Series: Unsearchable Riches in Christ (Ephesians)

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Series: Christ in the OT Text: Exodus 17 / Numbers 20 Message #3 (June 19, 2016)

WATER FROM THE ROCK Introduction 1. Howard Hendricks wrote, “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.” Have you noticed? 2. As we consider Christ in the OT, we are introduced to a new opportunity to grow our faith as we see Jesus. Today we find God’s people in a desert wilderness without water! That’s a problem in the desert. Did God allow that to happen because He wanted His people to die of thirst? That is essentially what the people were saying (Exodus 17:3). Of course that is not true. They were being tested to show the level of their faith with the opportunity of increasing it. Would they see God in the difficult circumstances of life? 3. Let’s look at two primary passages. They are similar in that both deal with lack of water, complaining people, frustrated leaders and miraculous displays of God’s gracious provision. One occurred early in the desert wanderings – just a few weeks after the people had been delivered from Egypt. The second happened nearly forty years later when it was finally about time to enter the promise land. (This is kind of like those before and after tests that measure first, how much you know, and then later, how much you have learned. The children of Israel didn’t do well on either test)! God continues to test us because He desires that we grow in our faith, whether we are at the beginning of our journey or toward the end. The tests continue. Even after 40 years of God’s unquestionable faithfulness, they didn’t fair well. 4. Let’s read the two accounts so we can see what is happening and then take a closer look to see what we can learn. (Read Exodus 17:1-7 and Numbers 20:1-13) Here is the essence of what I believe these two texts are teaching us. 5. From one end of our Christian experience to the other, the Lord is our ever-present, allsufficient, mighty fortress who continues to test us in order that we might grow in our faith and increase in our obedience toward Him. 6. The Israelites largely failed the tests. The consequences were serious. Let’s consider their failures and learn from them. 1

7. Kids, Is it possible to get water out of a rock? It is when God is involved. What did God tell Moses to do to the rock the first time (hit it with his staff)? What did God tell Moses to do to the rock the second time (speak to the rock)? What happened when Moses hit the rock both times (water came out)? If we “put God to the test” that mostly means that we just don’t what (believe Him)? Paul talked about the rock in the desert in 1 Corinthians. He told us that the rock was actually a picture of whom (Jesus)? I. DOUBTING HIS PRESENCE (Exodus 17:1-7) A. The loss of perspective - As the people walked under the direction of God, they were led to an oasis – but without water. Remember that God led them there and this was God’s test for them. Would they trust Him or would they rebel? Tragically, they attempted to turn things around and charge God with failure. Not seeing God in their circumstances distorted their perspective. 1. Moses – who he was and what he could do – Moses was the leader who had led two million people out of slavery and toward a new life in a promised land. But when the trial came, the people demanded that Moses provide them with water to drink! Moses recognized that they were “putting God to the test.” (They could not see God, but they could see Moses, so he became the focus of their grumbling! And the grumbling turned volatile with accusations of evil intent – “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to kill us” – and threats to remove him from leadership – “They are almost ready to stone me.” (Ryken, All our dissatisfaction shows that we are disappointed with God. To put it another way, all our complaints go straight to the top, where God rules the universe by his sovereign power. Whatever the reason for our discontent, what it really shows is that we are not satisfied with what God has given us. This is a great sin. It is not wrong to take our troubles to God, talking them over with him in prayer. In fact, the Bible encourages us to be honest about our doubts and difficulties. But God does not accept open revolt against his holy will or the refusal to trust in his perfect word). Edward Clowney wrote that the word “quarrel” in effect was saying that the people were putting God on trial. They were suing God for malpractice and charging Moses with treason! 2. God – who He is and why He does what He does – It is not surprising that Moses turned to the Lord in desperation. And we should not be surprising that the Lord heard and answered! Moses was told to take the staff that had been used in Egypt 2

