Refreshed from the Rock

Introduction

Tba

Background

Biblical scholars aren’t sure where Rephidim is located. It depends on the identification of Mt. Sinai. Two options include the Wadi Feiran or the Wadi Refayid.[1] What makes this interesting is both of those places were fertile oasis with plenty of springs with water.[2] These streams however where likely dry since they were not year around streams. It is also possible that the Amalekites were blocking the flow of water out of fear of the Israelites bringing so close.[3] They must have heard what was done to Egypt. In either case, the people were being led to another test. Their response would be quite sinful. They put God to the test.

Exposition

Verses 1 - 2: As Israel continues to journey to the mountain of God, led by the LORD, they encounter another place where there is no water. Readers at this point should notice this provides another opportunity for Yahweh to test His people as to whether they will trust and obey Him. This should have been like taking a test while having the answer key handy. They already knew, or should have known, what to do. At this point Yahweh has more than demonstrated that He is the LORD that brought them out of Egypt. He has more than demonstrated His ability to provide for His people. He provided water at Marah. He provided quail one night and continues to provide delicious bread from heaven (hereafter called Manna) for every household. He has blessed them with a period of rest unlike anything they knew in Egypt. There should have been no question as to Yahweh’s ability to provide for His people. Yet Moses tells us the people bring a charge against him, and by extension, Yahweh Himself. This is the meaning of the Hebrew word behind quarrel. They contend he has not done right by them, not understanding they are actually putting God to the test. Yahweh is the leader and they move according to His commands given via Moses. John Calvin wrote: “They ought, at least, to have learnt from the manna, that as often as necessity pressed upon them, they should have humbly implored in prayer and supplication God’s help, in certain hope of relief. But such was their character, that they were hurried by despair into secret murmurings and impetuous cries.”[4] This is dangerous territory. It is continued rebellion and proof they still have growing to do. Israel must learn to look beyond their immediate need to the God who created them. At the moment they are trying to get God to do things their way.[5]

Verses 3 - 4: The people ignore Moses’s warning and continue to cry out. These aren’t cries of faith however. They are cries that again question the goodness and sovereignty of Yahweh in delivering them from Egypt. They are demands that God provide for them what they want when they want it. As with both prior times they insist that coming out of Egypt was going to be their source of death. It’s like everything Yawheh had done up to this point didn’t matter (Ps. 78:40-42). Despite all that the LORD has done they still won’t trust His leading and keeping of them. Ps 105:40 states they asked and He provided for them. Yet know they contend that Yahweh has been unjust and must prove His innocence.[6] This is the arrogance of man, to judge God according to our standards. Their means is of this is lashing out at the messenger. So great is their outcry Moses fears they will kill him. And so he cries out for God to act lest he suffer the people’s wrath. One could argue Moses fails to trust God in this case. He certainty doesn’t honor God the next time this happens and that costs him the promised land.[7] I would argue that his cry, while showing fear, doesn’t reflect disbelief in God’s ability but rather reflect a frustration that the people demand of him something he can’t give.

The reality of service to the LORD is that we will serve as targets of those who hate the LORD of hosts and His demands of them. Since it is impossible for mortal man to actually get to God, they must settle for His servants. Suffice to say service to the LORD requires courage of conviction in the reality of Yahweh and His promises. It requires a willingness to boldly proclaim what thus says the LORD and follow his leading regardless of the circumstances. This is what Moses possessed. Instead of cowering away, he turns to the LORD he knows can help him.

Verses 5 - 6: Again we see the incredible grace of God toward Israel. He doesn’t judge or destroy them. Despite the reality that they still won’t trust, He submits himself to their judgment and will loving meet their need. There are a few new elements here in the text. Moses is told to go into the people and grab some of the leaders of Israel. He is also told to take the staff he used in Egypt when Yahweh was judging that nation. We should not miss the connection. The last time that staff came into contact with water, the water became blood and brought death. Now the same staff shall be the instrument of bringing water and life. What was the difference? Egypt was a nation at enmity with and under judgment from Yahweh. Israel was His redeemed people. There is no question of greater eternal consequence than ‘Are You His?’ Yahweh also declares He will stand before Moses, perhaps a message to the people that Moses is His servant who speaks for Him. ‘I, Yahweh am LORD and provider. You are to look to me for what is needed to live.’ He tells Moses, paraphrasing : ‘Strike the rock and the people will be refreshed.’ Now keep in mind the people are probably wiped from their wilderness wanderings. Their strength is spent and without water they will perish in the desert, away from the promised land and the presence of God. To drink of the water is to live and not die. As it was with Israel, so it was with Christ.

