And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
God commanded Moses to take the rod in his hand to do signs with it, making the rod the means and symbol through which His power would be displayed and Moses' mission to Egypt confirmed. The command belongs to Moses' call to go to Pharaoh and deliver Israel, when he first felt unable to do the work and resisted the responsibility, but consented once convinced that he had been chosen. His years among the mountains and sheep had taught him humility rather than self-exaltation.
The command to carry the rod for the signs was given together with the appointment of Aaron, his elder brother, as spokesman. Moses excelled in wisdom in conducting affairs, while Aaron used the Egyptian language daily, understood it perfectly, and was eloquent. Moses was to speak to Aaron and put words in his mouth, God would be with both their mouths and teach them what to do, Aaron would be to Moses instead of a mouth and Moses would be to Aaron instead of God, while Moses himself was to carry the rod for the signs.
By this God purposed to pour contempt on human pride, sending the deliverer forth as a humble shepherd with only a rod in his hand while making that rod the symbol of His power. The time had fully come for Moses to exchange his shepherd's staff for the rod of God, which God would make powerful to accomplish signs and wonders to deliver His people from oppression and to preserve them when pursued by their enemies. The command called Moses to rely on God rather than his own ability, and when he accepted the work and trusted God he was strengthened and made fit to carry it out.
God commanded Moses to take the rod in his hand to do signs with it, making the rod the means and symbol through which His power would be displayed and Moses' mission to Egypt confirmed. The command belongs to Moses' call to go to Pharaoh and deliver Israel, when he first felt unable to do the work and resisted the responsibility, but consented once convinced that he had been chosen. His years among the mountains and sheep had taught him humility rather than self-exaltation.
The command to carry the rod for the signs was given together with the appointment of Aaron, his elder brother, as spokesman. Moses excelled in wisdom in conducting affairs, while Aaron used the Egyptian language daily, understood it perfectly, and was eloquent. Moses was to speak to Aaron and put words in his mouth, God would be with both their mouths and teach them what to do, Aaron would be to Moses instead of a mouth and Moses would be to Aaron instead of God, while Moses himself was to carry the rod for the signs.
By this God purposed to pour contempt on human pride, sending the deliverer forth as a humble shepherd with only a rod in his hand while making that rod the symbol of His power. The time had fully come for Moses to exchange his shepherd's staff for the rod of God, which God would make powerful to accomplish signs and wonders to deliver His people from oppression and to preserve them when pursued by their enemies. The command called Moses to rely on God rather than his own ability, and when he accepted the work and trusted God he was strengthened and made fit to carry it out.