Heed the Rod
Heed the simply means, Give ear to instruction. These three words. “Heed the rod” is a complete compilation of the book of proverbs in a nutshell. Rod and wisdom go hand in hand. It paves way for wisdom. Proverbs 23:13. Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Micah 6:9 Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
and to fear your name is wisdom—
“Heed the rod and the One who appointed it”
A rod is always a tool of Correction and Discipline. It makes a person wise. It is a tool of wisdom. The rod symbolizes multiple traits. The Rod bionically refers to the measuring Rod which is Jesus Christ, the line of benchmark, a spiritual standard or a template. The one who appointed it is God. Proverbs 29:15 the rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.
To relate this to a day to day life, let me quote here that most occupations like shepherds, Teachers, builders, watchmen, Police men, Judges and artisans use a rod in their day to day lives. They draw a line to our limits which we cannot surpass.
It helps alignment of an Individual /thing to stay in marked boundaries, much before they see them headed for disaster.
A Shepherd holds a rod to watch his flock, to keep it in its boundary, watch it from enemies and sometimes also used to attack its enemies;. In the similar manner; the chief shepherd also who is the Good shepherd ,through his Word ,which is the rod of correction and discipline; keeps us well within our spiritual boundaries and prevents us from falling off. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
The teacher of wisdom has quoted in his chapter of proverbs many insights on the rod! Here the rod is used for people who are loved by God, Proverbs 3:12” For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
“Proverbs 23:13 Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. Most of the rod attributes are related to wisdom.
The Rod and its Significance:
Rod of Authority
There are personalities in the bible like Moses whom God had to remind about the God-given authority in him, by placing in his hands the Rod of Authority. He used the Rod to perform miracles; to smite the rock. Here this can also be related to Christ the rock who was smitten by the rod. Rod here is the hand of God.
A rod signals authority and in most cases is attributed in the bible to shepherds and leaders. When God chose Moses, He helped his unbelief by helping him realize the authority of the rod in his hand!
Exodus 4:2-4 And the Lord said unto him, what is that in thine hand? And he said A rod.
3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Rod of Covenant :
This was later on in the priest’s hand .David quotes in his psalms, God himself as his Rod of comfort! Just as shepherd comforts his sheep by the rod, so that the flock is not lost. There are personalities in the bible like Moses whom God had to remind about the God-given authority in him, by placing in his hands the Rod of Authority. He used the Rod to perform miracles; to smite the rock. Here this can also be related to Christ the rock who was smitten by the rod there was yet another time, God had to distinguish his chosen one Aaron form others, by letting his rod Blossom. Times God placed uses certain people (Prophets, Priests, Pastors and Bible teachers as a Rod to discipline his People.
When the Israelites complained of Moses and Aaron exalting themselves over them, God demonstrates the priesthood Covenant by the rod of Aaron that blossomed. Numbers 17:8Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.
Rod of comfort:
I see David‘s psalm of 23 where he personifies Jesus as the true Shepherd of his life. He sings How Jesus the shepherd leads him as a sheep. We see him to be taken after the traits of Jesus Christ, as a shepherd. Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.Here The rod he had as a shepherd was to protect his sheep from its enemies. He refers to it as Comfort.
Rod of correction:
The “word of God time and again throws light on the rod and its rebuke over the beloved of God. Lord chastens those whom he loves. Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
Lessons are learnt better under the rod. Hebrews 12:6 for whom the Lord loveth he chastened, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth
Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. Rev 3:19
2 Samuel 7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
Rod of Justice: The rod of Justice is the Measuring Rod. In other words it is a line of Caution. The line or benchmark, which should not be surpassed.
Isaiah 28: 17 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.
God makes known his justice by stretching a line that he intends his people not to surpass.
2 kings 21:13 I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipeout Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.
Jeremiah 31: 38, 39 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hanael, unto the gate of the corner. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.
Rod of Affliction/Wrath:
Jeremiah during his tenure of being a prophet laments about the wrath of God “I Am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath”.
Job also testifies, during his affliction the rod of the lord over him in
Job 9:34Let Him remove His rod from me, And let not dread of Him terrify me.…
The Rod of Righteousness:
The Rod of Righteousness refers to the lord our righteousness!! A great introduction was given to our lord Jesus Christ in the book of Isaiah. He has been introduces as the Rod of Jesse, Isaiah 11:1 & 4
1 and there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
When the appointed Rod comes into the churches…The church (The bride) will beam with God’s Righteousness and Justice.
When Christ the Judge appears,None will be spared,those who practice unrighteousness.Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.