Why did God give Moses the power to turn his rod into a serpent?

Question

Reference:

Exodus 4:3

Answer 1

To show evidence of divine commission. It was to show Pharaoh that the great "I AM" had sent Moses and that it was the duty of the king to let Israel go.

Answer 2

        I don't believe God gave Moses the power to do anything. Moses was afraid to go and face Pharaoh and to make a claim of an Invisible God. So, God wanted to give Moses a testimony that He, God, was with him. In demonstration, God told Moses to throw down his shepherd's staff and God changed it to a serpent in a small demonstration of His power -- and as a sign to Moses that He, God, was more than just a Voice. The second sign (leprosy -- a personal change to Moses' very being) was a greater sign.

Exo. 4:8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

        God knows that humans often have trouble believing in an Invisible God. He gives His followers signs in their lives which we, as His followers, are to relate to others as proof that God is working in our lives. The greater sign is when others see the changes that God works in our characters. Our very lives are to be a testimony to others.

God bless.

Answer 3

That is a very good question. Seems like God could have given Moses much greater power than that. Like when all the first born of the Pharaoh city dies and there were plague and famine. It rained frogs and the water turned to blood.
Sounds like fantasy. And God parted the sea for there escape, now that may have been possible.
Seems pretty mild, when if God wanted to he could have struck them all dead and the people could have just walked out of Egypt without being chased.
That was a good question. Makes one think!
Wonder if Charles Heston ever thought of that when he was making the movie, Ten Commandments
Rev. TomCat

Answer 4

for effect and to show God had power that he allowed Moses to use to bring the Egyptians into submission .

Answer 5

God did that so that moses could prove to the king of Egypt that he had the power of God with him when he told the king to let the Israeli people go

Answer 6

Oh god that just sounds so dirty. I'd delete it if I were you. It begs x-rated answers.
Just warning ya.

Answer 7

Dear Gilbert ,
A walking stick is the best friend for a man.
But a serpent is the worst enemy for the same man.

God sent Moses to Pharoah to ask him to give Freedom to Israelites and send them to Canaan to worship Him.
But the Egyptian Pharoah hardened his heart and denied the Identity of God Who sent Moses to him.

" Pharoah said ," Who is the LORD,that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go ."
(Bible : Exodus 5:2 )

In order to make the king understand the power of God , the LORD empowered Moses to change the rod in to a serpent and again the serpent in to a rod.( and many other signs and wonders also ).

Thereby God wanted to make Pharoah understand that the LORD ia a God Who is capable of changing one's most favourable things in to the most unfavourable thing and also the most unfavourable thing in to the most favourable thing.

The Bible God is the LIBERATING GOD for the oppressed.

He defeats the Oppressors and Liberates any people who commit themselves to honour and live by His Ten Commandments ( which is the Best Precept for the Humanity to enjoy a Happy and a Peaceful life)

If a single man honours God and lives by His Ten Commandments , and if the whole world comes against this righteous man ,the LORD will side with this humble righteous man and Bless him with Victory and crown the total unrighteous people with Defeat and Shame.

This is the Lesson and the Warning Moses brought to the Egyptian king Pharoah through the shepherd staff.

Pharoah was the most powerful King of the ancient world with his multitude of soldiers ,numerous Iron chariots and innumerable horses.
He was the most inhuman oppressor.
We see how the Pharoah passed a Government Order to kill away all the Israelite male babies (below 2 years of age) when Moses was born.
(Bible :Exodus 1:12-22 )


The most inhuman slavery was carried out by the most terrible and hard-hearted King .

" ..the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites,and worked them ruthlessly "
( Bible : Exodus 1:12..)

But there was no one to Liberate the israelites from the 430 years of Horrible Slavery .

"And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me ,and I have seen the way Egyptians are oppressing them. "
( Exodus :3:9)

The LORD caused a very great destruction upon egypt and upon king Pharoah and Liberated the Israelites with His mighty arm.( Plz Ref to Book of Exodus )

" But as for you ,the LORD took you and brought you out of the iron- smelting furnace ,out of Egypt, to be the people of His inheritance ,as you now are."
( Bible, Deuteronomy 4:20 )

" ..for they are your people and your inheritance ,whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace."
( Bible , 1 Kings 8:51 )

" I ,the LORD, am your Saviour ,your Redeemer.."
( Bible : Isaiah 49:26 )

" I, the LORD ,am your Saviour ,your Redeemer.
( Bible : isaiah 60:16 ).

