Jesus, the Stricken Rock
Numbers 20
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Surely, He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:4
Are you amazed when you encounter Jesus in the Old Testament? We should expect to find Him there. He has always been with God.
Today we will find a foreshadowing of Christ in the Valley of Zin.
The Hebrew people have marked their final year of wandering in the wilderness. You can read about God’s judgment on the people which was caused by rebellion against God. Numbers 14.
This new generation of Hebrews is ready to leave the wilderness behind. But once again we find complainers among them.
The harsh environment of the Valley of Zin leads the people to complain against Moses and Aaron. The terrain was rocky and dry. The people feared they would die without water. The people asked what seems like a logical question. But the question reveals their rebellious hearts, and lack of faith.
“…why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place…” (Numbers 20:2-5)
If you are familiar with the history of the Hebrews, then you know, they have already seen God’s miraculous intervention to save them. How could they even want to return to their Egyptian taskmasters? Many times, God had not only saved them from their enemies, but He had provided for all of their physical needs.
Needless to say, the complaining has become wearisome to Moses.
So, Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “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; thus, you shall bring water for them out of the rock and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”
Numbers 20:6-8
Moses expressed sinful anger, pride and his own lack of faith in God.
“Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
Numbers 20:10-11
Did you catch the little pronoun, “we”? God is always the provider of miracles. He didn’t need Moses. He chose Him. In spite of Moses’ sin, God brought forth His water from that rock. And when He did, He gave us all a foreshadowing of the work of Christ.
But pride and anger were not the only offenses committed by Moses. By striking the rock twice, Moses obscured a crucial part of the plan of salvation. Jesus would only be stricken once for all time.
Of course, no man can hinder God’s plan. But Moses sinful striking of the rock altered the intended image of God’s story in that moment. The picture of Christ be stricken, once for all, looked different. God’s plan had not changed.
For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Romans 6:10
The Old and New Testaments are beautifully intertwined and are a constant reminder that the same Living Water, foreshadowed so long ago in the wilderness, is for everyone who will ever believe.
“…and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”
1 Corinthians 10:4
There are other reminders of the Water from the Rock throughout the New Testament. Take the time to study these meaningful passages. Two examples will be familiar to you.
John 7:37 & 38 and John 4:13-14.
The fulfillment of all of these scriptures resolved at Calvary.
One last time, a rock was pierced. Our Rock. Jesus. What flowed from His side was life-giving water and purifying blood.
But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
John 19:34
Now, I am going to leave you with one more passage to explore. Exodus 17
In this story, God does tell Moses to strike a rock while the people were encamped in the wilderness. This was shortly after they had left Egypt. On this day, Moses kept the faith and did not sin. As always, this story points to Jesus.
Share the Good News in your world!
Isaiah 52:7
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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