"Oh no, here I go again," quivered Moses' staff. "What am I going to do now! But, before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you what went before..."
"Let me tell you, I used to have a very quiet and tame life out aiding Moses tend his Midian sheep. Oops, oops, oh, come back here, Mr. Rambo! No going astray and leading the other sheep with you. There's a precipice over there, you know!"
"Hey, Ewe! Get back here!"
"Oh, no you don't, Mutton Chops!"
"Little Lamb, come on, you can make it, catch up with your Mommy Fluffers."
"Now where was I? Oh yes, those tranquil days are long past now. These new adventures with the flock of Israelites are something else. New adventures almost daily, most of which are rather breathtaking events. I never know what I'm going to be up to next! I can tell you its now a life of many exclamation marks!!"
"Just think; Me, a lowly shepherd's crook made of almond wood, used to manage sheep or to defend against predators; or to help Moses walk steadily on or up hills and mountains and stuff like that. Just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill almond staff of Moses the Shepherd, became the "staff of God"! Just like that!" (Exodus 7:20).
"What would you do if that happened to you?"
"One day a 'normal', ordinary staff minding the sheep and Moses and the next doing feats of phenomenal nature. Mind boggling, so it was!"
"It all started one day when Moses saw a burning bush not burning up. That was pretty cool, actually, at least for a fire. (Exodus 3) I've been doing all kinds of calisthenics since! Never a dull moment."
"Turning into a snake was pretty freaky. Just think what it was like to eat up other staff-snakes. At least that was brother Aaron's staff and not me that time. Unfortunately, Pharoah and his wise guys were not too impressed."
"For weeks on end things really were a whirl. I did get a wee break when at first Aaron's staff did the work, like the snake thing (Exodus 7:8) and then Moses told Aaron that God told him to raise his staff up and strike the Nile river. Oh, that was awful! The water turned all red with blood! Aaron's staff was obviously a staff of God too!"
"Hard to imagine but it did happen."
"Next, Aaron's staff got stretched out over streams, canals, and ponds, and up came hundreds of hopping frogs. Ugh! I just about croaked!"
"After that it was Aaron's staff striking the ground and gnats coming out of the dust!" (Exodus 8:16-17).
"Pharoah's magicians tried that one but they couldn't do it. They said, "This is the finger of God." (Exodus 8:19).
"Do ya think!? They were a little slow on that but at least they finally 'got it'. Pharoah didn't though and that's why there was so much misery."
"Other plagues happened too but neither Moses or Aaron seemed to use their staffs for it such as flies coming. What a buzz they made!"
"Soon it was my turn with Moses stretching me out towards the sky. That stirred up thunder and hail."
"About a week later Moses stretched me out over the land of Egypt, and ugh, again, locusts galore!" (Exodus 10:12).
"A week after that I was stretched out towards the sky again (Exodus 10:21). I was thinking, what's gonna happen this time?! Oh an eerie, eerie darkness pervaded the land of Egypt except for where the children of Israel lived. It was terrible dark for three days, I tell you."
"After that you'd think Pharaoh would relent and let the people and their herds and flocks all go. 'Go on, get rid of the whole lot of you'. NO. That didn't happen and things sure weren't very pleasant in Pharoah's presence. Pharoah said, "You two (Moses and Aaron) get out, I don't want to see you ever again." Those were final and fatal words. However he still didn't want them to leave Egypt."
"That was more eerie than the darkness cuz what came next was so, so heartrending. If only Pharoah had not been so stubborn towards God! The firstborn son and even of every animal among the Egyptians perished! A dark night of tragic mourning for them. Only then did Pharoah adjure the Israelites, "GET OUT!"
"Out the Israelites moved. Escape! They packed up, bundle upon bundle, family, flocks, herds and off they went into the wilderness."
"Don't let out your breath of relief yet! Ole Pharoah just couldn't let it be. In fury, he rounded up his army and chariots and raced after the children of Israel. He thought he had them well and truly trapped too. He still didn't get it. Who was God?! he mocked."
"Moses was crying to God. God asked, Why are you crying? Raise your staff! So there I go again from a walking stick to doing, what was it this time? Oh, I was stretched out over the Red Sea. Awesome! You should have seen it! The waters divided and there was a wall of water on each side and dry ground in the middle and the Israelites walked across with all their families and livestock and not a hair on their heads were harmed or got wet. (Exodus 14:15-21).
