Title: I lay a rough rock before you!
Contents
Sunday day sermon
Text: Numbers 20:1-13
Title: I lay a rough rock before you!
In the Bible, the name rock (磐石) appears countless times. If you are a believer, there are probably few people who do not know the meaning of the rock recorded in the Bible. But no one knows exactly what the rock is talking about.
Even if you know the meaning of the rock, you only know the rock as a solid rock, but you do not know the deep meaning of the rock. If men had known the deep meaning of the rock as God intended, they would not have committed the folly of crucifying the Lord of glory.
The rock in the Old Testament sometimes brings despair and hope to the Israelites as they walked toward the land of Canaan. It would have been perfect for giving despair to those who did not believe in God's word and walked through the deserted sandy desert without even giving them a drop of water.
However, for those who believed and followed God's word, it would have served as an even greater hope because they could obtain water like the water of life from a rock that looked insignificant. These same humans are going through the same environment, but do you believe the Word? Depending on whether they believe or not, the trials that come to them make a huge difference indeed.
After all, do they believe in the promises God has made for God to create such a harsh environment before them and let them go there? It's one way to test whether you believe or not. Currently, it is not easy for us to recreate the situation at that time, but what we can only vaguely imagine in our minds is the rocky mountain that we can rely on in the middle of a deserted sandy desert where no grass or trees can be found even if we look around. is going to find
The Arabian region does not have separate mountains and separate fields like Korea does. It is surrounded by a sandy desert, and in the middle of it, sometimes sharp rocks are sticking out of the sand. If it was a rock where 1 to 2 million people could rest at that time, it would have been a very large rocky mountain. There they unpacked and rested for a while.
However, when humans are comfortable, complaints are bound to arise. It is in this context that the people of Israel complained endlessly when they found a place (rock) where they could rest. When it is difficult and difficult, there is no time to complain because the current situation is so painful. However, if you can afford it for a while, you will complain as if it ever happened.
The reason why the people of Israel walked in the sandy winds of the hot desert, prepared a rocky mountain in the middle, and allowed them to rest there for a while, was so that everyone could experience and realize God's grace. After all, this story is a great sketch for sending the coming Jesus Christ to the people of Israel.
However, such benefits only go to those who believe and follow them, and to those who do not believe, such grace becomes a harsh punishment. The reason they keep running forward through the scorching heat of the sandy field, where it is difficult to even tell what's ahead, is in case they can get water to drink.
After such a difficult battle, they visited a rocky mountain with its head sticking out of the sand, but when they arrived there, they fell into despair when they saw an environment in which not even a single grass could grow completely, let alone get water to drink. So they unknowingly start complaining about resentment. This is the same behavior of the unbelievers today.
Today, nothing has changed since then or now. If we dare to find a change, it is simply that we have changed from the physical Israelites to the spiritual Israelites. Another thing that has changed is that at that time, we walked on sandy plains while bumping into each other, but today we are walking on invisible sandy plains.
And at that time, the rocky mountain was spread out in front of us so that we could see it, but today it is not spread out so that it can be seen with the naked eye. And even in those days and today, the rock still acts as a precious being that gives the water of life to those who believe and follow it, and it still acts as a being that brings despair and pain to those who do not believe.
Just as Moses disobeyed the Lord's command and struck the rock twice to bring forth water, he could not enter the land of Canaan and ended his life in the wilderness. If he tried to open the rock door recklessly, he would have to end his life that day.
You must humble yourself as much as possible in front of the rock. Otherwise, the door will not be opened to anyone. However, if you think that you are making a fool of yourself with the rock and try to open the door recklessly because you have used some kind of great battle against the world, the door of the rock will be closed even more firmly. Also, for such people, it will act as a rough rock so that they cannot even see what the inside looks like.
Jesus came to the land of Israel as a rough stone. So, when the people of Israel who lived under the Law saw Jesus and did not believe in Him, it immediately became a sin. So Jesus performed many signs and wonders before their eyes so that they could all see and believe in him. Still, they did not believe it. And he followed Jesus in every case and argued. But we have seen that their words are only ruin in the end. This is a stone of stumbling for them.
Now it is the turn of the spiritual people. The name of the rock (磐石) does not show its power just because someone uses it. Without God's permission, no matter how many thousands and tens of thousands of people use the name of the rock, the name does not show any power. Even if we properly understand the meaning of the rock, if the power of God is not with us, it is just a light apricot.
“Rock” The name will now be used as a precious name for the salvation of spiritual people. To the Jews, Jesus was the name of their salvation, but to the spiritual people, the name of the Rock will save the spiritual people.
But even at the time of Jesus, it is said that there were countless people in Israel who had the name of Jesus. But there was only one Jesus whom God sent. Likewise, there are many today who use the name rock.
But even today there is only one rock that God has sent. We must not confuse the name of the rock, and furthermore, we must not use it in vain.