in relation to the plagues and at the Red Sea, to part the waters. He was instructed to strike the rock and promised that water would pour out – enough to satisfy the thirsty multitude. How often we find ourselves in a terrible predicament, crying out to God but assuming that He is nowhere to be found or that He is disinterested in our situation – and yet discovering that He has been there all along! How incredible it must have been for Moses to hear, “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock…” I don’t think the people caught on at all, but Moses finally got it. God is here! Jesus was right there with Moses! Have we doubted God’s presence? Have we been putting Him to the test? God is here! B. The absence of glory (What should have been an incredible acknowledgement of the glory of God with water from a rock, passed with “and water will come out and the people will drink”). 1. Moses struck the rock in the presence of the elders of Israel – they saw it and God answered. The water poured forth. There is every indication that the water was sufficient to supply the thirst of all the people. 2. What seems to be missing is the acknowledgement of the glory of God. When we are in the midst of great trials, God wants us to see His glory. The answer to our dilemma is important, but secondary. The water should have been secondary to worship. The gushing fountain should have directed the eyes of the people to the glory of God. Instead they drank and forgot. I know they missed it because of what is recorded in verse 7 - …they tested the Lord by saying, “is the LORD among us or not?” (Ryken: When all the evidence is considered, the scene at Rephidim is easily recognized as a courtroom. It was more like the People’s Court than the Supreme Court; nevertheless it was a court. The Israelites were instituting legal proceedings. What is significant is not so much the procedure as the attitude behind it. The people wanted to hold God responsible. They were not happy with the way things were going. Instead of trusting that God’s plan was good and gracious, they wanted to bring him to judgment). C. The distortion of testimony (What do we remember when God demonstrates His presence with His power and provision? Instead of the memory being the glory of God, the event was known as the failed test sandwiched between unending grumbling! That is the result of doubting His presence). 3

1. What would you think might be a great name for this wonderful place and event? “The Gracious Oasis”, “The Hard Water Café”, “God’s Geyser”? 2. Instead it was remembered as “Massah and Meribah.” If you have marginal notes in your Bible, you will see that Massah means testing and Meribah means quarreling. When we doubt His presence, even His most incredible demonstrations will be remembered as our foolishness and failure rather than His grace and glory! (Let’s fast-forward nearly four decades to find the Israelites once again in a very difficult situation. They have arrived in Kadesh – a place where they have been before. It was an oasis. Miriam had just died and was buried there. It was a sad time, but overshadowing everything was the fact that there was no water. Once again God is testing His people. God gives tests for the purpose that we might learn and grow and make progress. He never tests for the purpose that we should fail or give up. He sometimes repeats His tests until we get it right! That is where we are, in Numbers 20. They have had almost 4 decades to get it right, to see God. Unfortunately, this is going to look surprisingly similar to what we saw in Exodus 17, but with a twist). In Exodus 17 they doubted God’s presence. Here they are… II. DOUBTING HIS PROVISION (Numbers 20:1-9) A. In terms of where we are in life (“You made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place”). 1. God had been with the children of Israel the entire time. His presence was not only declared but also visible in the cloud and in the pillar of fire. (And remember, those images were really Jesus). By now the children of Israel had received years of daily manna. Their shoes and clothing had not worn out. Though we saw them thirsty in Exodus 17 and now again here, for the most part, through various means, God had supplied all that they needed – no simple task in the desert with so many people. 2. As they evaluated their lives, their conclusion was that it has been a mistake to leave Egypt. Implied here is that they were forced to leave! And compared to Egypt, this place – where God was and where God led and where God supplied – was an evil place! 3. In the midst of current pressures, how much better do we remember the past! Oh, for the good ole days! Throughout your life’s journey, do you have fond memories of the gracious provision of God and do you thank Him for bringing you to where 4

