Day 24 – Lign aloes

(Aquilaria agollochum)

“As the valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river’s side, As the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, And as cedar trees beside the waters.” Numbers 24:6 KJV

Looking out over the wilderness, Balaam saw the nation of the Lord camped tribe by tribe. Instead of cursing them as ordered by King Balak, the Spirit of the Lord came over him. This beautiful blessing over Israel (which still prevails today) was meant to be a curse bringing an end to the enemies of the king and ends with “Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you.” (Verse 9b).

Lign aloes are not the common bitter aloe variety, but a costly, sweet-smelling, aromatic wood which resin is used in perfumes. In Biblical times, the Hebrews did not embalm bodies for burial and used a variety of burial spices to mask the smell of decomposition. John 19:39 tells us that Nicodemus brought myrrh and aloe to wrap Jesus’s body for burial. A final act of honouring the earthly body of our King.

Lign aloes represent the blessing of life. That which is thought to be cursed to death but alive in God with a sweet-smelling aroma.

Don’t we all look at some situations and think the worst, speaking death over it instead of life? Proverbs 18:21 declares, “the power of life and death lies in the tongue.” Anoint your words with lign aloe aligning it with God’s Word so it can be a life-giving, sweet-smelling aroma in Heaven.

Prayer: Father, thank You for teaching us such a valuable lesson from the lign aloe so that we can remember that Your blessings and promises prevails over Your children for all eternity and that we are anointed and blessed to be a sweet-smelling lign aloe to You. Amen.

Love, Pastor Iriza