WATER from the ROCK

CHRIST is our ROCK, our sure FOUNDATION (Isa 28:16, Matt16:18, 1Cor 3:11), the Rock of our Salvation (Ps 89:26, 2Sam 22:47). He contains the waters of life and salvation. "They drank of that spiritual ROCK that followed them, and that ROCK was CHRIST" (1Cor 10:3). Derek studies and compares the 2 stories of WATER flowing from the ROCK, showing how together they give us a picture of the Holy Spirit flowing from Christ. The first is in Exodus 17:1-7 at the start of the 40 years, and the 2nd is in Numbers 20:1-13, 40 years later. (1) When Moses STRUCK the ROCK with his Rod ('the Rod of God'), living waters flowed from the Rock (Ex 17:6, Ps 105:40-41, Neh 9:15). The Rock was split in 2 (Isa 48:21). The Rod of God was used for Divine Judgment. Jesus is the Source of life and salvation, which flows to us from His (1) death and (2) resurrection. Before His death He was full of God's life, but it was not available for us. It was only released when He was smitten. The split Rock is a picture of Jesus on the Cross, bearing our sin and smitten by God in our place, struck by the Rod of God's judgment. Then, on the basis of His death, God released the waters of life for us to drink. He paid the price so we could drink fromHis River freely. (2) At the Rock of Kadesh, Moses was told to bring a different Rod, Aaron's priestly Rod that budded (Numbers 17:1-11), that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle (Num 10:8,9). This time he was told to just SPEAK to the ROCK (v8), and thereby he would bring forth water from the Rock, for the people to drink. The Rock this time was a high, elevated Rock. Whereas the first Rock represents Christ on earth judged for our sins, once for all (Heb 9:28), this high Rock represents the risen, exalted, ascended Christ in Heaven (Ps 61:2), who possesses the Spirit on our behalf, and now pours Him out upon all who call on Him. They were to look to this Rock above them to be their Source of living water. Moses was meant to hold up Aaron's Rod, the Rod of the High Priest, a Rod of grace not jud