Meaning of Exodus 4:2

This seemingly simple exchange between God and Moses in Exodus 4:2 is a pivotal moment of divine empowerment and the inauguration of Moses' prophetic mission. The question, "What is that in your hand?" is not a genuine inquiry about the object's identity, but rather a rhetorical device designed to draw Moses' attention to a familiar, mundane item that God is about to transform into an instrument of extraordinary power. Moses, accustomed to his life as a shepherd in the wilderness, identifies the object as a "staff," a common tool for guiding and protecting his flock. This response highlights Moses' current perspective, rooted in his earthly experience, and sets the stage for God to reveal His supernatural capabilities through this very staff, thereby demonstrating that divine power can imbue ordinary things with extraordinary purpose.

Context and Background

This dialogue occurs at the burning bush, a miraculous manifestation of God's presence where He commissions Moses to return to Egypt and demand the release of the Israelites from slavery. Moses, initially hesitant and filled with self-doubt, has just expressed his inadequacy for such a monumental task. God has already responded by promising His presence and power, but Moses continues to voice objections, including his concern about the Israelites not believing him. It is within this context of divine commissioning and human apprehension that God asks about the staff, initiating a series of demonstrations intended to equip Moses with the confidence and authority needed for his mission.

Key Themes and Messages

• Divine Empowerment: The primary message is God's ability to take ordinary objects and individuals and empower them for His purposes. The staff, a symbol of Moses' pastoral life, will become a conduit for divine miracles, signifying that God's power is not limited to the extraordinary but can work through the commonplace.
• Faith and Obedience: God's question implicitly calls Moses to a new way of seeing and interacting with his environment. By presenting the staff, Moses is prompted to acknowledge its presence, a small act of recognition that precedes the greater act of obedience in using it as God directs.
• Revelation of God's Power: The transformation of the staff into a serpent and back again (Exodus 4:3-4) is a dramatic revelation of God's power over nature, a power that will be used to convince Pharaoh and liberate the Israelites.

Spiritual Significance and Application

This verse speaks to the believer's own calling and the tools God provides. Often, we feel ill-equipped for the tasks God sets before us, focusing on our perceived limitations or the ordinary nature of our resources. However, God frequently works through our "staffs"—our skills, our relationships, our everyday possessions—to accomplish His will. The significance lies in recognizing that true power does not originate from the object itself, but from the divine presence that activates and directs it. It encourages a posture of faith, where we present our humble offerings to God, trusting Him to imbue them with His power and purpose.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This incident foreshadows the broader theme of God using seemingly insignificant means to achieve His grand redemptive purposes throughout Scripture. From David's sling and stone to the apostles' humble beginnings, the Bible consistently illustrates God's preference for empowering the weak and using the ordinary to confound the mighty. The staff of Moses also becomes a recurring symbol of God's power and provision, notably seen in the wilderness wanderings where it is used to bring water from a rock (Numbers 20:8).

Analogies

Consider a potter's wheel. The clay is ordinary, formless earth. The potter, however, with skill and intention, shapes it into a vessel of beauty and utility. Similarly, Moses' staff is ordinary clay, but God, the divine Potter, intends to shape it into an instrument of liberation and awe. Another analogy is a musician's instrument. A violin, in itself, is wood and strings, but when held by a skilled musician and played with passion, it can produce magnificent music. Moses' staff is the instrument; God's power is the musician.

Relation to Other Verses

• 1 Corinthians 1:27-29: "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the humble things of the world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." This passage directly echoes the principle demonstrated with Moses' staff, where God uses the seemingly insignificant to achieve His purposes.
• Zechariah 4:10: "For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven eyes are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." This verse speaks to the importance God places on humble beginnings and seemingly minor instruments, aligning with the transformation of Moses' staff.
• Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Moses' willingness to engage with the staff, and subsequently follow God's instructions, is an act of nascent faith in the unseen power of God.