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Bible Studies
By Adam Bartlett
Water From The Rock
Exodus 17
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.
2: Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
3: And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
4: And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
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.
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.
7: And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?
God had just provided the mana from heaven that was to be food for them until they entered the Promised Land. They did not have to do anything for this mana, God provided it. God even miraculously allowed that which was collected on the sixth day to stay fresh through the seventh day. Now they are brought to a place where there is no water. Instead of realizing that if God provided food for them out of heaven each day surely He could also provide water; they murmured and complained once again.
How often do we fall into the same trap? How many times are we in the wilderness and know that God can provide yet we complain anyway? Sometimes while in the wilderness God will give us what we need to get to the next step and see if we will still continue to trust Him or give up when it starts to get tough.
They traveled from the wilderness of "sin" to a place called "rephidim" which means "bottom." When you are in the wilderness confused and battered by sin you have to get to the bottom before you can climb out. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom as Jonah did before the Lord can get our full attention.
It is easy to play the blame game when you are in this condition. Have you ever tried to blame someone else for your lack in your spiritual condition? A lot of times pastors and spiritual leaders take the brunt of unsatisfied Christians looking for someone to blame other than themselves.
God promises to stand before those pastors and leaders at these times. "Smite the Rock" and the water flowed out of it. John 7:37-38 Jesus alluded to this; that out of Him would flow the rivers of spiritual waters to satisfy all who come to Him. On the cross it was blood and water that flowed from the "smitten rock" and provided salvation for all. Jesus promised that any that would thirst after Him would be filled.
Have you truly thirsted for God the way you should? The next time you find yourself in the wilderness and thirsting, make every effort to focus your mind on Christ and seek the water that flows from Him.
Exodus
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