" The LORD redeems His servants "
( Bible: Psalm 34:22 )

" Israel's King and Redeemer,the LORD Almighty."
( Bible ;Isaiah 44:6 )

"Your Redeemer Who formed you in the womb"
(Isaiah 44:24 )

"Our Redeemer - the LORD Almighty is His name ".
"( Bible : isaiah 47:4 )

"Your Redeemer ,the Holy One of Israel "
( Bible : Isaiah 49:7 )

" ..their Redeemer is strong"
( Jeremiah 50:34 )

" The LORD will fight for you ;
you need only to be still "
( Bible : Exodus 14:14 )

" God is with us ,
He is our Leader "
( Bible : 2 Chronicle 13:12..)
[ Leader = Captain in the war-field ]

"The LORD has taken away your punishment ,
He has turned back your enemy.
The LORD ,the King of Israel is with you ;
Never again will you fear any harm ."
( Bible : Zephaniah 3:15 )

There are many religious cults which officially and ritually encourage their followers to iltreat ,mistreat ,suppress and oppress the poor people ( who are branded as sinners, Sandals, criminals and so on.)
In Hindusm , in the name of God such most inhuman opression and suppression is goin on in india.Around 25 % of the population of india are called Dalits who are treated as untouchables.The principle of Untouchability teaches the Hindus that the very touch or the mere shaddow of such people pollutes the Hindus and hence the Hindus are advised to keep aloof from this poverty-stricken group of people and wash their body if they happen to touch them by accident .

If a Dalit ( though be the President of India) happens to enter in to a Hindu temple ( no doubt ) the Hindu priests ritually cleans the temple as well as the idols.

The Muslims think that they are the best and the sinless people and officially and ritually iltreat all other human beings.

But only Christianity teaches ,

Love your neighbour as yourself"
( Bible : mark 12:13 )

"... Love your enemies ,
do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you ,
pray for those who mistreat you

If some one strikes you on one cheek,
turn to him the other cheek also.
If some one takes your cloak ,
do not stop hom from taking your tunic.

Give to every one asks you,
and if any one takes what belongs to you,
do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you ."
( Bible : Luke 6:27-32 ) .

But we see some diffent approaches in the Quran :-

Zimmis( i.e. Christians ,Jews and others paying tribute).

Its therefore not allowable for them to ride upon horses or use armour ,or to wear the same dresses as Muslims ." The reason for this ,says Abu Hanifah,is that Muhammadans are to be held in honour and Zimmis are not.

The wives also of zimmis are to be kept apart from those of Muslims on the public roads and baths. And it is also ordered that a mark should be placed on their doors ,in order that when Muslim beggers come to them they should not pray for them !

The learned have ruled that a Zimmi should not be allowed to ride at all ,except in cases of necessity ,and if he be thus of necessity allowed to ride ,he should dismount when he meets a Muslim.
( Hidayah,vol.ii. 219. )
[ Ref : Concise Islamic Encyclopedia,( Page 79,right column )

Editor :T.P.M.Ibrahim Khan'
( Advocate ,high court of Kerala,
secretary ,all india Muslim Educational Co-ordination Committee ).

ADDONE PUBLISHING GROUP
T.c.25/3516,Near Employment Exchange ,G.P.O.,
Thiruvananthapuram-695 001,
Kerala, INDIA.]

The Bible says ,
" Show proper respect to every one ..."
( 1 Peter 2:17 )

" Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Honour one another above yourselves "
( Romans 12:10 )

CHRISTIANITY DOES A VERY GREAT LIBERATION MINISTRY ALL OVER THE WORLD .
THE GOD OF LOVE IS LEADING IT .
BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE OF OPPRESSIVE TENDENCY (BY NATURE ) HATE IT AND VEHEMENTLY OPPOSE IT.

PEOPLE WHO ARE SELFISH
AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ENJOY A SINFUL LIFE ALSO HATE THE SUPREME MORAL TAUGHT IN THE BIBLE .

If one reads some portions of the Bible , he/ she can very well understand how far the Bible God is a God of LIBERATION.
( for example :

Book of Exodus,
Book of Judges ( esp. Chapter 7)
Book of 2 Chronicles ( Chapt 20 )
Book of Esther...& so on.

Whoever cries of Oppression and Suppression and whoever cries for Liberation should Accept the Bible God and seek His Help .This is a very great Fact .
But it is avery sad thing that in some countries the doors for the Gospel are tightly closed. though the governments close their doors ,the LORD of LIBERATION is capable of overthrowing such rigid governments and Liberate His people ,if they earnestly and constantly cry unto Him for Liberation.

Jesus answered : " I am the Way and the Truth and the Life "
( John 14:9 )

"... If you hold to my teaching,
you are all my disciples.
Then you will know the truth ,
and the truth will set you free."
( John 8:31-32 )

BIBLE ALONE IS THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE SUFFERING AND OPPRESSED HUMANITY.

The whole meaning of the Bible is explained through Moses' shepherd staff in a capsule formthats all..

HALLELUJAH . AMEN....!


with love ,

sundar,

December 30,2007, 3:34 P.M

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