Rule With A Rod of Iron

Revelation 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Again, in Revelation 12:5 we read, “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” 

And he shall rule the nations with a rod of iron.

Is this talking of Jesus? No. It was Jesus talking about His angel (son or saint) who has overcome. After the son has overcome, he would be given the rod of iron to rule the nations.

Some say this is Mary and Jesus. Others say it is another woman who is yet to appear. Some other conjectures and guesswork have other interpretation which is extra-biblical. The Scriptures did not support any of those theories. Since such can be a topic on its own it best if it is taken as a subject for another day.

It is clear that the passage is talking about Jesus giving His overcoming saint extra powers. Like a promotion.

This takes us back to the teachings of Jesus during His time on earth some 2000 years ago with respect to the Parable of the Talents.

“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” [Matthew 25:29]

So, the saint used the weapon he was already equipped with and as he overcame, he was empowered with more!

But, what exactly did he overcome before the empowerment to rule nations? Was it people? Was it devils? Or something else?

The answer to the question is right within the passage. Going back to the beginning of the statements of Jesus in that passage, we read the message from verse 18 through to verse 25.

These were the key things Jesus was calling the warned saint of Thyatira to address:

1. Permitting Jezebel to teach (read my two-part articles on Jezebel)
2. Allowing Jezebel to seduce His servants into committing fornication
3. Permission of eating foods sacrificed unto idols

Should the saint overcome these things he would be counted to have overcome.

The mystery in this passage goes deeper because the Jezebel mentioned here is not a physical human being. The actual Jezebel lived and died at the time of Elijah and Elisha. So, this is a spiritual entity.

But who was Jezebel in her lifetime? She was the daughter of Ethbaal (meaning someone who stands with Baal), the king of Zidon (Sidon), and was the wife of King Ahab. Jezebel was both a princess and a queen.

Who were the Zidonians? It received its name from the “first-born” of Canaan, the cursed grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:15 and Genesis 10:19). They were people who like to fish. So, Zidon represents one with an affinity with oceanic or marine life. In essence, Queen Jezebel was a representation of marine spirits.

Zidon (or Sidon) also lay within the lot of the tribe of Asher but was never subdued (Judges 1:31). Later, in the history of Israel, the Zidonians would be strong and then oppress Israel (Judges 10:12).

Solomon entered into a matrimonial alliance with the Zidonians, and thus their form of idolatrous worship found a place in the land of Israel (1Kings 11:1 and 1Kings 11:33)

“But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites.” [1 Kings 11:1]

Solomon (and all Israel) never overcame these nations, but rather the other way round. All these nations were those nations that had sold out to the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life. From there, Baal (or Satan) was able to rule over them.

The commandments, laws, statutes and ordinances given by God to His people, who were meant to be kings and priests unto Him, a showcase for all nations, were meant to help them maintain both their relationship with God and also not fall from their exalted position of sitting upon the throne of God with Him.

For as long as they kept the principles of those commandments, they would never fall (2Peter 1:10). Unfortunately, they didn’t, apart from David and some from his lineage, the people rebelled and fell terribly.

Going back to the things the saint of Thyatira was supposed to overcome, we can see a very strong correlation that these things and what these nations represent are the same.

To fully understand the promise of Jesus to the overcomer, you have to understand how types and metaphors are used throughout the Book of Revelation. The disciples asked Jesus why was He speaking to the world in parables. He replied:

“He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” [Matthew 13:11]

Types and Metaphoric Expressions
Egypt is a spiritual metaphor of the world in its wickedness and sinfulness. The wilderness is a representation of the difficult journey of the believer whom God has saved from the world. The Promised Land is a representation of “Heaven” or the Promised new Earth (as revealed in the Book of Revelation).

Allowing Jezebel to Teach
Jezebel is not allowed to teach. Her teachings cause seduction unto fornication, that is, following another God apart from Yahweh. Usually, those other gods are represented by the works of the flesh.

Teaching is the education of the ignorant. The illiteracy of the ignorant is eliminated by what he is taught. Ignorance is darkness and teaching is the light that eliminates the darkness of ignorance.

Heresy, however, is negative teaching, which is in rebellion against the commands of God.
Heresy, which is the knowledge of good and evil, was what the Serpent taught Eve in the garden and she likewise taught Adam. The result of heresy is the rebellion, which led to the fall.

The fruit of heresy called the works of the flesh by Paul the apostle, is composed of adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. [Galatians 5:19-21]

Allowing Jezebel to seduce His servants into committing fornication.

Fornication, in its truest sense, is the unholy association between two people.

Paul explained it this way, “What? know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.” [1Corinthians 6:16]

One FLESH. Carnality. Earthy. Soulish. Sensual. Limited. Never meant for the life of the spirit. Cannot discern the spiritual. Void of life. Like a beast. Without honour.

David summed it like this, “Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.” [Psalm 49:20]

Permission of eating foods sacrificed unto idols.

Foods sacrificed to idols are polluted. They are like foods laced with harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, mould, or chemicals. Such foods cause all kinds of illnesses and diseases that can paralyse and kill.

Balak tried to get Balaam to curse the children of Israel, but God resisted Balaam at every point where he made the attempts. However, Balaam later advised that Balak should send pretty women to seduce the young men of Israel and give them foods offered to their gods.

