Title: Spring of Water from the Rock/Exodus 17
1. Famine and exhaustion at Rephidim” (1-7)
“There was no water to drink” (1). The people of Israel were faced with an extreme difficulty that would have reached Rephidim. There was no water to drink. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened. When they reached Marah, there was no water to drink (Exodus 15:23). The same problem arose even though they had “did according to the commandments of Jehovah” without restraint. It was for God to test and train His people.
“They quarreled and said… They grumbled and said” (2:3). They also failed this exam. They quarreled with Moses and blamed Moses, which was quarreling with God, blaming God, and testing God. But again, Moses cried out to God and prayed like the last time (Ex 15:25). Here we see the contrast between the Israelites and Moses.
“Take the staff in your hand, and you shall strike the rock” (5:6). God showed grace to the people of Israel who were still ungrateful and grumbling, and taught the law of God's will. Although they quarreled and tried God, they changed the name of the place to Massa or Meribah to remind them of their mistakes, but made them drink living water that springs from the rock (Psalm 105:41). The basis and source of their drinking of living water was the Rock, and the Rock pointed to Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). And it was given through the humble staff of Moses, who obeyed and prayed. Times of hunger may come again and again in the life of our believers. Until you turn to God without complaining. We must receive and drink living water from Christ, who is the Rock.
2. War and victory at Rephidim (8-16)
“Joshua fought, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the mountain” (10:11). Moses shared the responsibility of the war. Joshua and his men went out to fight Amalek, and Moses went up with Aaron and Hur to the top of the mountain to pray to God. The same is true of the spiritual warfare the church fights and the ministry of worship, service, and evangelism that the church carries out in the world. share the responsibility However, the emphasis here is on the ministry of prayer. The victory or defeat of the war depended on earnest prayer. It was a prayer of cooperation between the two of them helping Moses, and it was a prayer of earnest body that Moses offered with his hands up (Psalm 28:2, 1 Tim 2:8). Let us also cooperate, sometimes raising our hands and praying earnestly.
“Called Jehovah Nissi” (15). Victory belongs to God. God continues to hear our prayers, fight and bring us victory.