority does not belong to us. Whenever we trust in the Lord, we see authority. Whenever we express the natural life, we become the same as everyone else, and there is no authority in us whatsoever. Only that which issues from resurrection results in authority. Authority is based on resurrection, not on ourselves. No ordinary rod can be placed before God. Only a rod of resurrection can be placed before Him. Furthermore, resurrection is found in the budding rod. It is not a general resurrection but a full resurrection. It is not just a faint expression of the resurrection life but a life that has budded, blossomed, and brought forth fruit. This is resurrection life in maturity. Only one matured in resurrection life can act as God's deputy authority. The more resurrection life is expressed through us, the more authority we will have.
