AMONG the many beautiful and striking figures used in the Scriptures is the Rod. Literally, it is but the useful branch of a tree; but, used as an emblem or figure, it means, amongst things, the chastisement which God makes use of to correct men, as in the second of Samuel and the seventh verse. “If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men.” The mighty power of the coming Messiah is thus described: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.” Psalms 2:99Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2:9). Even the Lord Himself is called “a rod out of the stem of Jesse.” Isaiah 11:11And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: (Isaiah 11:1). And His ancient people are spoken of as “The rod of thine inheritance.” Psalms 74:22Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. (Psalm 74:2). And how sweetly is the rod introduced in the twenty-third Psalm: “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
And now, in turning to the prophet Jeremiah, we find him bemoaning Moab thus: “All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!” Moab was the son of Lot; and had, accordingly, affinity with Israel; but, alas, knew not Israel’s God, and was ever an enemy to His people. But Moab became a great nation. It was the king of Moab, you remember, who hired Balaam to curse God’s people in the wilderness. It was in the land of Moab that Moses died, and was buried by God. And though Moab was at length subdued by David, it afterward successfully rebelled. The burden of many of the prophets was against Moab, because of their abominations, for they wickedly worshipped Chemash, and rejected Jehovah, their father’s God. But here the prophet speaks of Moab as a rod — the rod here being an emblem of government and power. Moab was once, and for a considerable time, a powerful people and a great nation. Men trembled before it, and kings sought its alliance. But it was a wicked power; and, alas men often call that which is wicked beautiful, because it makes a show in the world, and “men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself.” But the imperious rod was to be broken; the wicked nation, which had so abused its power, was decreed by God to fall. Beautiful as it was, its end was near. The time was fast drawing nigh when those who had known it would bemoan it thus — “How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod.” So must perish all who oppose Jehovah.
“Sworn to destroy, let earth assail;
Nearer to save Thou art,
Stronger than all the powers of hell,
And greater than my heart
Yes, and in connection with the beautiful rod and its destruction, comes another thought, and that is of salvation. Like Jericho and the delivered Rahab; Sodom and the delivered Lot; so of Moab, we have the delivered and saved Ruth. You remember that Ruth was a Moabitess. She had been espoused to a son of Elimelech and Naomi, who had gone to sojourn in the country of Moab. While there Elimelech died; also the two sons, and poor Naomi was left alone with her two daughters-in-law. But by-and-bye she arose to return to her own land, for she had heard how that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread. Then it was that the affection of the two daughters was tried. Poor Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people and her gods. But Ruth said, “Entreat Me not to leave thee, or to return from following thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” Ruth 1:1616And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: (Ruth 1:16). All this is very beautiful. Moabitess as she was, she loved Naomi, and Naomi’s God. And oh, what a happy choice she made! Orpah passed from our view with her people and her gods; but Ruth, the devoted, the loving Ruth, finds her name enrolled in the ancestry of our Lord — “Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the King,” Matthew 1:66And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; (Matthew 1:6) “of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Thus, while the “Beautiful Rod” of Moab has faded from view, the “Beautiful Branch” of the lovely Moabitess, is, as ever He has been, the center of all God’s thoughts, and the delight of Jehovah’s heart.
Dear reader, is He your delight? Are you bound up with Him in the “bundle of life?” You are either one with the “Beautiful Rod,” and must perish; or with the “Beautiful Branch,” and be eternally blest. A.M.