Exodus 17:1-7 Christ Our Rock
1. A Picture in the Rock - 6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
(a) The Site of the Rock - 1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
A Place:- Of Defilement - Sin (Muddy) Of Decline - Rephidim: - Desert
Of Desolation - 6 the rock in Horeb = Desolate,
7 And he called the name of the place Massah = Testing and Meribah = strife.
(b) The Smiting of the Rock - 6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel
1) The Hate Filled Rabble - Verses 2 - 3 The Presumption, Protestation, Provocation.
2 Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
Mark 15:29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
2) The Hurtful Rod - 5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
Exodus 7:20 And Moses lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree
3) The Hardened Rock - Deut 8:15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
(c) The Streams of the Rock - God's Doing
1. A Cleansing Stream - Psalm 78:15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. 16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. 20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed;
2. A Continuing Stream - Psalm 105:41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
3. A Communal stream - Psalm 114:8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.
1 Cor 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
2. A Protection in the Rock
Ex 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. There Is :- (a) A Haven in the Rock - I will put thee in a clift of the rock, - Psalm 71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress
(b) A Hand in the Rock - and will cover thee with my hand
Isaiah 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;
(c) A Here-After in the Rock - A Veil Removed - 23 I will take away mine hand, -
1 Cor 13;12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
A View Revealed - 23 and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. - But God's Glory will be Seen - 1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
3. A Provision in the Rock - Num 20:1-12 "Go to the Rock" in:-
a) Difficulty - Number 20:1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. Desert & Death.
b) Discontent - 2 there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD
c) Doubt - Num 20:8 Take the rod, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
The Instruction - speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water
The Insurrection - 11 Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
The Incrimination - 12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