"Alas! It's a wonder I didn't become petrified wood right there and then! The Egyptians charged in after the Israelites, almost nipping their heels."
"God wasn't finished with Moses and me yet that time. Now Moses held me out over the sea again and the waters came crashing down and covered up that dry ground with all the Egyptian soldiers, chariots and Pharoah. That kinda stopped them dead in their tracks. It didn't leave the Israelites speechless though. They burst out in song giving praises to God for bringing them safely out of Egypt and away from their oppressors." (Exodus 15)
"Things settled down for a spell. The Israelites were on the march to worship God and so I thought; ok, things will be humdrum from now on. I thought too soon. That multitude got thirsty in that there desert. They complained. God told Moses to fetch me and strike a certain rock in the wilderness. I was wondering, how will that quench their thirst but just then the water came gushing forth from the rock! Astounding! God certainly is Almighty God accomplishing almighty acts!" (Exodus 17:5-6).
"My next 'assignment' came when the Israelites had to fight against the Amalekites. Moses held me up in his hands with his arms raised up. That was a long day for him! As long as he held me up the battle went well for Israel. In the end Aaron and Hur had to help hold up Moses' arms when he got tired. He did that all day until sunset and the Israelites won with God's help."
"There's another account when Moses used me unlawfully; that is, God didn't tell Moses to use me but he was angry at the Israelites. They were thirsty again and were complaining again too. Moses got upset. God told Moses just to speak to the rock but instead he hit the rock twice with me. That was a no-no and in the end Moses couldn't go into the Promised Land. (Numbers 20:8-11). God was merciful though and let him see it from the mountain top."
"I think I should tell you that men in ancient times each had their own staff. A shepherd's one had a crook, likely like Moses' one which they used to guide their sheep. Most of the staffs would symbolize leadership and authority of the owner over his family or jurisdiction, showing their strength and maturity (hopefully). It would also serve as a stout walking stick. When I became 'the staff of God' in Moses' hands, Moses was already 80 years old so a walking stick would come in handy. He climbed Mt Sinai with me several times. The last I remember was when he was 120 years old and we climbed Mt. Nebo together. There we got a clear view of the Promised Land and then Moses passed and I myself could lay me down in peace. I was no young stick anymore either but Moses actually still had more vitality but it was his time to go." (Deuteronomy 34:7).
"Oh before I hold my peace, I just want to say, that because I was the staff of God in Moses' hands, I was not to be worshiped at all, at all! I was a symbol of God's authority given to Moses to lead, guide and command the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness. It was quite a life; now I rest."
In conclusion, I believe that our Heavenly Father, will use our talents, skills, possessions, our whatever and in our hands they can become the "talent of God", or "the possession of God" when we are surrendered to Him and His will for our lives.
The apostle Peter was an uneducated fisherman but God used his fishing skills to 'catch men'. Catch men he did, by the thousands (Acts 2:41).
The apostle Paul was a well educated and intellectual man. God used that knowledge so Paul could 'debate' with all sorts of philosophers on Mars Hill (Acts 17:16-34). Paul's knowledge and conversion became God's possession and He allowed Paul to wield it with great results. Paul's pen became the 'pen of God' as he inscribed so many of the New Testament letters to various churches and individuals and to this day we can still benefit therefrom.
The point of all this is, we need to examine our minds and hearts and see what our "thing" is for God to use. Are we allowing Him to use it? Our home? Our job? Our disappointments in life that we've overcome?
When we surrender them to God we will do wonders whether small or great. I believe that Moses never ever expected his humble piece of almond wood staff would become the staff of God in his hands and bring him out of obscurity into a major rescue undertaking.
Yes, Moses did balk at first. Human nature. He did eventually launch forth. How about us?
We who belong to Jesus Christ have so much to offer to God. Let Him use what we have. As we gather together on Lord's Day at the Lord's Table to partake of those symbols: the bread and wine, recall that Jesus body and blood were what He offered to His Heavenly Father for our redemption. Give thanks with a grateful remembering heart. Offer the sacrifice of praise, and the sacrifice of your "staff" to God.
~ERC September 2019~
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