Exodus 17:4-7

Thou shalt smite the rock.

Horeb; or, great mercies from unlikely sources

I. The secular department of human history will furnish abundant illustrations of this principle.

1. Does intelligence conduce to this end? Undoubtedly knowledge tends to make men secularly happy. How often, then, do you find streams of intelligence gushing from the most unlikely sources. Demosthenes was a stammerer; Homer and Milton were blind; Shakespeare was the son of a butcher.

2. Do philanthropic institutions conduce to the secular well-being of man? Unquestionably. If you look to the origin of temperance societies, asylums, provident associations, etc., you will find they have generally sprung from the most unlikely sources.

3. Does political liberty conduce to the secular well-being of man? Undoubtedly. It, too, has come mostly from unlikely sources--Moses, Luther, etc.

II. The spiritual department of human history will furnish still greater illustrations of this principle.

1. See it exemplified in the spiritual Deliverer of the race. Babe in manger; Son of carpenter; Man of sorrows, etc.; malefactor on cross. “This rock,” says St. Paul, “is Christ”--is like Christ. How?

(1) In the value of the blessings which emanate therefrom.

(a) Most needed.

(b) Most adequate.

(2) In the method employed to secure the blessing. Rock smitten.

(3) In the fact under notice, the unlikelihood of the source.

2. See it exemplified in the first preachers of the gospel. Poor fishermen, etc.

3. See it exemplified in the missionary enterprise. Carey, the shoemaker; Williams, the blacksmith; Moffat, the gardener, etc.

Conclusion: This subject suggests--

1. Good ground for trusting God in the greatest difficulty.

2. To remove all ground for glorying in your usefulness. God could make the meanest creatures do all and more than you can accomplish. (Homilist.)

Crying unto the Lord for help

Hiacoomes, an early Indian convert, was a remarkable man. Two years after his conversion (1743), having in the meantime been prepared by Mr. Mayhew, he commented teaching to the Indians the things of Christianity. He was not suffered to proceed without opposition from the Paw-Waws, Sachems, and other Indians; but he made this improvement of the injustice done him. “I had,” he remarked, “one hand for injuries and another hand for God; while I received wrong with the one, I laid the faster hold on God with the other.” These words should be written in gold. (New York Independent.)

The needful things of life providentially supplied

I. That men are sometimes brought into great straits through lack of the ordinary things of life. “And there was no water for the people to drink.” Thus the Israelites lacked water. They had lacked bread only a few days previously.

1. It is not the lot of man to be long free from trial of some kind. Trials come successively. Job, Joseph, David. They are diversified according to the station in which our tent is fixed. Every sphere of life has something of perplexity connected with it, which tests our moral nature and brings the mercy of God near to us. We must learn both how to want and how to abound, to be sorrowful and yet always rejoicing.

2. Thus by the varied trials of life man is made to feel that earth cannot give him abiding satisfaction, and he is led to anticipate the rest of heaven. There the wilderness is unknown, and hunger and thirst are not experienced. The Lamb feeds them. They drink of the River of the Water of Life.

3. But we see from this narrative that each occasion of want on the part of Israel was signalized by a rich manifestation of the mercy of God. Their hunger was met by the manna. Their thirst was met by the streams of Horeb. The hour of man’s need is often the hour of God’s richest gift and blessing.

II. That when men are brought into great straits through lack of the ordinary things of life, they often appeal to human agencies rather than to divine. “Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink.” How foolish, for did not he suffer from the same calamity? nor was it in his power to create fountains. How cruel, for was not he seeking their freedom? How fickle the approbation of men, it varies with the circumstances of life. People often go to the human in trouble when they ought to go to the Divine.

III. That when men are brought into straits through the lack of things they very much need, they often get them in the providence of God from the most unlikely sources. “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” Thus we see that God did not flash immediate judgment upon these rebellious people. He is long-suffering toward the race. We must learn to be patient with those who injure us. God has regard to human need, and evil in men will not turn Him away from His promise, None need despair of His mercy. When the people chide, the minister should pray. Our heavenly Father is never absent from the good; goodness and mercy follow them all their days.

