Exodus 4:2 The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A 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 staff in his hand— “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”
That rod of Moses would part the Red Sea. It would strike a rock and see water pour forth. It would be raised over battle until Israel won. It would be called the rod of God. Not only did Moses’ rod become like a snake; it became a real snake that was frightening enough to Moses that he ran from it. We see the faith of Moses when he reached out to grab the snake when God commanded him to. The tail is the most dangerous place to grab a snake; yet Moses was unharmed. Moses did what God told him to do even when it was uncomfortable. (Guzik)
A burning bush that does not get consumed, the voice of God speaking directly to Moses, a staff turning into a snake, the snake turning back into the staff, Moses’s hand turning leprous and then being made clean and whole again, and a promise of turning the water from the Nile into blood were all given to Moses as confirmation of God’s power, sovereignty, and calling of Moses to lead the Israelites out of cruel bondage. There was no written Word of God or indwelling Holy Spirit. There were promises given to chosen faith-filled men of God, whom God visited via dreams or other means of confirmation, that were passed down from generation to generation. Imagine how hard it would be to believe the promises of a “Land flowing with milk and honey” and become a “great nation” while being in slavery for over 300 years. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year these chosen of God were to keep their eyes focused on the Promises of God. Obviously, there were those who did and there were those who did not, such is the life of faith or faithlessness.
Fast forward to today some 4,000 years later and we have been given; The Word of God, the recorded history of the Israelites, God’s miracles, faithful men, evil men, Jesus Christ the redeemer and savior of man, promises of judgment, heaven and hell, promises of eternal life and eternal torment, the indwelling Holy Spirit, the promise of Jesus returning to gather His people, and like the times of Noah – Moses – Jesus – to now there are those who believe and trust in the promises of God (though they seem far off) and those who disregard and reject them.
