The Story of Moses, the Man of God

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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“AND THE LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” vv. 5,6.
Moses, dismayed at the cries of the people, was once more to witness the amazing grace of God. Rod in hand, together with the elders of Israel he proceeded to the great rock in Horeb, and, as God instructed him, he smote it. Immediately the water gushed out. “Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed.” Psalms 78:2020Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? (Psalm 78:20). What a sight to see the vast multitude drinking the fresh sparkling water flowing from the smitten rock. But this is more than a wonderful story. God tells us that “they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:44And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4). What a beautiful picture this is of the Lord Jesus smitten of God for us at Calvary. Through the work that He accomplished there, when He bore the full stroke of God’s judgment against sin, we can freely drink the water of life. Our thirsty souls can find perfect satisfaction in Christ, and God can send out the blessed invitation, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:1717And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17).
Before Christ was smitten on the cross, God’s mercies and compassions, His grace and His love, were pent up within Himself. But immediately Jesus died and atonement was made, when the claims of God’s holiness were satisfied, then the floodgates of His heart were opened to pour forth streams of grace and life throughout the world. “The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.” Matthew 27:50,5150Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; (Matthew 27:50‑51). God could now come out in all His grace to man, and man, seen in the believer, could enter boldly into His very presence.
The water that flowed from the smitten Rock tells too of the Holy Spirit as the power of life in the believer, bringing him into the good of the work of Christ. It satisfies his thirst and then flows back up to God in worship; even as the Lord told the woman at Sychar’s well: “whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:1414But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14). It is also the power in testimony according to the Lord’s own words: “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me ... out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive.)” John 7:37-3937In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37‑39).
It was the people’s sin that led to the smiting of the rock. “And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah.” These names would ever be a memorial of their sin, and of the display of God’s power and grace that met it.
ML-11/09/1969