"And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand." (Exodus 4:20)
What was this "rod of God," which Moses took in his hand as he journeyed back to Egypt? It was none other than the rod that he had carried with him when he led the flocks of his father-in-law. Moses was keeping the flocks in the wilderness, when God appeared to him in the bush, and told him to return to Egypt. "And the Lord said unto him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod." (Exodus 4:2)
That was all it was--a branch from a tree. At the command of God, Moses cast it down and it became a serpent, and at the same word he took it up, and it became a rod again. This was done also before Pharaoh. The same rod was lifted up over the Red Sea, to make a way for the children of Israel; and with it Moses smote the rock in Horeb, and water gushed forth for the people to drink.
It was this rod also, still called "the rod of God," that Moses took in his hand when he stood on the top of the hill, and lifted up his hands to God for the deliverance of Israel from their enemies the Amalekites. When Moses lifted up his hand Israel prevailed, and when he let it down, Amalek prevailed. "And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed." (Exodus 17:9-11)
That rod had a wonderful history; one would almost say a wonderful experience, so full of power did the rod seem; yet it was never anything more than a plain stick. But we see why it was called the rod of God: it was because the Lord used it in so wonderful a manner. Some of the greatest wonders that have ever been done on earth were performed through the agency of that simple rod.
But what power was there in the rod? None at all. It had absolutely no virtue whatever. It could not even lift itself up, much less perform any work. It never did anything, but was merely the visible instrument through which God exhibited His marvelous power. But it never had any more ability to do anything than it had when Moses carried it as his shepherd's staff in the land of Midian.
Then why did it figure so largely in the history of the deliverance of Israel? There can be no other answer than that it was used because it so evidently had no power in itself. When so insignificant and helpless a thing as a stick was used in the performance of the mighty miracles, everybody could see that it was God alone, without any human aid, that did the work. This is the lesson that is taught us in: "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Corinthians 4:6-7)
By the deliverance from Egypt God would show us that there is no more power in man than there is in a stick, and that whenever any man will yield himself to God; to be as passive in His hands as the rod of God was in the hand of Moses, all the power of God can be exerted and manifested in him. It is thus that we become instruments of righteousness unto God.
This is the lesson that is taught in all the sacrifices and in all the ceremonies that God ever gave the people. There was never any efficacy in them, and their obvious futility was designed to show that salvation is of God alone. Thus, anybody with any sense whatever, who gave a moment's thought to the matter, would know that all the sheep and calves and bullocks in the world could not bring a single dead man to life, and so could not atone for a single sin. Thus men who used the mind that God gave them would be constrained to say: "In the Lord is all righteousness and strength." (Isaiah 45 24) In the Lord have I righteousness and strength.
But let us not forget the primary lesson. "What is that in your hand? ... A rod." (Exodus 4:2)
Then with that rod will God work deliverance. God takes us as we are, and with just the ability that we have, to work out His own vast designs. The first instrument that is ready to hand, He will take. Though one may say that he is of no more value than a stick, let him not forget that if it be but the rod of God it may accomplish wonders. "Fear not, you worm Jacob, and you few men of Israel; I will help you, says the Lord, and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make you a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills chaff." (Isaiah 41:14-15)
Yet one thing more: "Your rod and your staff they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)
Here is comfort not merely in weakness, but through it: for the veritable rod of God is Jesus of Nazareth--Israel--born in weakness, yet the power of God. Out of weakness God ordains strength. (Psalm 8:2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have You ordained strength because of your enemies, that You might still the enemy and the avenger. What a marvelously blessed hope we have in God, when even our weaknesses and temptations are a cause for rejoicing!
"If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)--Present Truth, January 8, 1903--Exodus 4:20.
E.J. Waggoner