The book of Exodus details the story of Moses and the instructions given by God via a burning bush telling Moses of his appointment to rescue God’s people out of the hands of Pharaoh.
Exodus 4:2 “And the Lord said to him, what is that in your hand? And he said, A rod.”
Moses had approached the burning bush holding a common, yet important tool of his trade; the staff of a sheep herder because Moses was a shepherd. God chose to impart a divine purpose into this one yielded man. His trade tool was a humble piece of equipment that revealed to everyone who he was and how he made his living. But God had bigger plans.
Exodus 4:3 “And He said, Cast it on the ground. And he did so and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said to Moses, Put forth your hand and take it by the tail. And he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand. This you shall do, says the Lord that the elders may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has indeed appeared to you.”
Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey and returned to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the rod of God (Exodus 4:20) When Moses arrived he and brother Aaron went to the house of Pharaoh and followed the Lord’s instruction, asking Pharaoh to let God’s people go. Pharaoh refused.
Exodus 7:8 “And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron. When Pharaoh says to you, Prove your authority by a miracle, then tell Aaron, throw your rod down before Pharaoh that it may become a serpent.”
And so they did. Moses threw down his rod on the floor of the court and it turned into a serpent. The wizards, and magicians did the same and their rods turned into serpents. A serpent was a symbol of divine power and royalty, even being worn as an adornment on the crown of the Pharaohs however God’s divine serpent overpowered and devoured the serpents of the sorcerers. God’s power is the ultimate authority and the ultimate source of all authority – not man.
Moses and Aaron raised this rod over the Egyptians again and again bringing plagues of blood into rivers, dust, frogs, pestilence (bloodsucking gadflies), destruction of all livestock, breakout of boils and sores, hailstorms and lightning, and finally the killing of all first born Egyptian children ( which is where we get the term Passover as all Israelites were spared or “passed over” during this plague). Then Rameses finally fully understood that Moses was the representative of God and he allowed the Israelites to walk free from slavery.
Moses was a common man used for uncommon means. He was given a rod with divine power, a small inner circle, and an instruction from God. He married these three crucial components to an unwavering faith to what he had been called by God to do and accomplished remarkable things.
Moses ( whose name means ‘drawn out’) was clearly drawn out of his governmental position as a prince to become God’s leader of Israel and the shepherd of His chosen people. Moses was drawn out of the river as a baby to be saved and raised by the daughter of a Pharaoh, only to lose that princely worldly position, but then to become one of God’s chosen Kingdom Princes. Moses was also drawn out to be the author of the Jewish Torah, the Pentateuch which are the first five books of the Old Testament.
But like Moses, each person is assigned, by God’s Holy Spirit, “a rod” that can carry them forth into their God given assignment as support for their true calling. It is a gifting, a talent, a unique ability to move God’s Kingdom forward in such a way that only they can. The Marketplace Army is composed of teachers, writers, artists, speakers, managers, financial minds and medical personnel – all possessing gifts that are to be used as rods for a calling and for God’s purposes. God adds His Super to the Natural (abilities) to draw out His purposes for your life.
Exodus 4:17 “And you shall take this rod in your hand with which you shall work the signs (that prove I sent you).”
Moses went on to raise his divinely empowered rod over the Red Sea, parting its waters and allowing God’s people to escape across a dry bed, away from Pharaoh’s army and into a land of safety. He lowered his rod drawing the waters back together, and drowning the warriors intent on destroying God’s people.
Psalm 23:4 “Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me, Your rod [Protection] and Your staff [ to guide ] they comfort me.”
The rod is a symbol of protection and even a trade tool of Jesus our Great Shepherd who watches over us, moving harmful things from our path with His rod. Move forward with your rod of unique gifts and abilities for His Kingdom and watch God bless and protect you on your journey.
#destiny #purpose #Moses #Israelites #Faith #God #Christianity
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Twitter: TracyLGatewood
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Author: Doorways of Grace, My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus – available on Amazon
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