The Iron Rod is much more

Hold to the rod, the iron rod;

'Tis strong, and bright, and true.

The iron rod is the word of God;

'Twill safely guide us through.

1 Nephi 11

25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.

'Twill safely guide us through.

And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters...

The word of God...

For so many years I and I assume based on our hymns and literature have taken for granted the word of God means only the scriptures, whether from prophets of old or living prophets.

But the word of God I believe means more.  Something deeper.  It's his word. 

Surely, you think I crazy because I'm just repeating it in a different way.

It is His WORD.

His word as in promise, bond, covenant.  His promise of grace and what it takes to receive it.  Deeper than just a guide, it is literally the method by which we can be found and pulled out of the marshes and quicksands and onto the path again.

It's more than a set of phrophetic guidebooks..