The Rock Foundation
In the desert, a rock gave God’s people life-saving water. Later, the rock was a symbol for the LORD God. In the New Testament, the rock is the Lord Jesus.
THE OLD TESTAMENT ERA
INTRODUCTION
As they wandered through the desert, the people of the LORD God were accompanied by a rock. It gave them water.
In one situation, Moses was commanded to strike the rock.
Later, he was commanded to speak the rock. However, Moses disobeyed. Instead, he struck the rock. Due to that single disobedience, Moses was prevented from entering the Promised Land.
In later centuries, the rock was seen as a symbol for the LORD God.
In the New Testament, St. Paul says the rock they drank from was Jesus Christ.
BIBLE VERSES
Exodus 17:6. “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Numbers 20:8. Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it pour out its water. You shall bring water to them out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink.”
Numbers 20:11. Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice, and water came out abundantly. The congregation and their livestock drank.
Numbers 27:14. because in the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, to honor me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)
Deuteronomy 32:18. Of the Rock who became your father, you are unmindful, and have forgotten God who gave you birth.
Psalm 61:2. From the end of the earth, I will call to you, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Psalm 78:15. He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
Psalm 105:41. He opened the rock, and waters gushed out. They ran as a river in the dry places.
Psalm 114:8. who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters.
Isaiah 26:4. Trust in the LORD forever; for in the LORD, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock.
Isaiah 28:16. Therefore the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.
Daniel 2:35. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Zechariah 10:4. From him will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together.
THE INTERTESTAMENTAL ERA
Sirach 4:16. If he trust her, he will inherit her; And his generations will have her in possession.
THE NEW TESTAMENT ERA
INTRODUCTION
In the New Testament era, the rock is the Lord Jesus. Or his teachings.
BIBLE VERSES
Matthew 7:24. “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.
Luke 6:48. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.
1 Corinthians 3:10. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it.
1 Corinthians 10:4. and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
Ephesians 2:20. being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;
1 Peter 2:4. coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
Revelation 18:21. A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all.
THE QUR’AN
Qur’an 2:60. And Moses was seeking water for his people, so We said: “Strike the rock with your staff.” Thus twelve springs exploded out of it; each people then knew from where to drink. “Eat and drink from the provisions of God, and do not roam the earth as corrupters.”
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.