The Lord s Comforting Rod and Staff A Family Address on Psalm 23:4 By The Rev. Kenneth J. Alden

Transcription

1 1. How do you comfort someone? The Lord s Comforting Rod and Staff A Family Address on Psalm 23:4 By The Rev. Kenneth J. Alden A. It depends, of course, on what is upsetting them. B. Usually we think of comforting someone who is hurting physically, or emotionally. C. A child with a cut can be comforted with a bandage. 1 One with a bump on the head can be comforted with a kiss on the spot. 2 A child who is upset because his mother has gone out for the evening might be comforted by being snuggled on a babysitter s lap while hearing a story. 3 Sometimes holding a stuffed animal toy or a pillow will comfort someone. 2. How does the Lord comfort us? A. The first thing we might think of is His love and mercy. 1 Certainly the love that goes forth from the Lord as heavenly sunshine is warm and comforting. 2 But did you notice what our recitation from Psalm 23 said the Lord as our Shepherd uses to comfort us? a. It said, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. b. Here is a rod and a staff. 1) They might resemble the rods and staffs that shepherds used back when David wrote this psalm. 2) They don t look very comforting, do they at least, not in the way that a pillow, stuffed animal, or warm hug looks comforting. 3) They ar rather hard, stiff and straight. A) They don t look gentle at all. B) How can the Lord s rod and staff comfort us? 3. In the recitation, we called the Lord, My Shepherd.

2 Comforting Rod and Staff 2 A. A shepherd s job is to guide and protect his sheep. 1 He might use the rod or staff to steer the sheep or point the way they should go. (See Arcana Coelestia 4013) 2 He would certainly use the rod or staff to defend his sheep from wild animals. 3 The Word says that king David, when he was just a shepherd boy, killed a lion and a bear to protect his sheep. 4 A rod was often heavy at one end and could be used like a club to drive a wild animal away. 5 It was because of using a rod and staff as a weapon for protection that the Psalm said, a. Yes though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou are with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) b. Sheep might feel comforted having a shepherd nearby who had his rod and staff with him, in case a ferocious animal appeared while walking through a dangerous valley. 4. We read from the book of Exodus about how Moses rod proved to be a comfort to the children of Israel. A. The Lord had delivered them from their slavery in Egypt, but when the pharaoh hardened his heart and pursued them will his armies, chariots and horses, the people were very afraid. B. It seemed that they were trapped at the edge of the Red Sea. 1 They were sure that most of them would be killed. 2 It must have seemed like the valley of the shadow of death, to them. C. Then the Lord told them to fear not, to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. 1 He told Moses to use again the rod with which he had done so many miracles at the command of the Lord in Egypt, bringing about all the plagues. 2 This time he was to stretch it out over the sea.

3 Comforting Rod and Staff 3 3 And what happened when Moses stretched out his hand over the sea? a. The waters divided, and the Israelites could walk across on dry land! b. When they were safely on the other side, and the Egyptians had followed them into the midst of the sea, and the Lord took off their chariot wheels, then Moses stretched out his hand again, and the waters returned, drowning all the Egyptians. c. What a comfort Moses rod must have been to the Israelites when they were in the valley of the shadow of death! 5. We talked about Moses staff and about a shepherd s staff and the Lord being our shepherd. A. But there is more that is meant by the Lord s rod and staff than a piece of wood. 1 What does the Lord use to give comfort by protecting us? 2 A rod and staff are carried in a person s hand. a. They are like an extension of the arm. b. So the Heavenly Doctrine says that they represent something similar to the arm and hand, namely power the power of goodness and truth, but especially the power of truth because goodness exercises its power through truth. (See Arcana Coelestia 4876,7026; Apocalypse Revealed 485) B. Now, just as a rod is hard, stiff and straight, so the Lord s truth can seem hard and not very comforting. 1 But the Lord s truth does offer great comfort, especially by protecting us from the people or evil spirits who want to harm us. (See Apocalypse Explained 727:2) 2 In fact, the wild animals that a shepherd drives away with his staff and the Egyptians who were overcome when Moses stretched out his rod, represent such evil spirits. (See concerning wild animals True Christian Religion 123:4; Arcana Coelestia 841, 1006, 4729, 9335; Heaven and Hell 587; Divine Providence 340a; Conjugial Love 264:4; concerning the sea Arcana Coelestia 8137:2, 8288; concerning the Egyptians Arcana Coelestia 8125, 8132, 8135, 8174, 8258) 6. The psalm spoke of comfort when we are in the valley of the shadow of death.

4 Comforting Rod and Staff 4 A. In our lesson from Apocalypse Explained, it says that valley represents our understanding when it does not see truths from light. (See Apocalypse Explained 727:2) B. Another passage tells us that it represents lower things which are in shade compared to higher things. (See Arcana Coelestia 4715:5) C. We are in such shade when we think only naturally, and do not think spiritually. 1 For example, if we have done something wrong, it seems that we are bad. a. When we think naturally, it appears that the evil we did was from ourselves. 1) The evil spirits want us to believe that we are a bad person and that there is no hope for us. 2) They want us to believe that bad is what we are, and we cannot change. 3) They keep us in a natural way of thinking, so that we believe we are all on our own and spiritually dead because we have done evil. 4) But the Lord has truths that are like a rod and staff to drive such false ideas and wicked accusations away. b. The truth is that all evil comes from hell and all good comes from the Lord. (See Arcana Coelestia 6206) 1) It is not because we are bad that we did what is wrong. A) It is because we acted from the evil spirits of hell we listened to them and did what they wanted that we did what was bad. B) If we stop doing what is wicked, and turn away from wanting to do what is bad if we stop listening to the evil spirits and refuse to draw our life from them then the Lord can give us His heavenly life, and lead us to heaven. 2) So the Lord gives us truth about repentance, so that we learn to say no to the evil we have done, spoken, thought, or loved. A) He gives us truth so that we pray to Him for help and new love from heaven. B) He gives us truth that tells us to actively repent, by resisting the urge to do evil, and not just sit there, hoping the Lord or

