REVEALED WORD TODAY
// Read Ex. 17:1-7, 1 Cor. 10:1-5 //
Now, at God’s command, the people of Israel left the Sihn Desert, going by easy stages to Rephidim. But upon arrival, there was no water!
2 So once more the people growled and complained to Moses. “Give us water!” they wailed.
“Quiet!” Moses commanded. “Are you trying to test God’s patience with you?”
3 But, tormented by thirst, they cried out, “Why did you ever take us out of Egypt? Why did you bring us here to die, with our children and cattle too?”
4 Then Moses pleaded with Jehovah. “What shall I do? For they are almost ready to stone me.”
5-6 Then Jehovah said to Moses, “Take the elders of Israel with you and lead the people out to Mount Horeb. I will meet you there at the rock. Strike it with your rod[a]—the same one you struck the Nile with—and water will come pouring out, enough for everyone!” Moses did as he was told, and the water gushed out! 7 Moses named the place Massah (meaning “tempting Jehovah to slay us”), and sometimes they referred to it as Meribah (meaning “argument” and “strife!”)—for it was there that the people of Israel argued against God and tempted him to slay them[b] by saying, “Is Jehovah going to take care of us or not?”
1 Cor. 10:1-5
For we must never forget, dear brothers, what happened to our people in the wilderness long ago. God guided them by sending a cloud that moved along ahead of them; and he brought them all safely through the waters of the Red Sea. 2 This might be called their “baptism”—baptized both in sea and cloud!—as followers of Moses—their commitment to him as their leader. 3-4 And by a miracle God sent them food to eat and water to drink[a] there in the desert; they drank the water that Christ gave them.* He was there with them as a mighty Rock of spiritual refreshment. 5 Yet after all this most of them did not obey God, and he destroyed them in the wilderness.
MEDITATION:
Let us compare these two passages especially verse 6 of Ex. 17 and verse 4 of 1 Cor. 10. Christ was the spiritual rock that they drank from. Imagine the extent God can go to make people know who He is. He became a rock for them to have water in the wilderness because they are His people. But with many of them God was not well pleased and were overthrown in the wilderness. Are there not some things God is doing for you so that you can know Him and trust Him? Examine yourself this morning is He pleased with you despite the great sacrifice He is paying on your behalf?
PRAYER: Ask for forgiveness if need be and pray for grace and enablement to be pleasing to God.