The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And [H]e said, “Throw it on the ground.” And it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail” – so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand- “so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you” Exodus 4: 2-5, NRSV
Heavenly Father, we give You thanks for Your holy, life-giving, life-transforming, Word. Please help us to understand the message that You have for us today; for Christ’s sake; Amen
Many of you will recognize this as a part of Moses’ preparation for what would become his life-work; bringing the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, under the leadership, and direction, of God. This experience would not only represent liberation for the people, but for Moses as well. Moses would be set free from a bad temper that had led him to commit homicide (Exodus 2: 11,12); to become so meek, that he would be willing to sacrifice his eternal life, in order to save this stiff-necked, and rebellious, people, from annihilation (Exodus 32: 9-12, 32).
What is of special interest to me is God’s question to Moses, “What is that in your hand?” Did God not know what was in Moses’ hand? The answer is obvious; of course He knew. God’s questions to human beings, are usually to make us aware of our condition, of our whereabouts, of our possibilities of bringing Him glory.
Now that Moses is aware of what is in his hand, God will make him aware of what it can become, if used in obedience to God’s commands: And [H]e said, “Throw it on the ground.” And it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. Even we, will draw back in wonder, when we see what God can, and will, do, with what we have; when it is under His command! Two fishes and five loaves, will feed five thousand men! Oh, and don’t forget the twelve baskets of leftovers!
But I believe that there is an even deeper truth that can be gleaned from this story. Do you remember what happened when Pharaoh’s magicians tried to replicate the miracle of Aaron’s staff becoming a serpent? The Bible says, “but Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs” (Exodus 7: 9-12). What really happened there? A staff is an inanimate object. Serpents are living creatures. Only God can create. Only God can give life. So Moses’ staff did become a serpent. Notice God’s caution to him, “seize it by the tail.” It can harm you. It is alive. Whatever the magicians did was not an act of creation, but an optical illusion. That is why, even though their “serpents” were many, Aaron’s staff, “swallowed up theirs” (12).
Yesterday we said that whatever we do, must have as its main purpose, to bring glory to God. Moses did what God asked him to. He used the staff that became a snake, to bring glory to God. Pharaoh’s first response to Moses’ request to let God’s people go, was, “…Who is the LORD, that I should heed [H]im and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5: 2, NRSV). Well Pharaoh, Behold the LORD, He is the Creator! Get to know Him!
How differently the story may have ended had Pharaoh seized the opportunity to get to know the LORD and serve Him! One of the lessons that we can take from this story, is that, even after we have done our best, there is no guarantee that the results will be exactly what we desire. But if we are obedient, God will always receive the glory, in spite of the results!
Do you know the Lord? If not, “Acquaint now thyself with [H]im and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee” (Job 22: 21). Blessings!