Your Rod and Your Staff; They Comfort Me

Your Rod and Your Staff; They Comfort Me

Today I want us to consider the Biblical Rod that is used in many of the Bible Stories.

Psalms 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Jeremiah 50:6 reminds us:   My people have been as lost sheep: - - they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.  Jesus leads His sheep to a place of rest in Him.  

In biblical times, a shepherd consistently used both a rod and a staff to tend the flock. Both were used to protect the sheep, each in a very specific way.

The rod was like a short club and it was often used to fight off wild animals and to count the sheep and direct them. The rod prodded them during the day in the fields and at night into the sheepfold.  A willing sheep would respond to the prodding, but a stubborn, strong-willed sheep would not yield. The staff was longer and had a crook on one end to help protect and guide; and to often to pull a little lamb from harms way.

David used his rod to help him protect his sheep; at different times from a bear and a lion.

He did not use his rod to beat the sheep, but it was to defeat his enemies.  The rod was used gently to help the sheep go in the right direction.  Our Pastors and Teachers can profit from this knowledge.

When God called Moses at the burning bush, God asked him, “What is it in your Hand?” To Moses it was just a rod, to God it was an instrument for miracles. Moses carried a rod because he was a shepherd. He brought his rod with him to Egypt when he went before Pharaoh and demanded that the Children of Israel be released. As Moses held it high His rod was used in the plagues that befell the Egyptians,. Moses held the rod over the Red Sea and the waters parted all during the night revealing a wide dry path the next morning so the Israelite people could escape from their slavery.

God told Moses to use his rod and strike a rock when the children of Israel were without water, and a river gushed out enough for their flocks and the people.

The rod was often held high and it became a symbol of authority and power.

The Persian King Xerxes held out his scepter to Queen Esther so that she might enter into the throne room safely. If the King did not hold out his rod of authority, the person was in danger of death or torment. In this case, the King loved his queen and willingly invited her to come to him by holding out his scepter. The scepter reveals divinity.

Jesus is both shepherd and King and he holds a royal scepter, offering to mankind the ability to come and enter into the kingdom of God.

Numbers 24:17 says, “A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” this is clearly a prophecy about Jesus Christ, the King of Kings.

Jesus, from the tribe of Judah, will possess the scepter of God and be given charge over all the nations, in fulfillment of Genesis 49:10. At His second coming, Jesus will take His rightful place over the kingdoms of this world, and “He will rule them with an iron scepter” Revelation 19:15

Jesus Christ holds the SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS as God in the flesh, Hebrews 1:8 But unto the son he saith, Thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever: A Scepter of righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom.

Jesus desires to be both Shepherd and King of your life!

The Holy Spirit is asking each of us today: “What is in your Hand?” To you it may not be visible, but each of us holds in our hands a scepter of anointing and power that has been given to us.

Scriptures to remind us of how this is true are found in Matthew 28 and John 14

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

John 14:12-14 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, (authority or character) so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  You may ask me for anything in my name, (authority or character) and I will do it. 

Many years ago when he was alive, I have heard Doctor Kenneth Hagin tell of his visions of seeing Jesus, and also how Jesus put his finger in Doctor Hagin's right hand for a healing ministry and it was like a fire in his hand. Many time he felt this fire when there was a time of ministry and the power of Jesus was mighty to heal.

I don't understand how some people feel God in their left hand and some in their right hand, and at others feel nothing at all but they hold the scepter high and pray in faith and God shows up. Personally, I sometimes feel the fire, but most often I feel nothing, but as I pray the other person does receive. I think it is a way to keep us humble if we simply minister in faith, so that Jesus gets all the credit and we are merely an instrument.

As we prepare to pray over our city, State, Nation and World, let us remember we are praying in faith that Hearts will be motivated to embrace Jesus as Lord of their live and that they will be willing to surrender to God's will for their lives.