We are in Exodus chapter four with our word for today used four times in our chapter. מַטֶּה staff, stick, rod, shaft, stem, branch, tribe. It is used 252 times in the Old Testament. We see our word used in a figurative way in the sense of power. Isaiah 14:5 The Lord has broken the מַטֵּ֣ה staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers. It is also used in a literal sense of a strong stick used for a lot of different purposes. We see Jonathan use it to extract honey. 1 Samuel 14:27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the הַמַּטֶּה֙ staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. Most of the time it is used as a symbol and translated tribe because the staff would represent each tribe of Israel. Here is a good example. Numbers 17:2-5 Speak to the Israelites and get twelve מַטֶּ֣ה מַטֶּה֩ staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his מַטּ֑וֹת staff. On the מַטֵּֽהוּ staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one מַטֵּ֣ה staff for the head of each ancestral מַטֶּ֣ה tribe. Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. The מַטֵּ֣הוּstaff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.” This is also the sense that our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 4:2-4, 17, 20 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A מַטֶּֽה staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a לְמַטֶּ֖ה staff in his hand… And take in your hand this הַמַּטֶּ֥ה staff, with which you shall do the signs… So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the מַטֵּ֥ה staff of God in his hand. Moses staff also called the staff of God is a literal staff but it also is a symbol of God’s power. Where we see God using Moses staff to preform amazing miraculous acts of power against Egypt. Here are a few examples Exodus 7:19-20 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your מַטְּךָ֣ staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.” Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his בַּמַּטֶּה֙ staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. Exodus 14:13-14, 16, 21 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.”… Raise your מַטְּךָ֗ staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.
It may seem like a long time and it was but when it is God’s time to show up with power and take care of an enemy of his people He does it decisively. This reminds me of another enemy that was getting in the way of God and his people. Saul of Tarsus was terrorizing God’s people. And God took care of that problem in a huge way (Acts 9:1-4). God not only stopped the biggest enemy of the church at that time but transformed him into one of his effective servants. I’ll close with this great passage about God working in the most powerful way that no one else could do. Galatians 1:23-24 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they praised God because of me.
