Look at the Book. The Rock and the Rod

Pray daily for pastors in the Slavic countries (as well as your own) that they will have wisdom and power from God to preach the Word effectually and to care for all of the saints. Pray that the convicting power of the Holy Spirit will accompany the preaching of God’s Word throughout all lands. Ask God to stir up Christians to use their God-given freedom to the fullest advantage in making known everywhere the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

“Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7)

The “Wilderness Wanderings” of the Israelites was determined by God. Their exodus from Egypt to the “Promised Land” could have transpired very quickly (some say fourteen days), yet that transition lasted for forty years.

The Israelites clearly needed to be humbled and proved in order that God may “know” what was in their hearts. Will they “keep His commandments or not” (Deuteronomy 8:2-3)? Each specific location within the “Wilderness Wanderings” reveals the intent of their impulsive reactions.

One such setting was Rephidim. The main characters of this interesting story penned in the book of Exodus include Moses, that great leader and prophet of God’s people; Aaron, the great High Priest; Joshua, the great general and Hur, the great (behind-the-scenes) governor.

After sojourning in the wilderness of Sin and settling in the place called Rephidim, the Israelites realize that no water is available for sustenance. Immediately, they challenge Moses to solve the problem. “Give us water that we may drink” (Exodus 17:2). Instead of praying that the Lord may provide, they provoke Him (and Moses) with their selfish pleas. (How many miracles must God perform before their hearts are persuaded to depend on Him? When will their distrust toward Yahweh disappear?) Their overwhelming “thirst” produces delusional thoughts of even taking the life of Moses. “A little more and they will stone me” (17:4).

Nevertheless, though they “try the patience” of the Lord, He proves His faithfulness by satiating their “desires.” God commands Moses to utilize the “rod” (17:5) of past victories and strike a rock. This visual aid will show His power to the accompanying elders. From the “rock at Horeb” (17:6), the impossible becomes possible. After Moses struck the huge stone with his staff, water flowed freely. God had “passed the test.” The Creator, once again, condescends to His creation in order to calm their conniptions. And the people will remember this episode, for Moses will name the location “Massah” and “Meribah” — God is put to the test, as they quarrel in their quest! Their thirst has been quenched! Moses asks, “Is the Lord among us or not” (17:7)?Miracle upon miracle is demonstrated toward them. Their physical protestations toward the answer to this question must be quenched.

After this astonishing incident of refreshing abundance, Amalek, the persistent enemy of Israel, appears abruptly on the scene and begins to attack the “faint and weary” ones (Deuteronomy 25:17-18).Moses tells Joshua, his trustworthy assistant, to choose men to fight against the Amalekites in Rephidim. Moses, then, goes to the “top of the hill” (Exodus 17:10) with Aaron and Hur to view the battle. While watching the war, Moses lifts the rod of God with both hands above his head. (It is possible that he transferred the rod from hand to hand when tired.) Moses stretched out his staff toward the skies in supplication!

When the rod was held high toward the heavens, Joshua overcame the enemy. But when Moses’ hands grew weary and weighed heavy toward the earth, the Amalekites attacked anew for victory. So, his companions supported him in the conflict. Aaron and Hur found a “stone” (17:12) upon which Moses could sit. He sat with hands lifted high. Then, Aaron and Hur steadied each of his hands in the sky until the setting of the sun. The rod became a channel through which the power of God was conducted toward the conflict. Joshua “overwhelmed” (17:13) the oppressor and reaped the recompense!

Moses then constructs an altar to commemorate the celebration. He names the altar, “Jehovah-nissi” (17:15). Yahweh is my banner — the ultimate Victor! A hand is lifted up against the throne of God, but “the Lord has sworn” (17:16) that it shall never prevail. God will not share His glory with another. Only holy hands lifted in dependence upon Deity will reap reward. “Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension” (1 Timothy 2:8). Victory can only be procured through “persistent” prayer!

The lesson learned from the lives of the Israelites during this event is obvious. Dependence upon God through prayer is absolutely necessary in order to accomplish His will. “May my prayer be counted as incense before Thee; the lifting of my hands as the evening offering” (Psalm 141:2). God delights in answering the “desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). Whether the Christian must endure internal cravings or external conflicts, Christ yearns to assist His children in every circumstance. Guidance is granted only when we recognize that God “will stand” (Exodus 17:6) with us through any trial or testing in order to grant definitive triumph. May we, just like the Israelites, also drink from that “spiritual Rock” (1 Corinthians 10:4) when determining to obey the direction that God desires us to follow!

Rob Zapotoski,
SMS interim Director

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You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Psalm 128:2

Take it or leave it. There is no other alternative. Christianity is not complicated. Either God has spoken or He has not. If He has, that settles it. Either we have salvation through the voluntary sacrifice of Jesus Christ or we have no salvation at all. The Gospel is good news. Take it and be saved, or leave it and be lost. Eternal life or eternal judgment: the choice is yours. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:16, 18).