Thought for the week
Rivers of Water
‘And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank’
Numbers 20 : 11
Christ is the smitten rock because His blood has been poured out for sin..
1. The rock was smitten before it gave out the stream. So is it with Christ. He was smitten of God and afflicted. He bore the wrath of God’ and therefore His blood gushed forth and cleanses from all sin. Oh! you that fear to be smitten of God, wash in this blood – if flows from a smitten Rock.
2. The water gushed forth abundantly when Moses smote the rock. It was no scanty stream – it was enough for all the thousands of Israel. So it is with the blood of the Saviour. It is no scanty stream. There are no sins it cannot wash out, there is no sinner beyond its reach, there is enough here for all the thousands of Israel.
3. It was a constant supply. ‘They drank of the spiritual rock which followed them and that rock was Christ’. We are not expressly told in the Old Testament that the waters of the smitten rock did actually follow the camp of Israel, but some learned divines are of the opinion that it was so – that the water continued to flow wherever Israel went; so that it might be said the smitten rock followed them. So it is with Christ. He is a Rock that follows us. He is like rivers of water in a dry place. You may wash and wash again.
