The staff of God

“So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.” (Exodus 4:20)

 

Korea was liberated from the bondage of Japanese Empire on August 15, 1945. It has already been 76 years since divided countries of Korea confronted one another after Liberation. As the written in Exodus 12:40~41 and Genesis 15:13, the Israelite had lived in Egypt for 430 years, and lived as slave to bondage for 400 years. Moses, who had fled from the royal palace of Egypt, lived in the land of Midian with his father-in-law, Jethro, and started back to Egypt to save the people Israelite. Moses had said at first not to be confident in saving his own people, but he could not help but follow God’s order. And there was taken the staff of the Lord God in his hand.

 

There is no comparison in time between 36 years of suffering Korea experienced from the Japanese Empire and 400 years of Israel under Egypt. But both nations had suffered a great pain similarly one another. God gave liberation for Israel in the old times, and gave independence for Korean people in the modern times. Also, God led them to make a new history after passing the process of suffering. The staff in Moses’ hand was a tool to show God’s power. Whether it is an individual or a nation, if they go forward relying on God’s staff like Moses, will be able to go their way firmly even in the midst of any hardships.

God the Lord governs both life and death of the creatures and the rise and fall of nations. People believe in God who makes them live well and be blessed, and pray toward Him. And when angry or in trouble, they feel sadness and pain. Humans may pray in the midst of difficulties, but their prayer then expresses mainly a sound of pain. True prayer should show gratitude on the base at any time, whether sad or happy. It’s our general appearances to rejoice when we’re happy and be discouraged when we’re sad. Yet Christians as God’s children should manage themselves and look at God and pray for gratitude, even when they are in sadness. Happiness will surely appear after passing difficulties some time. In 1943 during World War II, the White Rose members Scholl brother and sister were caught at Munchen Univ campus, the scene on distributing leaflets and were unfortunately executed in a few days. However, the freedom leaflets by them were later distributed throughout Germany by Allied plane and became a great foot-mark for the establishment of a free Germany. Death of Christ have brought salvation and life of the resurrection for all men. Therefore we have to believe, through Christ, even the trials of the nation can lead to development and happiness. To this end, Christians should live properly and not neglect their prayer for their country.

At Moses’ hand, who was returning to Egypt, it was holding God’s staff. Jehovah said in Exodus 4:17 this, “But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.” This staff was displayed as a plain thing on the surface, but at Jehovah’s command, it turned into a snake but became a staff again. What matters to a man the most is to know the fact of being alive the Lord and to obey His commands. The secularization of human life comes from the denial of Jehovah’s presence, and the disregard for His commands. Saints of Christ, try best to work on the mission for blocking secularization in life.

If you have Jehovah’s staff, there is nothing to worry about in the world. Moses had been afraid of standing before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, but in fact Pharaoh’s wicked obstinacy also could not be outside Jehovah’s hands. You can see the fact through the following expression of Exodus 4:21, “But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.” It’s hard to understand wholly the meaning of that verse, but we can see either Moses’ wand or Pharaoh’s wicked ultimately all came from the hands of the Almighty. Everything in the world is element and process to achieve God’s providence. God had called, nurtured and trained Moses to fulfill His commands in the end. And God had wanted to receive all the firstborns as the holy offering sacrifice. Because of this end, He had distinguished Israel by circumcision, and received even the blood of Moses’ son as the written in Exodus 4:24~26.

 

That God tried to kill Moses is a process to achieve His will, as God ordered Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Therefore, dying in God means a pre-stage for a new hope. By knowing the obedience through the death, and the ability is revealed by obedience. By making oneself die and obey to God like Moses who is a man of power in God, let’s become a man who changes the world with the staff of God.

 

(Written by Koonoh, Pastor of JDO Presbyterian Church in Korea, on August 15th 2021)