IV. That when men are brought into straits, the way in which they act therein will leave irreparable memorials of sin or victory. “And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel,” etc. Let us not leave behind in our life memorials of strife and unbelief, but of faith and good works. Such memorials are abiding; once erected, they cannot be removed; hence the need that they should be worthy. Lessons:

1. That man is frequently called upon in this life to endure great physical need.

2. That the physical needs of life often reveal our real and inner character.

3. That the physical needs of life are no indication that God has failed us.

4. That the physical needs of life give us a great insight into the wealth and method of the Divine mercy. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The smitten rock

I. The rock a type of Christ.

1. Its situation. In midst of wilderness.

2. Its stability (Isaiah 28:16).

3. Its durability. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

II. Moses striking the rock. An act of violence required. When man is to be saved, the rod of Divine wrath strikes the Saviour, and “the rock” pours forth streams of everlasting salvation.

III. The purpose of the miracle. (I. Saunders.)

Water out of the rock, a type of Christ

I. As a rock it elegantly typed out Jesus Christ, fitly compared to a rock in five resemblances.

1. For the despicable appearance. The rock is in appearance dry and barren, the most unlikely thing in all the world to afford water, so as it was incredible to Moses and Aaron themselves to fetch water out of a rock. Even so Jesus Christ was (for outward form and appearance in the world) most unlikely of all men to afford any such waters of grace and salvation (Isaiah 53:2).

2. A Rock for exaltation and advancement. A rock is a promontory lifted up above the earth. Such a Rock was Christ advanced above the earth, yea, and the heavens; advanced above all men and creatures--

(1) In holiness and purity.

(2) In power and authority.

(3) In place and dignity(John 3:31).

3. A Rock for firmness and stability. He is the strength of Israel (Matthew 16:18). Hence He is a rock of defence and safety to His chosen; and every wise man builds his house on this Rock.

4. A Rock of scandal and offence to wicked men (Romans 9:32).

5. A Rock for weight and danger and unavoidable judgment upon His adversaries, which, “on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matthew 21:44).

II. It was a type of Christ, as it sent out water in abundance to the people of Israel ready to perish for thirst. For so Jesus Christ is the only Rock that sends from Himself all the sweet waters of life for the salvation of His elect, otherwise ready to perish eternally. For explanation whereof, mark--

1. As from that rock issued waters to wash and cleanse themselves and their garments, so from this Rock stream waters of ablution or washing, which serve to wash away both the guilt of sin and stain of sin.

2. As from that rook issued waters to cool and comfort Israel in their weariness and wanderings, so from Jesus Christ do issue the waters of refrigeration and comfort, to cool and refresh the dry and thirsty soul; to allay the heat of a raging and accusing conscience, and to revive with new strength the fainting soul in temptation or persecution.

3. As from that rock streamed abundance of waters to make fruitful that barren wilderness wheresoever they ran, so only from the true Rock issue plentiful waters of grace to make our dry and barren hearts fruitful in all works of righteousness (Isaiah 44:3).

III. In the manner of attaining this water are many sweet resemblances.

1. The people might ask Moses for water, but Moses cannot give it. It is God must give it, and miraculously fetch it out of a rock.

2. The rock gives water, but not till it be smitten (verse 6).

3. It was the rod in Moses’ hand that smites and breaks the rock. Even so it was the Law given by Moses’ hand and our transgression against it that breaks the true Rock (Isaiah 53:5; Galatians 3:13).

4. The rock was smitten, but it was not so much the striking on the rock, but the Lord’s standing upon it that gets water for Israel (verse 6). There was no virtue in the stroke, but all depended on God’s commandment and presence; even so it is not the death of Christ, nor an abundance of price and merit of His blood, nor the striking on this rock before men’s eyes in the ministry of the Word and sacraments that can bring one drop of true water of comfort, but by the presence and word of God’s blessing. The efficacy of grace depends not on any means or work wrought, but it is God’s word and presence that doth all in them. (T. Taylor, D. D.)

Help from an unlikely source

The manna was simply sent from heaven, but the water, on the contrary, was brought out of the smitten rock--the most unlikely place that could be imagined. Some men went about collecting funds for an important charity. They arrived in course of time at a very rich man’s door who was known to be churlish in his manner and niggardly in his gifts; whereupon they said that there was no need to call on him, “he is not likely to give.” However, they entered, and laid their case before him, and to their surprise he at once responded by giving them the largest donation they had yet received. Rephidim-Rock was a most unlikely place from which to receive supplies of water.