Jehovah-Tsuri

David sang, “For who is God besides the Lord? An who is the Rock except our God?” 2 Sam. 22:32; Ps. 18:31. And “He alone is my Rock and my salvation, He is my fortress, I will never be shaken…My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty Rock and my refuge” Ps. 62:2,7.

In view of all these wonderful, encouraging passages, whether we are successful or in despair, no matter what our condition or where we are, we need to join with David and say, “From the ends of the Earth I call to You I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I” Ps. 61:2-3.

We can also see a background in these passages for the statement of Jesus, “On this rock I will build My Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it!” Mt. 16:18.This Rock is the Greek, petra, a great, solid rock, a tsur.

III. PERSONAL APPLICATION

A. YOU CAN DEPEND ON GOD

1. If I can’t count on anyone else, I can count on the Lord!

2. He’s said, “I will never leave you;” “I will do what I say.” “Though your father & mother forget you, I will never forget you!” Wow! God will not forget us or let us down.

3. There’s an actor named Dwayne Johnson who before acting had the wrestling name, “the Rock.”

4. His type-cast is of a “bad guy,” a soldier, special ops; if anyone can defeat the bad guys, he can. When all the fighting is over, he will be left standing.

5. That’s how God will be; when the fighting is over, God will still be there and He will be victorious! We can depend on Him!

B. OUR REFUGE

1. God is the Person who provides a refuge for us from fears, worries, & reverses in life’s fortunes. I don’t mean a physical refuge, but a mental, emotional, & spiritual shelter from our difficulties.

2. At times He stills the storm around us. At other times He stills – not the storm around us, but the storm within us. He gives us peace in our storm, so that the storm ceases to create fear in us.

3. Perspective can make all the difference. During stock market collapses, people have jumped from windows after losing their investments.

4. But if you trust in God and know there’s an eternity of joy set before you, what is the loss of a few hundred thousand in stocks? It’s ‘chicken feed’ compared to God’s care for 10 million years!

5. “God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in time of trouble!”

6. It’s interesting that the first time this name was used of God was when describing His relationship with Joseph; “But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel” Gen. 49:24.

7 Few mortals would know better than Joseph how great it was to have God as their refuge in time of trouble!

C. SOURCE OF LIVING WATER

1. As I remarked earlier, Israel forever saw God as the Rock which, when smitten, poured forth enough water to satiate 2 ½ million people and all their cattle and washing needs.

2. According to the U.S. Government, each person uses 80-100 gallons of water per day. The Rock was smitten and began pouring water in Exodus 17:6 at Rephidim, 42 days after leaving Egypt.