Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- To focus on the standard of the Rod of God
- Example of Queen Elizabeth
- Moses used the Rod of God as a symbol - God was present and exercising His power
- For the Egyptians it was a sign of judgment - examples
- For Israel it was sign of deliverance and salvation
- Example when Moses holds up the rod and Aaron & Hur hold up his hands
- As Christians, we are in a constant spiritual battle
- We are called soldiers of Jesus Christ
- We are to fight a good fight
- Do you see you self as a good soldier - working side by side with others?
- Are you are disciplined soldier?
- Our battle is against sin, temptation and the world
- Our weapons are prayer, the word of God, the love of God the armour of God
- Victory is only secured as we look to our Saviour
- Looking at 8-13
- The immediate context
- The wider context
- We must not mishandle God's word - taking the passage out of context
- We understand it first in its original context
- We then ask what principles apply to us
- We must then look to the wider context
The Immediate Context
- The people of God are passing through the wilderness to the Promised Land
- Provision is made but God is also testing His people
- The place was named Massah and Meribah meaning "tempted" and "contention" (respectively)
- Moral was low
- The people were not walking as they should
- The Amalekites attacked - perhaps over this water
- Possibly the worse time to attack - when the people are spiritually very low
- Yet God brings a miraculous deliverance
- Through Joshua (v13)
- This should bring us tremendous encouragement
- At times we can be spiritually low - example
- As a church we can be spiritually low - example
- Yet if we look to God - we can see victory
- Who were the Amalekites? - Gen 36:12
- Likely descendants of Esau
- Often the descendants of Esau were at war with the descendants of Jacob
- This reminds us of the two sides of the present spiritual battle
- Those in life vs those in death
- Deut 25:17-19 - very cowardly
- A people unrestrained in their wickedness
- They reminds us of what human beings are capable of
- God promises to blot them out from any remembrance
- Joshua
- His name means God saves
- He is a type of Jesus Christ
- It is an Old Testament name for Jesus
- Jesus is our Saviour who defeats our enemies
- How does it apply to us?
- The victory came about through the Rod of God
- Not like with the Red Sea - to simply watch with no fighting, only the mighty arm of God
- This time - people had things to do: some had to fight hard, Moses had to hold up his arms, he needed helpers
- This tells us we are part of a body - we need to work together, pray together, support one another, encourage one another, to stand together
- We need to look to our Captain, the Lord Jesus Christ
- We need to pray and support our gospel leaders
- Not to be individual but a team
- Example
The Wider Context
- Often misunderstood and misinterpretated
- Not to represent the Trinity
- Not like Christ holding out His hands on the cross
- Not a picture of Jesus in prayer
- Parallels
- Moses and the rod - a symbol of prayer
- Joshua and the sword - the word of God
- The emphasis is on the Rod of God
- How do we understand this - used in judgment and salvation?
- Isa 11:1-5 - the Rod references the coming Messiah
- Ps 110:2, 2:6-9 - Messianic references
- Ps 72, Revelation
- Surely it points us to Jesus Christ
- He has the Sceptre and the reign of God
- Num 16/17
- 16 - There is a rebellion against the authority of God and the ground swallows them up
- 17 - Twelve rods, with Aaron's rod to be placed in the Ark of the Covenant
- Closing thoughts
- Whose authority are you under?
- Whose side are you on?
- Have you come under the banner of Jesus Christ?
- If you want victory over sin, the devil and the world - it is only under Jesus Christ
- Like the Israelites - we must keep our eyes on the Saviour