The people lived because they drank of the rock, the means of their restoration. The Father told Moses to strike the rock so that the people wouldn’t At that moment this rock became their hope. I can imagine the people at the end of the caravan trying to push their way through and / or begging for the gathered water to be passed back. That rock was hope. It was what they truly needed. It was something only Yahweh could provide. The rock of Israel is the rock of the believer. That rock is Christ. He was struck for us. He was placed on trial, condemned, and put to death so that we could live. John 19:34 tells us, when was pierced in His side, blood and water came from. The blood satisfying the judgment against us and the water giving new life. Today we are to come to the rock and live. Even in the midst of our grumbling, our rebellion and question, the Father has life for us in the Son. We need take no other steps but to come to the rock to be cleansed and to drink. We will lose our thirst for everything else. One last point.

Moses is instructed to bring and do this before the leaders of the people. They were to be what the disciples were to Christ. That is these elders would spread the word concerning what God has done, provoking the people proper reverential worship. They would see Moses as God’s servant and tell of Yahweh’s great care for His people. Believers in Christ are witnesses to His goodness. Let us also tell what He has done.

Verse 7: All this being said Moses names the place in such a way as to remind his audience of the grievous sin of their fathers. What the people were doing was asking was the LORD there or not? Will Yahweh actually do what He promised? Will He take care of them? The Father, Yahweh who is creator and LORD, has an absolute right to test our willingness to trust and believe in the midst of adversity.[8] The reverse is not true. God is perfect in every way. We aren’t and therefore have no basis to judge a perfect God. Israel was also ignoring the reality that her God was and continues to be faithful to His word. This testing was incredible given the literal cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. They questioned these things because they experienced momentary discomfort. This is a direct challenge to Yahweh’s rule over them. So grievous was this that it would be repeated referred to by Moses and later biblical writers (Deut 6:16; 8:2, 15–16; 9:22; Pss 78:15–16, 20, 56; 95:8–9; and also probably Ps 114:8; Isa 48:21). They will soon regret having this mindset.

Practical Application

I will close with a quote from Matthew Henry: “O the wonderful patience and forbearance of God towards provoking sinners! He loads those with benefits that make him to serve with their sins, maintains those that are at war with him, and reaches out the hand of his bounty to those that lift up the heel against him. Thus he teaches us, if our enemy hunger, to feed him, and if he thirst, as Israel did now, to give him drink, Rom. 12:20; Mt. 5:44, 45. Will he fail those that trust him, when he was so liberal even to those that tempted him?”[9] Saints of God, regardless of what happens in our lives, we have a God that cares. We have a God that leads. We have a God that is Sovereign and knows all things. We have a God that made a way in the wilderness and still does to this day. Let us not doubt or complain. Let us not test God. Let us trust Him and be lead to the Rock that is higher than I (Ps. 61:2). We will always be refreshed and He never fails His people.

Gospel Application

If you don’t know this Rock of Israel, this Rock that is called Christ, I call you to repent and believe. Even as Israel’s only hope of salvation from death was the water from that rock, so our only hope is in Christ alone. With his blood he paid the price for sin. With his resurrection and ascension, he ensures our life. All who would come to Him will be saved. Acknowledge your sin and guilt before God. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that he died for our sin and rose again in the third day. Confess him as Savior and Lord and you will be saved. Behold now is the acceptable hour and day of salvation. Don’t harden your heart. Repent and believe the Gospel on today.

Bibliography

[1] Seely, J. A. H. (1992). Rephidim (Place). In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 5, p. 678). New York: Doubleday.

[2] Mackay, J. L. (2001). Exodus (p. 297). Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Mentor.

[3] Sarna, N. M. (1991). Exodus (p. 93). Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.

[4] Calvin, J., & Bingham, C. W. (2010). Commentaries on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony (Vol. 1, p. 285). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

[5] Stuart, D. K. (2006). Exodus (Vol. 2, p. 389). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[6] Philip Graham Ryken, Exodus: Saved for God's Glory, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 452.

[7] Stuart, D. K. (2006). Exodus (Vol. 2, p. 389). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[8] Ross, A., & Oswalt, J. N. (2008). Cornerstone biblical commentary: Genesis, Exodus (Vol. 1, p. 412). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

[9] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 119). Peabody: Hendrickson.