Someone Else's Staff

"Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 'When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, "Work a miracle," then you shall say to Aaron, "Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent."' So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the Lord had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs." -Exodus 7.8-12

The real battle is about to begin. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh once and simply presented the request, "Let my people go!" and Pharaoh said, "Nope, instead they get to work harder." The Israelites aren't thrilled and Moses goes to God asking why he was even sent because it's only made things worse. And then God lays out the plan. "Pharaoh is going to say no over and over, and I am going to show Egypt and Israel what I can do." And so now it's on.

Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh, and Aaron throws his staff on the ground and it becomes a serpent. Pharaoh calls for his magicians and they perform the same trick, he's unimpressed. But then Aaron's staff swallows the others, one point God. But the thing that stands out here is that Aaron's staff is used.

Remember at the burning bush, God turned Moses' staff into a serpent. At the end of Exodus 4 Moses' staff is used to show Israel that God has sent him. But Moses asked for God to send someone else, and when the time came to confront the real enemy, someone else's staff is used. When it really matters, Moses' gifting is not used. God's chosen messenger is not the one who gets to do the task he was selected for.

Men, do you want this to happen to you? Do you want to be chosen by God for a task, but push it off on someone else? Do you want to do only the behind the scenes stuff when you're supposed to take center stage? Do you want to be the one to throw down your staff, or do you want someone else to do it?

It could have been Moses, but he pushed it off on someone else. It should have been his staff, but instead it was someone else's. Whose staff will be used in your life?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor