Day 31 of 365
WATER FROM THE ROCK
The people demanded that Moses provide water to satiate their thirst. God provided Moses with instructions for how to provide water for their needs. God told Moses to take the rod and strike a rock. From this unlikely source, God provided water to meet the people's need. The faithless Israelites were reminded that the Lord would take care of them by bringing water from a rock.
The rock of God continues to nourish God's people throughout all of redemptive history. Centuries after God's miraculous provision from a rock in the wilderness, Jesus faced another group of contentious people. This time the Pharisees and the Sadducees asked him to show them a sign to validate his authority. Jesus, knowing their hearts, refused to entertain their demands. Rather, he took his disciples to a remote, mountainous location at Caesarea Philippi and there gave them a vivid object lesson.
He asked his followers to describe the public opinion regarding his identity. Peter, as the outspoken leader of Jesus' inner circle, declared that Jesus is "the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Mt 16:16). These titles were not mere flattery, but demonstrated that Peter understood Jesus to be the long-awaited King in the line of David. Jesus responded to Peter, whose name means "rock," telling him that this confession would be the basis for the foundation of his church. Jesus will build his church on this truth, and nothing, not even the gates of hell, will be able to destroy his church (Mt 16:17 - 18).
This rock will provide water for God's people for days without end. Jesus himself will provide streams of living water to his people in the church. Those who recognize their thirst can come to Jesus and be satisfied. Not only that, but the Spirit of God will fill them with streams of living water to quench their thirst forever (Jn 7:38 - 39).
Jesus, I know you are the rock of my life. Help me to live out this truth every second. Please fill me with your living water, so that my life may please you. Amen.
Exodus 17:1-7 NASB
1 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the L ord , and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water that we may drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the L ord ?" 3 But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, "Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" 4 So Moses cried out to the L ord , saying, "What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me." 5 Then the L ord said to Moses, "Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7He named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the L ord , saying, "Is the L ord among us, or not?"
John 7:38-39 NASB
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
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