Jesus is the Rock that Gives the Water of Life
Paul makes the connection back to Exodus.
The children of Israel were so thirsty they were almost ready to kill Moses (Exodus 17:1-4).
Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.” So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?” And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”
The LORD told Moses to take some of the elders of the people with him to the rock in Horeb. The LORD would stand before Moses, and when he struck the rock, water would come out so the people could drink (Exodus 17:5-6).
Moses gave the place an ominous name - Massah and Meribah - because the children of Israel tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7). Jesus referred back to this when He responded to the devil, “You shall not tempt the LORD your God” (Matthew 4:7; Deuteronomy 6:16).
In reference to this event, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:4 that the “Rock was Christ.” Jesus gives “living water” (John 4:10). Jesus gives water that becomes “a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). The Spirit and the bride of Christ invite all who are thirsty to drink the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17).
When we share the Gospel of Christ with others, we are offering thirsty people a drink. Sometimes we may not see the results we wanted, but let’s be careful not to test the LORD by saying, “Well God, where are the results? Aren’t you with us?” To behave in this way is to behave like the devil.
Takeaways
Just as water is necessary to physical life, spiritual water is required for spiritual life. The spiritual water that we all need for spiritual life only comes from Jesus Christ.
The behavior of the children of Israel in Exodus 17 is just like the devil in Matthew 4. The children of Israel were acting like the devil, and yet, the LORD mercifully provides the water that they need. God demonstrated His grace and mercy even during the Old Testament - for He has always been gracious and merciful.