What is the word of God? -- Part 2

In a recent post, I fleshed out a broader definition of "the word of God," to include more than just the printed scriptures.  The rod is a metaphor for our covenants. The rod is held in the hand of the divine messengers who are given charge over the covenant path. Just as John is given a rod to measure the worshippers in the temple (see Revelation 11:1), modern-day prophets hold the authority to measure us as a people of God and keep us in green pastures.

Thinking about the word "rod" in this context helped unfold another context:

A Latter-day Rod

Isaiah uses the word "rod" in the context of the restoration:

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.
4 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. (2 Nephi 21/compare Isaiah 11)

3 What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse?
4 Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power. (D&C 113)

Nephi summarizes

8 And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth.
9 And with righteousness shall the Lord God 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.
10 For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire. (2 Nephi 30)

Compare this prophecy of the "great division among the people" to the words spoken by the Angel Moroni to Joseph Smith:

33 He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people. (JS--H 1)

"My name should be had for good and evil among all nations" 

As has been discussed in other posts, the name "Joseph" comes from a Hebrew root meaning "God will proceed to." Thus, the proceeding of this latter-day restoration of God's people is intended to create a division among the people, the word of God that is given is designed to separate the righteous from the wicked.