ROD, STAFF, SCEPTER (Heb. mat teh', branch; also shay'be4 a stick for pun ishment.) 1. In general it denotes a twig, or small branch of a tree.
2. It means, in the hand of one walking, a staff, support and assist on a journey (Exod., iv:2; vii :9; I Sam. xiv :27).
3. It signifies in the hand of an offended per son an instrument to beat, correct, or punish the offender (Exod. xxi :20 ; 2 Sam. vii:t4; Job ix:34 etc.; Prov. x :13, etc.; Is. xi:4, etc.; Jer. x :16; li :19).
4. In the hand of a surveyor it signifies his measure for meting fields; and so the thing measured is called the rod.
5. In the hand of a thrasher it denotes a flail, or thrashing staff (Is. xxviii :27).
6. In the hand of a warrior it signifies the truncheon, the staff of his spear, or his walking staff (2 Sam. xxiii:2t).
7. In the hand of a ruler, it is a scepter, or badge of authority, to direct, govern, chastise, and reward (Esth. viii:4)• 8. In the hand of the shepherd it is an instru ment of defense (Ps. xxiii :4).
Figurative. (i) Jesus Christ is called a Rod or Branch (Is. xi:t). (2) The rod (Gen. xxx : 37) is also used for tribes; because they grow as branches from a common root. And the two sticks of Judah and Ephraim becoming one, de notes the junction of the tribes of Judah and Ben jamin, which were one kingdom, with those of Ephraim and his fellows, which formed another (Ezek. xxxvii:15-22). (3) The rod is put for power and authority (Is. xiv :5) ; and also for the rulers themselves ; so where we have Shebet in one place, we have judges in the parallel place (comp. 2 Sam. vii :7; t Chron. xvii :6). (4) The princes of Judah are called rods because with authority they ruled and corrected others (Ezek. xix :14). (5) Church censures and punishment are called a rod (Mic. vi :9, and vii :14 ; I Cor. iv: 21; Prov. xxix :15). (6) God's chastisements of his people are called the rod of men; as they are inflicted with the kindness and compassion of a father (2 Sam. vii:14). (7) The rod of Christ's strength sent out of Zion is the gospel, attended with miraculous and saving influences, for the conversion of multitudes and the support an di rection of saints (Ps. cx :2). It is a scepter of righteousness, by which the righteousness of God's nature and law is. glorified to the highest ; Christ's
righteousness is brought near, offered, and ap plied to us; and by which we are effectually made righteous in all manner of conversation. This scepter may also denote our Lord's righteous ex ecution of his whole office (Ps. xlv :6). (8) God's rod and staff that comfort his people are his gospel truths, and his supporting influence, by which he preserves and draws them to himself (Ps. xxiii :4). (9) Christ's rod of iron, with which he rules the nations, is his absolute author ity over them, and his righteous judgments exe cuted upon them, particularly in the overthrow of the Jewish nation, the ruin of heathenism in the Roman empire, and of Antichrist and Ma hornet (Ps. ii :9; Rev. xix :15). (to) The saints, by their prayers and otherwise, have a share in ruling the nations with this rod of iron (Rev. ii :27). (II) The Assyrians and their conquests are called the rod of God's anger, and a staff in his hand; and they corrected fa with a rod; afflicted, but could not destroy the Jews (Is. ix :4 ; :5, 15, and xxx :32). (12) Nebuchadnezzar and his army are called the blossoming rod, and rod of wickedness; they prospered in their conquests, but were very wicked; by them God punished the increasing pride and growing violence of the Jews (Ezek. vii 11). (13) The kingdom of Moab is lik ened to a strong staff and beautiful rod, for their strong and beautiful appearance, their ruling over others, and being instruments of God's wrath against them. God broke this rod, and the staff of the wicked, when he ruined the authority and power of the Iloabites and Chaltheans (Jer. xlviii :17; Is. xiv :5). (4) The contemned rod of God's Son may signify the royal family of Judah, and their authority over his peculiar peo ple, which were contemned by the Chaldmans, and depressed by the calamities which they inflicted (Ezek. (15) The rod of the wicked is their authority, power, and oppressive usage of others (Ps. cxxv :3). (r6) The rod of pride in the mouth of the foolish is proud, passionate lan guage, which wounds the soul, credit, health, or property of themselves and others (Prov. xiv :3). (17) The grounded staff denotes the appointed judgments of God, inflicted on the Jews or As syrians (Is. xxx :32).