Rock of Mercy

Context

Journey of Faith. Right now we are hearing highlights from the book of Exodus.

The Israelites are being led through the wilderness by Moses to the Promised Land of Canaan. Along the way, they are learning lessons about God and what it means to be his people.

Their experiences have much to teach us about our relationship with God as Jesus Christ leads us on a journey through this life to the promised glory of heaven.

In today’s lesson the people arrive at their next campsite: the wilderness of Rephidim.

Text

Exodus 17:1–7 “From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?””

Introduction

Exegesis

The people arrived at the campsite at Rephidim after a long day’s march.

Men, women, children, infants, animals,

All thirsty.

They were quite naturally expecting water.

But there is none.

None — in the middle of wilderness, no water.

Prospect of death by dehydration. Which can set in in only a couple of days.

Hence the complaint — we are going to die!

More than just a complaint:

quarreled. grumbled.

I once went on a multiple day hike in the San Ynez mountains. We had been in the wilderness for a few days. Guide said next stop is a campsite. Water and shelter. (in my mind: shower, AC) actually only a pipe in the ground and a spickett to fill our canteents. And some lean-tos. We complained and were angry. That was far from life threatning. The people in this story are in real danger — as are their wives and children — and the people are about to take it all out on Moses!

Moses tries to call them to have faith:

Why are quarreling with me? God is leading us

Why do you test the Lord? When you complained about hunger he gave you manna, he can give water now.

But the more he tried to reason with them, the more agitated they became to the point that They became even murderous: as Moses says to God: they are about to stone me! Pick up stones hurl them at someone until they are dead.

God hears Moses prayer and sess the hostility of the people and responds.

The LORD does more than just give water. He reveals a deep spiritual truth about himself.

God could have provided water for his people in very simple ways:

make it rain. Put out pots and plates.

bubble up from the ground

miraculous well to draw from

Not what he does. Instead he stages an ritualist gesture.

The LORD commands Moses to lead the elders of the people out of the camp.

we are going to deal with this, but not here. Take this fight outside. On my terms.

Tells Moses go to the rock on Mt. Horeb.

Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God, where God appeared to Moses in the burning bush.

The Rock, not “a” rock. The Rock, a known location. A rock face, known to be sacred.

The LORD tells Moses, I will be standing there.

So, Moses takes the elders and goes to the location.

They behold God at the Rock.

To the Israelite mind, anything God touches becomes holy. It becomes an extension of the divine himself.

Moses learned this when he was at the burning bush years before. God said, take off your sandals, for you are standing holy ground.

The Rock therefore is holy.

Then Moses carries out God’s command —

— to the shock and terror of the elders, He takes his staff and strikes the rock. Moses hits God.

For an instant the elders probably cowered back. expecting Moses to be consumed with fire or for all of them to be struck with plague or death.

But that is not what happened at all. Moses is not destroyed. The people are not stricken with plague.

Instead, abundant water pours forth.

From the rock a torrent of water gushes for thousands of people.

Example of a fire hydrant.

God has just given his people a visual representation of what is happening spiritually.

When the people are threatening to stone Moses the servant of God: they are lashing out violently against God himself.

God tells Moses to strike the Rock so that they people can see that on a spiritual level they are striking God.

And God provides water from the rock that is struck to show that he does not respond to his people in kind. Instead of death, he offers life.

God absorbs the violence of his people, and offers in return refreshment.

The people thought they were going to die of thirst. They thought they might die of divine judgment.

Instead God gives them life.

Psalm 103:10 “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.”

Interpretation

This event became a touchstone to the people of God throughout their history in the Scriptures.

Psalm 81:7 “In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.”

Psalm 95:8 “Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,”

The lesson of the Rock remained with God’s people, or as Jewish tradition phrased it: the “rock” followed them.

The Rock caused to muse on a dual truth:

All sin against God is a form of hostility toward God. Like striking him!

Yet God has abundant mercy on his people.

This incident has great relevance to us today as Christians.

St. Paul, the Jewish Pharisee turned Christian, knowing this tradition, writes

1 Corinthians 10:4 “God’s people drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.”

In other words, the Old Testament Rock of Waters, was a prophecy of Christ.

When we read the gospel story, we see that indeed Jesus Christ fulfills what was pre-figured when Moses struck the rock at Horeb.

In the days of Jesus, the people were thirsty for God. But they did not recognize Jesus as God among them. They resented his calls to faith. Instead they threatened him with violence.

Just as Moses led the elders out of the camp, so Jesus was led out of the city of Jerusalem.

There at Golgotha, Skull Rock, Jesus was crucified. He was violently struck. The rod that struck him was the cross.

As the Son of God hung on the cross, the skies darkened, the earth quaked. The elders of Israel thought the judgment of God was upon them…

…but that is not what happened. Instead, from the wounded side of Jesus flowed blood and water. Blood to forgive sin and water to offer new life.

In this visual way, God shows all of humanity an invisible spiritual reality.

Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.”

In Christ, we see that God deals with humanity, not as our sins deserve, but with great mercy.

Jesus is the New Rock. The Rock of Mercy.

Because God raised Jesus from the dead, he is the source of life to all who place their faith in him.

Even now, today, he says:

John 4:14 …The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.””

John 7:37–38 “…“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. ””

Jesus’ mercy is the abundant mercy of God.

Just as the Israelites, thousands though they were, received water in abundance, so also the whole whole world receives life from Jesus.

like a spiritual fire hydrant, gushing for all who desire it.

Application

We don’t like to think of ourselves as prone to anger and violence.

Often, most of us, keep that side of ourselves in check.

We try to avoid, acting out in public:

Yelling

Arguing, profanity,

Getting in a fight, striking someone.

On a spiritual level, however, we act out all too often: When we sin, we are slapping God in the face.

You are not with me; I am not with you.

we are contributing our own strikes against Jesus while he is on the cross.

If we are honest, we have probably known the fear that accompanies sin:

God will abandon us.

God is going to strike us back.

But that is not what happens!

Example: In February 2007, a drunk and vodka-impaired teen driver traveling at 60 mph slammed into the vehicle carrying Chris Williams, his wife Michelle, and four of their children. The violent impact killed Michelle (who was pregnant with their fifth child), their 11-year-old son Benjamin, and their 9-year-old daughter Anna. While still lying in a neck brace on a gurney at the hospital shortly after the accident, Williams asked how the young driver was doing. Grounded in his Christian faith, Williams publicly and unconditionally forgave the driver, stating, "Whoever has done this to us, I forgive them. I don't care what the circumstances were, I forgive them." About a year later, Williams met face-to-face with the driver, Cameron, offering forgiveness and encouraging him to let go of the past and move forward with his life.

In Christ, God does not retaliate against us for our sins. He does not strike back. Or hate us or hurt us in any way. He forgives and floods with mercy and life.

We CAN be recognize our sins as sins and repent them BECAUSE Jesus has already offered mercy for them.

Jesus has already been struck and

already let the blood and water flow and

already been raised to new life for us.

As he himself said: It is finished!

Waters of life flow in a torrent:

Strong enough for pride, for violence, for lying and dishonesty, for greed, for lust and gluttony, and for any and all sin.

So do not shrink back.

Come to Christ. Come to the Rock of Mercy.

The Rock of Mercy is immovable and available.

Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. Let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.

Conclusion

Sinners prayer. I have sinned. I have lashed out against you. I have struck you. Reveal to me that I have done this. And forgive me in Christ. Grant me new life. Wash me again with the water of Christ, the water of baptism.

Wash me clean and save me from wrath. Give me instead life.