The “Rod Of Iron” – What Is It?
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesA querist asks, “In Psalms 2:9; Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5 and Revelation 19:15, what does the phrase “rod of iron” refer to or denote?”
Physically speaking, iron is a hard metal which gives us the idea of something that is unbendable or obstinate (Job 40:18; Isaiah 48:4; cf. Exodus 32:9; Deuteronomy 31:27).
Spiritually speaking, the rod was a symbol of authority (for example, Moses’ and Aaron’s rod (cf. Exodus 4:1-5 – KJV; Numbers 17:1-13 – KJV), and was also a tool for punishment of those who did evil in the Old and New Testaments (Proverb 13:24; 1 Corinthians 4:21; cf. Acts 5:1-11; Acts 13:8-12).
The “rod of iron” was also used of God’s judgment upon the Jews because of their rejection of the prophesied Messiah and the gospel (Psalm 2:1-7; cf. Acts 2:22-23; Acts 13:33; Acts 13:45-46).
The “rod of iron” in Psalm 2:9 also characterizes the unbendable and invincible Word of God, the knowledge which would eventually “fill”? the earth (cf. Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). This was literally brought to pass in the lifetime of the apostles as the gospel of Christ was being proclaimed throughout the world during the first century to both Jew and Gentile (cf. Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:5-36; Acts 10:34-48; Romans 10:17-18; Colossians 1:5-6; Colossians 1:23).