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Commentary on Exodus 4 verses 1–9
It was a very great honour that Moses was called to when God commissioned him to bring Israel out of Egypt; yet he is with difficulty persuaded to accept the commission, and does it at last with great reluctance, which we should rather impute to a humble diffidence of himself and his own sufficiency than to any unbelieving distrust of God and his word and power. Note, Those whom God designs for preferment he clothes with humility; the most fit for service are the least forward.
I. Moses objects that in all probability the people would not hearken to his voice (Exo 4:1), that is, they would not take his bare word, unless he showed them some sign, which he had not been yet instructed to do. This objection cannot be justified, because it contradicts what God had said (Exo 3:18), They shall hearken to thy voice. If God says, They will, does it become Moses to say, They will not? Surely he means, "Perhaps they will not at first, or some of them will not." If there should be some gainsayers among them who would question his commission, how should he deal with them? And what course should he take to convince them? He remembered how they had once rejected him, and feared it would be so again. Note, 1. Present discouragements often arise from former disappointments. 2. Wise and good men have sometimes a worse opinion of people than they deserve. Moses sad (Exo 4:1), They will not believe me; and yet he was happily mistaken, for it is said (Exo 4:31), The people believed; but then the signs which God appointed in answer to this objection were first wrought in their sight.
II. God empowers him to work miracles, directs him to three particularly, two of which were now immediately wrought for his own satisfaction. Note, True miracles are the most convincing external proofs of a divine mission attested by them. Therefore our Saviour often appealed to his works (as Joh 5:36), and Nicodemus owns himself convinced by them, Joh 3:2. And here Moses, having a special commission given him as a judge and lawgiver to Israel, has this seal affixed to his commission, and comes supported by these credentials.
1.The rod in his hand is made the subject of a miracle, a double miracle: it is but thrown out of his hand and it becomes a serpent; he resumes it and it becomes a rod again, Exo 4:2-4. Now, (1.) Here was a divine power manifested in the change itself, that a dry stick should be turned into a living serpent, a lively one, so formidable a one that Moses himself, on whom, it should seem, it turned in some threatening manner, fled from before it, though we may suppose, in that desert, serpents were no strange things to him; but what was produced miraculously was always the best and strongest of the kind, as the water turned to wine: and, then, that this living serpent should be turned into a dry stick again, this was the Lord's doing. (2.) Here was an honour put upon Moses, that this change was wrought upon his throwing it down and taking it up, without any spell, or charm, or incantation: his being empowered thus to act under God, out of the common course of nature and providence, was a demonstration of his authority, under God, to settle a new dispensation of the kingdom of grace. We cannot imagine that the God of truth would delegate such a power as this to an impostor. (3.) There was a significancy in the miracle itself. Pharaoh had turned the rod of Israel into a serpent, representing them as dangerous (Exo 1:10), causing their belly to cleave to the dust, and seeking their ruin; but now they should be turned into a rod again: or, thus Pharaoh had turned the rod of government into the serpent of oppression, from which Moses had himself fled into Midian; but by the agency of Moses the scene was altered again. (4.) There was a direct tendency in it to convince the children of Israel that Moses was indeed sent of God to do what he did, Exo 4:5. Miracles were for signs to those that believed not, Co1 14:22.
2.His hand itself is next made the subject of a miracle. He puts it once into his bosom, and takes it out leprous; he puts it again into the same place, and takes it out well, Exo 4:6, Exo 4:7. This signified, (1.) That Moses, by the power of God, should bring sore diseases upon Egypt, and that, at his prayer, they should be removed. (2.) That whereas the Israelites in Egypt had become leprous, polluted by sin, and almost consumed by oppression (a leper is as one dead, Num 12:12), by being taken into the bosom of Moses they should be cleansed and cured, and have all their grievances redressed. (3.) That Moses was not to work miracles by his own power, nor for his own praise, but by the power of God and for his glory; the leprous hand of Moses does for ever exclude boasting. Now it was supposed that, if the former sign did not convince, this latter would. Note, God is willing more abundantly to show the truth of his word, and is not sparing in his proofs; the multitude and variety of the miracles corroborate the evidence.
3.He is directed, when he shall come to Egypt, to turn some of the water of the river into blood, Exo 4:9. This was done, at first, as a sign, but, not gaining due credit with Pharaoh, the whole river was afterwards turned into blood, and then it became a plague. He is ordered to work this miracle in case they would not be convinced by the other two. Note, Unbelief shall be left inexcusable, and convicted of a wilful obstinacy. As to the people of Israel, God had said (Exo 3:18), They shall hearken; yet he appoints these miracles to be wrought for their conviction, for he that has ordained the end has ordained the means.
But we know that prophecy expressed itself by things no less than by words. By words and also by deeds is the resurrection foretold. When Moses puts his hand into his bosom and then draws it out again dead, and again puts his hand into his bosom and plucks it out living, does not this apply as an anticipation of the resurrection to all humankind?—inasmuch as those three signs denoted the threefold power of God: when it shall, first, in the appointed order, subdue to man the old serpent, the devil, however formidable; then, second, draw forth the flesh from the bosom of death; and then, at last, shall pursue all blood [shed] in judgment.