5 Comforting Rod and Staff 5 someone else will change us without any effort on our part. C) His truth is like a comforting rod and staff that drives away the evil spirits and leads us out of the valley of the shadow of death. D) His truth provides genuine comfort, because when we follow it, the Lord can regenerate us and give us new, heavenly loves. D. We see an example of the Lord s truth operating in this way with the woman taken in adultery. 1 She had been caught in the very act of adultery. a. She was caught breaking marriage vows either her own, someone else s husband s, or both. b. We don t know if she had been doing this for a long time, whether she planned it, or whether she was tricked into it and felt terrible about what she was doing as soon as she thought about it. 1) Adultery is a terrible thing because it breaks a husband and wife apart, and often they are a father and mother, too. 2) That is very sad, and I like to think that this woman realized what she had done, and felt very badly about it. A) I picture her in a spiritual valley of the shadow of death, because she sees what she has done is so hellish. 2 The scribes and Pharisees brought this woman to Jesus at the temple, reminded Him that the law of Moses said she should be put to death by stoning, and asked what Jesus said. a. They were testing Jesus. 1) If He said she should be stoned, the Romans did not allow anyone to be put to death unless the Roman law said they should be. 2) But if He said she should not, then He would be accused of undoing the law of Moses. b. After writing in the earth, Jesus said, He who is without sin among you, let him first cast the stone at her. 1) When each of them realized they had sins of their own, they left.

6 Comforting Rod and Staff 6 2) His truth defended her, for no man is able to judge someone spiritually or condemn anyone to hell. A) No one is so perfect, all-knowing, or wise that they can do this. 3) Jesus was the only one there without sin. A) He used His rod of truth again: Neither do I condemn you. 1. It is truth that the Lord is not out to get people, punish them, or cast them into hell. 2. He doesn t use His rod against His sheep. a) His truth does not condemn people because, as it goes forth from the Lord, it is always accompanied by His love and mercy. b) He uses His rod of truth to defend people against the condemnation of the hells. 3. Still there is a hell and there are many who live there forever. a) Those who reject His love and mercy come up against His truth and cast themselves into hell. 4. Thus His truth was a comforting rod and staff that drove away the evil spirits as it drove away this woman s accusers. B) Jesus used His rod of truth to guide the woman, as well. 1. He said, Go and sin no more. 2. His truth leads to real repentance, teaching people to sin no more. C) It is similar with us. 1. If we have done something bad, evil, or wicked, the truth condemns us only when we believe that that evil is our own, and refuse to change. 2. But if we use the truth to condemn the evil we did, and to shine the light of truth on the evil spirits who incited us to

7 Comforting Rod and Staff 7 do it; and if we repent and say no to willing or doing that evil, then the truth does not condemn us, but leads us to live more and more as the angels do. 3. The Lord s rod and staff of truth have that power to protect us from evil, and lead us to sin no more. 4. When all seems dark because we have done something wrong, let us remember what the truth can do for us: 5. Yes though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou are with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. 6. Amen. Readings: Exodus 14:10-17, 21-27; John 8:1-11; AE 727:1-2 Apocalypse Explained 727. "Rod and staff" signify power, and indeed, the power of Divine truth, chiefly for the reason that they were branches or boughs of trees, and these signify the knowledges of truth and good, which are the truths of the natural man; and as they also supported the body, they signified power...that "rods and staffs" thence signify the power of Divine truth is derived from correspondence. Therefore in the spiritual world, where all things that appear are correspondences, the use of staffs is a representative of the power of those that use them. It was similar in the Jewish Church, which, like the ancient churches, was a representative church. This is why Moses wrought miracles and signs in Egypt, and afterwards in the desert, by stretching forth his staff... [2] Divine truth in respect to power is signified elsewhere in the Word by "rods" and "staffs," as can be seen... In David: Yea, when I shall walk in the shady valley I will fear no evil to me; Thy rod and Thy staff will comfort me... (Ps. 23:4...). "To walk in a shady valley" signifies in the spiritual sense an obscure understanding that does not see truths from light; "Thy rod and Thy staff will comfort me" signifies that spiritual Divine truth together with natural Divine truth will protect, for these have power; "rod" meaning spiritual Divine truth, "staff" natural Divine truth, the two together meaning these in respect to their power to protect, for "to comfort" means to protect...

8 Comforting Rod and Staff 8 Through The Week Recall the Readings When the children of Israel feared death because they were pursued by the Egyptians and trapped by the Red Sea, the Lord told Moses to lift up his rod. After they had crossed, He again told Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea, and the water covered the Egyptians. When the scribes and Pharisees tested Jesus about whether an adulteress should be stoned, He said, He who is without sin among you, let him first cast the stone at her. When her accusers had left, Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. Reflect on the Message Divine truth comforts by its power to protect us from the falsity and evil of the hells, which are like wild beasts and slave masters. The truth that all evil is from hell protects us from the blame and hopelessness the hells heap on us. Truth coming from the Lord always comes forth with love, and rather than condemning us, urges us toward heaven: go and sin no more. The truth about repentance leads us out of the valley of the shadow of death to a life of living from the Lord. Take Action When you have done wrong, know that it is a sin and that the death of hell is at hand if you remain in it. Turn to the truth for protection and refuse to keep receiving hatred, lust, deceit, etc. from the hells. Ask the Lord s help, and resist by His power the repetition of any evil. Ask the Lord to replace your evil inclinations with the love of goodness from Him.