STRIKE ONE, STRIKE TWO

When was the last time you saw God's power?

When the LORD brought His people out of Egypt, He was teaching them to depend on Him.  The Israelites had watched multiple displays of power in the ten plagues, and then they saw Moses raise the symbol of God's power (his staff) to part the Red Sea.

As He was teaching them, the LORD was also teaching us and giving us a picture book for the ages.  These images declared that Yahweh is the one true God.

EXODUS 17 - STRIKE ONE.
The freed Israelites looked ahead to the desert and knew they were thirsty and hungry.  They began to complain...just like we do when the drive-through line isn't moving fast enough.

As the grumbling intensified, Moses cried out to the LORD "What will I do with this people?  A little more and they will stone me!"  God gives Moses a plan (God always has a plan).  Moses was to take the elders and his staff and go to the rock at Horeb.  Then God said:

"I WILL BE STANDING BEFORE YOU THERE ON THE ROCK IN HOREB, AND YOU WILL STRIKE THE ROCK, AND WATER WILL COME OUT OF IT SO THAT THE PEOPLE MAY DRINK.  AND MOSES DID SO IN PLAIN VIEW OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL."  Exodus 17:6 

THOUGHTS ABOUT STRIKE ONE:
   1.  God said "I will"...and it came to pass.  God is able and He keeps His word.  He is worthy of our confidence.
   2.  The water that came from that desert rock served an estimated two million people plus their animals.  Psalm 78:15 says "He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas."
   3.  Jesus is often referred to as "the Rock".  "...and all drank the same spiritual drink.  For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ."  1 Corinthians 10:4   He is the Rock that the builders rejected and the Rock of our salvation.
   4.  Notice God's position.  He says He will be on the rock.  The pillar of cloud is specifically marking the place for Moses to discover God's provision.  "He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions.  He brought you water out of hard rock."  Deuteronomy 8:15
   5.  As Moses struck the rock with his staff, Almighty God is there where the staff strikes.  God is picturing the coming Messiah, who will take the strike for us.

NUMBERS 20 - STRIKE TWO
Fast forward 38 years.  The Israelites have wandered in the wilderness and the LORD has proven faithful to provide water and manna for them.

Now a new generation has come to the southern border of the Promised Land and they camp at Kadesh, where there is no water.  Cue the whining.  

"The people contended with Moses, saying 'If only we had died when our brothers died before the LORD!  Why have you brought up the LORD's community into this wilderness so that we and our cattle should die here?' "  This generational sin is not any prettier than mine.  

Moses and Aaron sensed the gravity of the moment and they threw themselves on their faces at the entrance to the tabernacle to plead for the people.  Then the glory of the LORD appeared to the priests and the LORD told Moses to do two things.  He and Aaron were to assemble the community, and Moses was to speak to the rock before their eyes.

Something must have happened in the white spaces between the instructions and the gathering, because Moses seemed to lose it. He railed angrily against the people "Listen, you rebels, must WE bring water out of this rock for you?" And then he raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff.

THOUGHTS ABOUT STRIKE TWO:
   1.  In spite of Moses and Aaron's disrepect, God generously gave water for the community and their beasts to drink.  "In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them." Nehemiah 9:15
   2   Then God turned to rebuke Moses and Aaron by taking away their privilege to go into the Promised Land.  Did Moses just want to hurt someone (with words) more than he wanted to obey God?  I've been there.  When he and Aaron took credit for the provision, were they just thinking God wouldn't notice?  Did they think God would use the same plan He had used before?  It's no matter.  They had not believed God or trusted Him.  They did not respect the LORD's holiness but were pridefully acting as if THEY were the deliverers.
   3.  Strike one on Horeb's rock had been a picture of the crucifixion of Christ. Now they are to speak to the rock at Kadesh, just as we pray (speak) to our Rock today.  Christ was wounded once for the sin of man; striking the rock twice was as if the first was not sufficient.  That picture was no small thing to get wrong.

These two stories of the wilderness rock are a beautiful picture of Christ in the Old Testament, CONCEALED...while Christ is in the New Testament, REVEALED.

Some think Moses was such a great leader and they wonder at God's harshness to keep him from going into the Promised Land.  Moses WAS a great leader, but he had sin issues just as we have sin issues.  It's not hard for me to relate to his issues with anger and frustration.  But God is in the business of restoration and He will continue to use His servant.  Later, Moses put his feet on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus...and he will return in the Tribulation as one of the two witnesses. Then we will all be in the new Jerusalem.

Moses' story reminds us that our God wants us to follow Him and trust Him and believe Him and obey Him...and He doesn't take sin lightly.

Almighty God wants to be the living water that satisfies our souls.  We take in that water as we read His words.

This grumbler gives thanks for the living water of the Word.