After leaving Egypt for the trip to the Promised Land, Canaan, the
Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. During this time of
wandering they came to a place of needing water many times, two of which I want to mention here. They were
thirsty, their animals were thirsty, and there was no water available. When
they called on Moses to give them water, he turned to the Lord.
During the first episode the Lord gave Moses instruction to “strike the
rock” to get water. He obeyed. Water came forth so that all of the people (estimates
have them at 3-5 million people) AND their livestock received all the water
they needed. All of this water came from a rock. The people rejoiced and went
on with wilderness life.
During the second episode the Lord gave Moses instruction to “speak to
the rock” to get water. Moses was upset with the people because of their
constant complaining. Out of this anger he struck the rock a second time. Water
still came forth, enough to water all of the people and their animals. The people
rejoiced and went on with wilderness life.
Moses, however, received correction from the Lord. Because of the one,
seemingly simple, act of disobedience the Lord did not allow Moses to enter
into the promised land that he dreamed of for 40 years.
Moses learned some things from this encounter. Near the end of his life,
Moses sang a song recorded in Deuteronomy 32 where he declares “He is the Rock,
His work is perfect”. In another place he said, “… of the Rock who begot you,
you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you.” And again said
“How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless
their Rock has caused them to surrender? For their rock (little ‘r’) is not
like our Rock (capital ‘R’).”
Moses was introduced to The Rock when he asked to see God’s glory. In
Exodus 33 it tells us that God placed Moses on a Rock. Then when He passed by,
He placed Moses in a cleft in the Rock and covered him with His hand. Then God
removed His hand so Moses could see His back. Moses knew the Rock. He found
safety, protection, and provision in the Rock.
When assuming leadership after Moses it was apparent Joshua knew The
Rock. We can see this in Joshua 24:26-27. “Then Joshua wrote these words in the
Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone, and set it up there under
the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said to all the
people, ‘Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us, for it has heard all the
words of the LORD which He spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you,
lest you deny your God.’” The Stone had heard all the words spoken, and would
be a witness.
Gideon encountered the Rock. The Angel of the Lord asked Gideon to place
meat and bread on a rock, and then pour broth over it. The Angel touched the
Rock with the end of His staff and fire came out of it, and consumed the meat
and bread. Gideon built an altar and named it Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is
Peace.
Hannah made a declaration when she took Samuel to the temple to dedicate
him to the Lord. “No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.”
In David’s song, just before his death, said, “The Lord is my rock and
my fortress and my deliverer.” The last words David spoke were, “The Spirit of
the Lord spake to me, and his word was in my tongue. The God in Israel said,
the Rock of Israel spake to me.”
In Psalm 18 David declares, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my
deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust. For who is God, except
the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? The LORD lives! Blessed be my
Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.”
Isaiah said, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried
stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.”
Matthew, Paul, and Peter all referred to Jesus as the “Chief Cornerstone.”
Here is the best part. That Stone, Jesus, is still with us today. He is
the very foundation of our faith. He was from the beginning, and will always
be. One question came to mind as I looked at the story of Moses and the people
of Israel as they journeyed. How was it that there was always a Rock around
when they needed one?
The answer is found in 1 Corinthians: Moreover, brethren, I do not want
you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through
the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the
same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For
they
drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
Imagine the sight. God’s people were led by a pillar of cloud by day, a
pillar of fire by night. The cloud kept them moving in the right direction,
provided shade from the intense heat. Then at night the pillar of fire gave
them assurance of God’s presence and provided warmth through the cold nights.
That sounds just like the Holy Spirit; The Comforter, The Guide.
Then, behind them, The Rock was following them, being their rear guard,
giving them support and strength.
This is modeled for us in the Old Testament, but we have a better
covenant. These things are no longer pictures or examples of what God can do.
Now it is reality! Now we have the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, to lead us
and give comfort. Now we have The Rock, that is Christ, upon which we can build
our lives and know we are anchored on a sure foundation that cannot be shaken
or eroded in any way.
So, we choose this day to remember The Stone that has heard everything
God has said, and now stands to bear witness to us of the Truth of God. That
Stone the world rejected at the cross, buried in a hole in the ground, now
lives as the Son of God, our Elder Brother, that sits at the right hand of God,
praying for you and me. Eat the bread, drink the cup, and remember The Rock.