Let me try to explain, as far as the Lord enables me to, what these signs mean. The rod stands for the kingdom, the snake for mortality; it was by the snake that man was given death to drink. The Lord was prepared to take this death to himself. So when the rod came down to earth it had the form of a snake, because the kingdom of God, which is Jesus Christ, came down to earth. He put on mortality, which he also nailed to the cross. Your holinesses know that when that proud and stiff-necked people grumbled against God in the desert, they began to be bitten by serpents and to die of the bites. In his mercy God provided a remedy, a remedy that restored health at the time but also foretold the wisdom that was to come in the future.
That staff, dearly beloved, prefigured the mystery of the cross. Just as through the staff Egypt was struck by ten plagues, so also the whole world was humiliated and conquered by the cross. Just as Pharaoh and his people were afflicted by the power of the staff, with the result that he released the Jewish people to serve God, so the devil and his angels are wearied and oppressed by the mystery of the cross to such an extent that they cannot recall the Christian people from God’s service.
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SUMMARY
Exodus 4:2 captures a pivotal moment in the divine encounter at the burning bush, where God, addressing Moses's hesitations about his mission, asks a seemingly simple question about the ordinary shepherd's staff in his hand. This inquiry is not born of ignorance but serves as a profound pedagogical and revelatory act, initiating a series of miraculous demonstrations that transform a common object into an instrument of divine power, thereby preparing Moses for the monumental task of delivering Israel from bondage.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Rhetorical Question is prominently used by God, as His query "What is that in thine hand?" is not for information but to prompt Moses's self-awareness and prepare him for revelation. This question serves as a dramatic setup for the miraculous transformation that follows. There is also profound Symbolism at play: the "rod" initially symbolizes Moses's ordinary life as a shepherd, but through divine intervention, it is immediately transformed into a symbol of God's power and Moses's divinely appointed authority. This transformation itself is a form of Dramatic Irony, as Moses, and the reader, initially perceive the rod as merely a common tool, unaware of its imminent supernatural significance as the "rod of God" (Exodus 4:20). This sets a powerful precedent for God's ability to use the humble and ordinary for extraordinary purposes.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 4:2 profoundly illustrates God's method of empowering His chosen servants. It teaches that God often begins with what is already in our hands—our existing skills, resources, and even perceived limitations—and through His divine touch, transforms them into instruments for His extraordinary purposes. This principle underscores that our availability and willingness to surrender what we possess to God are more crucial than our inherent greatness or perceived capabilities. It reveals a God who delights in demonstrating His power through humble means, ensuring that the glory belongs to Him alone.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 4:2 offers a timeless and deeply encouraging lesson for believers navigating God's call in their lives. We often find ourselves in Moses's position, feeling inadequate, ill-equipped, or lacking the extraordinary talents we believe are necessary for God's work. We might look at our lives and see only "a rod"—an ordinary job, a simple skill, limited resources, or even a past marked by perceived failures. Yet, this verse powerfully reminds us that God's transformative power does not depend on the intrinsic greatness of our possessions or abilities, but on our willingness to surrender them to Him. Just as Moses's common shepherd's staff was consecrated and imbued with divine power, our everyday lives, our humble gifts, and our available resources can be taken by God and used for His magnificent purposes. He asks us, "What is in your hand?"—an invitation to offer what we have, however small or insignificant it may seem. Our response of humble offering and obedient faith allows Him to perform wonders, demonstrating that God often chooses what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and what is weak in the world to shame the strong. We are called to trust that He will empower and multiply whatever we surrender for His divine kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God ask Moses, "What is that in thine hand?" if He is omniscient?
Answer: God's question was not born of ignorance, for He is indeed omniscient and knows all things. Instead, it served as a profound pedagogical and revelatory tool, designed to engage Moses directly and prepare him for the miraculous demonstrations that were about to unfold. By prompting Moses to identify the ordinary object he held, God directed his attention to his immediate reality and available resources. This act of acknowledgment was crucial for Moses to witness the immediate and dramatic transformation of the rod, demonstrating God's power to work through the mundane and empowering Moses for his daunting mission. It was an invitation for Moses to participate in the unfolding miracle and to grasp the principle that God uses what is available, rather than a search for information God did not possess. This divine inquiry is akin to how Jesus would later ask "How many loaves do you have?" before miraculously feeding the multitudes (Matthew 15:34).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Exodus 4:2, with its powerful demonstration of God transforming an ordinary object into an instrument of divine power, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as the humble shepherd's rod became the "rod of God," imbued with supernatural authority, Christ, in His incarnation, took on the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7), appearing to all outward appearances as an ordinary man. Yet, He was and is the very Son of God, the Word made flesh (John 1:14), wielding ultimate divine authority and power, not through an external object, but through His very person and inherent nature. He is the one through whom God accomplished the greatest deliverance—salvation from sin and death (Hebrews 2:14-15). Christ took the 'ordinary' human condition, lived a perfectly obedient life, and through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection (Romans 4:25), transformed it into the means of eternal life for all who believe. This demonstrates that God's greatest works are often accomplished through seemingly humble or unexpected means, culminating in the supreme authority and redemptive work of Christ Himself, who is the true and ultimate "Rod" of God's power and salvation (Isaiah 11:1).