What is in your hand? (Exodus 4:1-9,17)

                       What is in your hand? (Exodus 4:1-9,17)

 

 

Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ ”

² So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

He said, “A rod.”

³ And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. ⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), ⁵ “that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

⁶ Furthermore the Lord said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. ⁷ And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. ⁸ “Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign. ⁹ And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from ^[a]the river and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.”

¹⁷ And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

 

 

Knowing yourself is easy, but hard at the same time. In knowledge-wise knowing yourself is secondly important, and we all know the first will be knowing God.

However, knowing yourself is quite difficult. It can be one’s life homework. once you know yourself truly you become humble, and sometimes this will make you strongest.

 

 

 

Moses lived in the palace for 40 years. He learned about Egypt’s knowledge and experienced as of loyal family. He had endless confidence, and he loved his people to kill one of Egypt’s overlook. He had strength and justice in him, but after he was known as killer he left everything and left to Egypt. In wilderness former Moses was dead. He left his life that he lived for 40 years. He was no longer Egyptian, and prince. Now he is living his life as Midian. He lost his endless confidence, arrogant, and ambition. He became average weak person. he became age of 80 and seems like nothing there was left for him to do.

 

But when Moses wasn’t in the best shape God met him. When he was all broken God gave him a mission “…you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

 

Moses knew people of Israel is kept by Pharaoh and enslaved. This could have been his one of wish that he couldn’t fulfill, saving his people, but it looks like the timing was off.

Therefore, Moses turns down God’s mission and said “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

This is true he looks old and weak, and who will follow his word?

But, God waited Moses to become old and weak.

 

God uses humble or who deny one self, because only in that stage people truly rely on God and complete the mission God has assigned.

  

 ² So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

He said, “A rod.”

It was nothing but a wooden rod, but God gave infinite ability in it.

³ And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. ⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand)

This showed that if Moses has faith in God he can complete this mission and save his own people.

  ⁵ “that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

 

Now the rod became a tool that shows Moses is God’s man. Because of a rod Moses’ faith grew and it brought terror to Pharaoh King.

Rod is like your knowledge, belonging, and experience. Something we all have, but when you rely on God and use your rod as God’s will you will experience God’s miracle.

 

 Even us if we listen to God’s word as it is we can experience God’s presence.

 However, Moses refuses once more. ¹⁰ Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and ^[b]slow of tongue.”

 

¹¹ So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? ¹² Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

¹³ But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”

¹⁴ So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. ¹⁵ Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. ¹⁶ So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. ¹⁷ And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

 

After Moses got scolded by God he finally made his way towards Egypt. As result Moses succeed in bringing his people out of Egypt. Moses was able to finish his job with a rod on his hand. That wooden rod has no value and nothing but a dried stick. However, when Moses followed God’s word God’s ability was there. So, that rod became a great tool for Moses to use to finish God’s mission. Important lesson here is that becoming a God’s rod.

 

Con)

 

In the New Testament Saint Paul knew his weakness, he has lot to brag about, but he knew that he was a sinner of the sinner, and took his study as stool.

 

When we know ourselves and be humble in front of God, give us mission of salvation.

When you truly say you are useless servant God finds us in use.  We should know that when we are old and illed, God finds us allow us to do something we haven’t done.

 

When God asks us what is in your hand? You can answer it is a rod. When God ask you to throw it on the ground, please do so, then miracle will happen.

 

Don’t be discouraged if what you have now isn’t something great or big. When you leave it to God’s hand the true amazing ability will show. Everyone! Have faith like this.

 

If then, that will become a tool to bring salvation to people who are in sin, failed, unhappy life, and defeated mind. I hope you all victor this week as well with this faith. Hallelujah!