“… nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Cor 10:10, NKJ)
It is impossible to even attempt the spiritual journey with God without the inexhaustible living water of the Spirit of God. In Ex 17 we read about how thirsty the people of God were and when Moses struck the rock in the desert, water flowed from the rock and the people could drink (verse 6). In Ps 78:15-16 the psalmist recalls it as follows: “He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink in abundance like the depths. He also brought streams out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers.” Paul explains it in new-covenant terms in 1 Cor 10:4 in the following way: “… and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” The same water out of the same rock in the desert – it is the living water of which we still drink today. The Rock was struck once, bruised (Is 53:10), so that Life can flow from it. That life is in His blood that flowed (Lev 17:10); it has also become the sign of the new covenant (Matt 26:28).
The Israelites should’ve understood the spiritual principle of the living water: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth … whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (John 16:13). In spite of the many wonders on their path of faith, they still complained in the difficult physical circumstances and they mistrusted Him. God then gave Moses this instruction: “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water …” (Num 20:8). The instruction is clear: Speak to the Rock – He has already been struck. But Moses “lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and the water came out abundantly …” (verse 11).
Moses never entered the Promised Land because of this. The Rock was struck once for you and me, but thereafter we must not strike the Rock again with our stubbornness, unbelief, manipulation, muttering, whatever. You must speak to the Rock. Too many believers have in this manner crucified the Son of God again and again and shamed Him, and thus could not be renewed again into repentance (Heb 4:4-6).
- Sela: Why would this teaching specifically fall on Day 33? Settle this issue with God.
- Read: Gen 33; Ps 33; Matt 4 (esp. verses 1-11 are important today).
- Memorise: Gen 33:20
