Christ in all the scriptures The Rock that followed them

 Christ in all the scriptures

The Rock that followed them  Numbers chapters 1-36

"Moreover brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ"-1st Corinthians 10v1-4.

The book of Numbers is the record of the journeyings of the children of Israel, following their release from bondage in Egypt.  A journey that should have taken only eleven days (Deuteronomy 1v2-3) took almost 40 years because they were slow to learn the ways of the Lord.  How true to life that is for most of us, that it takes a long time from our conversion till we commit ourselves fully to the Lord.  The book of Numbers proclaims the patient longsuffering of the Lord.

This fits in perfectly with the Pentateuch teaching of the five books of Moses.  Scripture is most profitable when we study it as a revelation of God Himself, and these first five books have a specific revelation of the character of God.

Genesis the Sovereignty of God; Exodus  the Power of God; Leviticus  the Holiness of God; Numbers  the Patience of God; Deuteronomy  the Love of God. 

Each of these wonderful attributes of God are developed throughout the books.

They journeyed from Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea on the borders of the promised land: at Kadesh-Barnea they were turned back to the wilderness of Paran; from Paran they moved to Moab where they learned so much, and from Moab they entered the promised land.  Numbers chapter 33 makes very interesting reading and details all their journeys before they entered Jericho.  Every move was a massive effort, as the people without a land lived a pilgrim type life.  It is a story of the failure of men and the faithfulness of God.  Over the best part of 40 years they wandered from place to place.  God fed them in wilderness conditions, a company of over 2 million people.  They were never abandoned, though oftentimes they were severely chastised.  The lovely comment of Paul, cited above, that they drank of the Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ!  He was with them all the wilderness journey and supplied their every need.  There is an astonishing statement in Psalm 78v15-16, "He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.  He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers".  Imagine it if you will, all through a wilderness God gushed fresh water from the rock.  Paul applies that to us today spiritually.  What water is to people's bodies, Christ is to our souls, and He follows us all the way.  Spiritually, this world is a wilderness to the Christian today, and only the constant supply from above will satisfy us.  Manna from heaven, and water from the Rock, this is the spiritual diet for all the redeemed who have come through the waters of baptism unto Christ.  He was the Rock that followed them, and He is the Rock that is by us through life.

It is a very touching thing that our Lord, in His incarnation, experienced every aspect of Israel's trials, and the same for us His believing people today.  This aspect is stated in Hebrews 4v15 and 2v17-18, "Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren...for in that He himself suffered being tempted (tested); He was in all points tested like as we are, yet sin apart".  And so we read in Matthew 2v15, He was called out of Egypt.  Matthew quotes from Hosea 11v1, which refers to Israel, but Matthew, through the Holy Spirit, applies it to Christ.  What this means is that all the prophecies concerning Israel are fulfilled in Christ.  In Matthew 4 and Luke 3, He was tested in the wilderness, during 40 days, just as they were tested 40 years.   Israel is a small rejected country, surrounded by many enemies, yet are destined to rule the world of nations.  Likewise Christ is despised and rejected by men, but He will rule the world in righteousness.  He experienced poverty, and hunger, and thirst, and weariness, and sorrow, and rejection, and persecution, all things which are the lot of humanity in this world.  Redeemed Israel murmured against Him, they disobeyed Him, they mocked Him, yet He followed them and supplied them through all their journey.  He was with them at Sinai, at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Paran. in Moab, and on into Jericho and the Promised Land.  This is the story of the book of Numbers, He was the Rock that followed them, and supplied their every need.  To bring them streams of fresh water in the desert, God had to "clave the rock" Psalm 78v15.  This points to Calvary, where Christ was crucified for the life of the world.  Remember it was "in the cleft of the Rock" that Moses beheld the glory of God pass by (Exodus 33v21-23).

Well might we  sing, "Rock of ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee...".

He is our Rock (Psalm 18v2), we can depend on Him.  Can He depend on us??