The result of this action was that Israel fell into lasciviousness and fornication, making God turn against them!

Foods sacrificed to idols are the harmful teachings of the heretic. Teachings that make a person to become rebellious or pushes away from the fear of the Lord. The knowledge that does not make someone to desire to be like Christ.

The acceptance of these foods (or knowledge), opens the gates for demonic activities in the soul realm (the mind, the intellect, the emotions and the will), which impacts the soul. Unfortunately, many of the people who are supposed to be ruling with the rod of power are the ones who also compromise by sitting to feast with Jezebel, having been enticed by the teachings of Balam.

Let me explain. The Christmas, Easter and Valentine you celebrate every year, was the Lord Jesus who gave it to you by saying “Do this in remembrance of me each year? Are these two included in the Feasts God gave His people? What are their origins? Are they not celebrations of the Queen of Heaven and Baal?

Can you not see that these celebrations are covered up idolatry? Can you not see that these are feasts of the fallen Man dressed up with the name of Christ? Why did God not the specific dates in the Bible for the celebration? Oh you mean because Easter was mentioned in the Book of Acts, it means the early saints celebrated it? No, they didn’t, it was already being celebrated by pagans.

These feasts and celebrations are nothing short of eating polluted foods, foods already sacrificed to idols. They are like the pottage of soup Esau took in exchange for his birthright. You are spiritually compromising your right to rule with polluted food.

Being empowered to rule with the rod of iron is not literal, but a spiritual exercise.

A rod is defined, by the dictionary, as a thin straight bar, especially of wood or metal. It is a tool of correction, a stick used for caning or flogging.

In Proverbs Proverbs 26:3, it is written, “A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.”

And who is a fool? Someone who does not know or acknowledge God (Psalms 53:1).

Nebuchadnezzar, whom God calls “My servant”, did not abide by God’s Word and what happened to him? He was beaten with the rod of iron! He went into the forest and lived like a beast for seven years to learn obedience by the things he would suffer.

When God made a special covenant with David He said of Solomon, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men” (2Sam 7:14, ESV).

David said, “thy rod (of the Shepherd) and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalms 23:4)

A good shepherd will use his rod (or staff) in leading the flock, to manage and guide them and also as a weapon to defend them against wild animals.

David knew the usefulness of the rod when he was a shepherd as a youth and he described his use of the rod to King Saul:

“Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him” [1Samuel 17:34-35].

Rod of Wickedness
A rod (or staff) can also be a wand or staff as a symbol of office, authority, or power. The staff was also referred to as a sign of a ruler’s authority, such as a king’s scepter, which is what Isaiah wrote: “The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers” (14:5)

The people of darkness also have their rod. It is called the rod of the wicked. With it they afflict innocent people with all kinds of unimaginable sufferings and afflictions – incurable sicknesses and diseases, poverty, disabilities, dysphoria, death, etc.

“For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.” [Psalms 125:3]

How is Christ going to take over the kingdoms of the world?

“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.” [Isaiah 11:4]

Finally, how do we access this rod? or what exactly is this rod like?

Jesus has answered the first part, by saying you need to resist, forbid and overcome the offers of Jezebel.

What is it like? That rod of His mouth is the Word of God. In essence, the Word of God in the mouth of the overcomer is the rod of iron. It is with power and authority that cannot be challenged!

Ecclesiastes 8:4 reminds us, “Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?”

Jesus would later add, “even as I also overcame” in Revelation 3:21.

What did He overcome? He overcame the temptations of the lusts of the eyes, lusts of the flesh and the pride of life.

Jesus demonstrated what ruling with the rod of iron is like throughout His ministry. He ruled over the devils, who were the principal architects of the works of the flesh. When He told them to shut up, they dared not say another word.

When He told them to leave, they dared not stay another second. He released those whom they bound with authority. They could not confront Him. None of those devils could resist Him nor His words!

Jesus SPOKE. His Words were irresistible. That is the demonstration of the power of a king. He rules and reigns in any territory without any equal in power or glory.

“And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt
him not.” [Luke 4:33-35]

Jesus was demonstrating what it means to rule with the rod of iron here. This is what He has promised the saint who overcomes.

Moses had a shepherd’s rod while looking after sheep in the wilderness and when he encountered God at the Burning Bush, it became the rod of God in his hands. What happened next?

Moses used that rod to torment the gods of Egypt! The Plagues of Egypt were the shadows of things to come in this end time. We have seen a demonstration and that is going to happen again.

Elijah, in 1 Kings 17, entered Ahab and Jezebel’s palace and made a pronouncement and walked out unstopped. His pronouncement would throw the whole nation into famine for the next three and a half years. Yes, Israel had a king, but Elijah was the one with the rod of authority!

God has empowered His overcoming saints to torment the gods of this world, those powers motivating humanity into rebellion and sin; they would be tormented to deliver the people they are holding in bondage. But, unfortunately, those who refuse to let those devils be gone would partake in the torments of the devils.

You, the saint of God, must reject the pollution of Jezebel and Balaam. You are a king who must rule the nations with the rod of iron. Rise up and begin to possess your possessions. Stop wasting your time at the table of the enemy you are supposed to be ruling. Otherwise, your authority will be compromised and the Creation that is awaiting your manifestation will continue to suffer.