you are now, or do you long for the days when you were in bondage to sin? Are we testing God in terms of where we are right now in life? B. In terms of where we have been in life (“Take the staff…”) 1. I am not surprised that Moses and Aaron left the presence of the people and went to the tent of meeting and fell on their faces before God. I have been there! So has just about every other Christian leader when supposed followers of God are taking shots at us because they are dissatisfied with God! 2. Once again God reminds Moses of His provision. “Take the staff…” The staff had been around for quite a while now. It spoke of God’s presence, but also it communicated His provision. Years before in a similar situation, the staff in the hands of God’s man, was used in the supernatural supply of water for the people. Surely when the people saw the staff again in the hands of Moses, they would respond to the gracious provision of God. C. In terms of what we can expect in life (“tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water”) 1. God does not always supply in the same way. In fact, though God is faithful to supply, He varies His methods so that we will remember that it is about Him and not about the method. 2. The people were to be gathered – God wanted them to see this. Moses, with staff in hand, was to speak to the rock and God promised to answer. God would provide in His way, for His glory. That was the test for the people and for Moses. Let’s keep reading and find out what happened. III. CHALLENGING HIS SUFFICIENCY (Numbers 20:10-13) A. Undermining God’s authority 1. God told Moses to take the staff – check. He told him to gather the people – check. Then God told Moses to speak to the rock… It is not completely clear what happened next or what prompted the verbal eruption, but Moses apparently had enough of the people of Israel! It was a melt down! 2. “Hear now you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” What is wrong with this outburst? I think we know. The people had earlier demanded that Moses give them water to drink, but Moses was totally powerless to do so. Only God could bring water from a rock. Now Moses elevates his own significance and 5

suggests that with a team effort, he and God will pull this off! (We are often quick to say things like, “God plus me is a majority.” Okay, but don’t forget that God without you is still a majority!) The outburst of this meek man is a reminder that we all are human, and can fail in areas of our strengths as well as in our weaknesses. Psalm 106:32-33 is a fascinating commentary on the situation: They angered him at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account, for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke rashly with his lips. B. Disobeying God’s instruction 1. There were probably many reasons for God’s command to Moses to speak to the rock. The Rock was a symbol of Christ and Christ was smitten only once. For Moses to strike the rock again messed up the picture. That’s part of the situation. Paul referred to this matter when he wrote, “And that rock was Christ.” 2. But also true is that God expects us to obey what He says, not just to do whatever we want. With Moses verbal outburst followed by striking the rock twice, made it appear that he was in fact at least partially responsible for the great flow of water. His disobedience brought confusion to the otherwise clear demonstration of the sufficiency of God. Years later Jesus would say about Himself, “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.’” It may well be that Jesus had this situation in mind when He spoke, but the image was clouded because Moses was disobedient. C. Distorting God’s reputation 1. Our actions, as they are observed by others, can challenge the reputation of God. 2. Notice God’s charge to Moses and Aaron – “You did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people…” 3. The people still got their water, but what could have been known as the place of God’s sufficiency became known by the same name as the place where water came out of the rock many years before – Meribah” – the place of quarreling. Conclusion 1. We cannot end a message on water from the rock without turning to 1 Corinthians 10:1-5. Christ was that Rock in the desert. The blessing from that rock was given to the people of Israel – they all drank from that rock, and it was intended as a picture of the 6

living water which would come from the Lord Jesus resutling in eternal life. But most of the people didn’t get it, and God was not pleased. Why? Because they put God to test (v. 9). 2. Their experiences were recorded for us so that we would not do what they did! In Paul’s words, “that we might not desire evil as they did”, and that we might “not put Christ to the test as some of them did” (v. 9), “nor grumble as some of them did…” (v. 10). Paul goes on to say (v. 11) that these things happened “as an example” and that they were “written down for our instruction.” So we must take heed lest we fall into the same sort of temptation and sin that was experienced by the Israelites. Paul ends this section with a declaration, “God is faithful…He will provide a way of escape.” 3. I started the message with this: From one end of our Christian experience to the other, the Lord is our ever-present, all-sufficient, mighty fortress who continues to test us in order that we might grow in our faith and increase in our obedience toward Him. As the ever-present, all-sufficient, mighty fortress, He continues to be at work in us throughout the journey. The tests, which monitor our progress or lack of it, continue. Am I learning and growing or am I throwing those tests back in God’s face? How do I see my life? Is it littered with shattered dreams and gross failures, or is it highlighted with the gracious provision and faithful presence of the Lord? If it is the latter, rejoice and keep your focus on Jesus. If the former is true, it is not too late to start a new pattern. 4. Jesus is the rock of our salvation, the rock from which we are supplied with living water. He is the rock of our foundation, the rock on which we fasten our lives. He is our rock!

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