Life-Giving Water From the Rock!

Have you ever wondered how much water flowed from the rock in the wilderness to quench Israel's thirst?

Remember this story? God poured out his plagues on Egypt and brought his people out by the blood of the Passover Lamb; He parted the Red Sea and brought them safely across; He began to lead them to Mt. Sinai to receive his awesome Law. And on the way, the people were thirsty. No water! So God told Moses:

"Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:6, ESV

Would you hit a rock if God was standing on it? You would if God told you to. This close connection between the rock and God (he was standing on it) has led some interpreters to see this as almost a command for Moses to strike God himself, "with the result that God himself is the source of the life-giving water that flowed from the rock" (ESV Study Bible notes). What a picture of Christ being "hit" for us at the cross, and saving, cleansing water for the thirsty pouring out of his sacrifice! The Apostle Paul even says, "the rock was Jesus" (1 Cor 10:4).

Back to my original question. How much water flowed out of this rock in the wilderness? Exodus does not tell us. We are told only that "Moses did so." Have you always had a mental picture of a little water trickling down, like a water fountain? Or maybe like an overflowing well, where each person could come and hold out a cup to be filled, one at a time?

But this was a multitude of people! Exodus 12:37-38 tells us there were "about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds." Wow! How much water would it have taken to quench the thirst of around 1 million people or more, and give their flocks and herds plenty of water as well? This is a lot of water!

The Psalms shed more light on this:

"He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers." Psalm 78:15-16

"He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river." Psalm 105:41

Praise God! What a supply! What a miraculous, plentiful provision to the covenant people of God. He made a river of life-giving water for his people.

And what a glorious picture of the overflowing, bountiful water of life that flows from the crucified Son of God, Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!

"But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water." John 19:34

"Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.' John 4:13-14

"...Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 'Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" John 7:37

"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." Revelation 22:17

Take a moment right now, and look to Jesus Christ, the Rock who gives living water to all who believe in him! "The river of God is full of water" (Psalm 65:9). There is enough for you. Drink deeply!

God Wants Us to be Generous Givers

God's will for Christians is that we be generous givers.
This is clearly taught in Scripture, and is rooted in the wonderful truth that God himeslf is a generous Giver!

Are you thankful that God is not stingy? Whose air have you been breathing today? God's! (Has he ever mailed you a bill?) Who maintains your sanity (seriously - have you, by an act of your will, done one thing to hold your sanity together? No, God maintains for us our ability to think and reason!)? Who gave you life? Who supplies rain to water the earth and bring forth food? God is a generous Giver!!!
Are you glad that God is not stingy with forgiveness, for those who come to him through Jesus? How many times have you crawled before his throne asking for grace, mercy and forgiveness?

God the Father is a Giver.
He gave his Son:

• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son..." John 3:16
• "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32

He gives the Holy Spirit: "…the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" Rom 5:5

He gives us numerous blessings:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. …Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…" Jam 1:5, 17
He gives victory (1 Cor 15:57). He gives grace (Rom 12:3; 1 Cor 1:4, 3:10; 2 Tim 1:9).
He gives eternal life (John 10:28-29; 1 John 5:11)

God will forever be a giver!
"And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." Rev 21:23

“Close to 90% of uses of didomi (Greek word for “give”) in the NT letters have God as their subject; thus, Christianity is a religion of receiving gifts from God that we cannot earn ourselves.” (Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, p285).

God the Son is a Giver.
He gave himself:

• "...I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20b
• "‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’" Lk 22:19
• "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" Ephesians 5:25 (see also Gal 1:4; Eph 5:2; 1 Tim 2:6; Titus 2:14)

God the Holy Spirit is a Giver.
He gives life: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all..." John 6:63 (see also 2 Cor 3:6b)
He gives us spiritual gifts: 1 Cor 12:8-11

We are to be like God the Giver!
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children." Eph 5:1

Have you thanked God for his generosity today? Have you asked him to do a mighty work of grace in your life to make you a generous giver?

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:8-11, ESV