Hosanna Restoration Church

I have never really given a lot of deep thought to all that the Lord has used the rods and sticks and branches for in the Bible. Of course I knew the accounts of Moses and Aaron with the shepherds staff and the rod that budded. And of course there were the sticks that Jacob used when the sheep were watering. There was also the time when God showed Moses a branch to make water drinkable. And we cannot forget Elisha who through a stick in the water and the ax-head floated.

And now, we consider Zechariah’s prophecy of the Lord bringing the Branch. I like that translation of God bringing Him. God never left Jesus anywhere…He was always with Him just as He is always with us.

The whole thinking about the rods, sticks, branches and the Name, came as the Lord spoke to me and said hold up the Name. At the same time, I had this mental picture of Moses holding the staff over the Red Sea. Well of course as a person considers how God used Aaron’s rod, and all that Jesus told us about His Name John chapter 14, you can’t help but get a bit excited! Especially when we were just talking about the scripture that says, “as He is, so are we in this world.” (1John 4:17)

You see, as I went to sleep last night I started to seek the Lord for what He had in mind for today, but then felt I just wanted to fellowship and be close to Him. It must have been what He wanted too, as I drifted into a wonderful peace and deep sleep. Then as I awoke, He spoke those words to me.

Have you ever wondered what Cain used to kill Abel? The Word says he attacked him and killed him. Wouldn’t it be just like God to take the very thing that was first used to destroy life and turn it into a symbol of eternal life? Truly everything that the enemy uses to harm, God is able to turn into good. A stick that turns water of death into life giving water: isn’t that what Jesus does for us? Jesus is the living water. Or how about a stick that floats an axe? That was a terrible situation, and yet God used a stick to rescue and to increase the faith of his servants.

There are many other incidents in God’s word that could be mentioned, but time and space will not allow it. I am certain that the Holy Spirit is bringing things to your mind even as you read. All of this leads us to the Branch, the Lamb of God, and the Savior of the world.

He said that if we would hold up His Name everything would be possible and nothing would be impossible. Just look at the miracles God did when people had the faith to trust in the sticks He showed them. Surely it is easy to believe that when we put our trust in the Words of Jesus Christ that God will do much more. Hold the Name over every circumstance and behold the Glory of God.