Rock of Ages |
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Brother Royce Ellis |
First Corinthians 10 tells us that Christ was the Rock that
followed the Jews throughout the wilderness as they fled
Egypt’s bondage.
Although not named in the Old Testament, Paul makes it clear
that when the Israelites were disobedient in the desert, it
was Christ whom they tempted. (1 Co 10). God had before
told them He would have a presence among them. Exodus
23:20-21 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee
in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have
prepared. :21 Beware of him, and obey his voice,
provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions:
for my name is in him.
The theme of Christ as a Rock, or more importantly, the
Rock, runs throughout scripture. We are familiar with the
story of Moses smiting the rock to bring forth water.
Christ was represented by that Rock, and Moses was prevented
from entering the Promised Land for striking it the second
time, when he had been instructed to ‘speak to the rock.’
(Num 20:8)
Jacob rested his head on stones and dreamed of a ladder with
angels ascending and descending. (Gen 28:12-18 ) He made
the rock into an altar and memorial.
In Judges 13, after a visit and follow up from an angel,
Manoah and his barren wife were instructed in the manner in
which they were to raise their future son, Samson. The angel
foretold the coming child. Although Manoah didn’t realize
he was speaking with an angel, he implored the messenger to
break bread with them.
Jdg 13:16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah,
Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if
thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto
the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the
LORD. :17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the
LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass
we may do thee honour? :18 And the angel of the LORD
said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it
is secret? :19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat
offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the
angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. :20 For
it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from
off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the
flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it,
and fell on their faces to the ground.
Manoah desired to name the future child after the visitor,
but the Angel prevented it. We would not be out of line
suggesting this angel is a theophany, an Old Testament
appearance of Christ. Manoah is given a preview of the
bodily sacrifice Christ would make under the fiery judgment,
on this altar, going up to God as a sweet savor for his
people. Surely this is a foretelling of his offering to God
in Hebrews 10.14. While Manoah sacrificed a kid goat,
Christ stood on this rock as a lamb slain. We see this rock
again in 1 Samuel chapter 6 as the Ark of the Covenant
returns from the Philistines.
The Lord delivered the Ark to Joshua’s field, where it was
placed on the altar made by Manoah. It even came with two
milchkine for a fresh sacrifice. The Ark is placed upon the
same rock altar, upon which the angel ascended in fire.
Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his
ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just
and right is he.
Deu 32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art
waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with
fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly
esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
Deu 32:18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful,
and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
2Sa 22:32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a
rock, save our God?
2Sa 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake
to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the
fear of God.
Psa 95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a
joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
In the New Testament, Jesus instructs a wise man to build
his house upon a rock. He did likewise. The first time the
word church is used in the gospel, Jesus speaks of himself
as a rock. (Mat 16:18)
From his earthly birth, we find the Rock upon another rock.
Five miles from the Temple in the little town of Bethlehem,
there is a building called the Tower of the Fold. It was
near there that the Levitical shepherds tended the sheep and
the flock. In the fall of the year, not yet the birthing
time for lambs, they were in the field when they received an
angelic announcement.
When lambs were born of this flock, they were immediately
wrapped to protect them from trashing about and harming
themselves before they could be inspected by the temple
priests to ensure there is no spot of blemish on them,
making them suitable for Passover sacrifice. They are
swaddled and placed in a small bowl rock manger to keep them
safe immediately after being born. When the shepherds heard
the good tidings in Luke 2 they understood exactly what the
sign they were given was, and where to find the new King.
Only one manger fits that description. Linguists say the
article “a” was used by the King James translators, to
smooth the flow of the reading, but the article “the” was
more likely and more accurate.
Luk 2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find
the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a [the]
manger.
Luk 23:52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body
of Jesus.53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in
linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone,
wherein never man before was laid.
At his death, He was taken from the cross and laid on a
stone (wherein no man was ever laid) and is again swaddled,
a perfect lamb that will present Himself to the Father,
spotless, as He becomes our high priest forever.
Jhn 20:11But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping:
and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the
sepulchre, :12 And seeth two angels in white sitting,
the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the
body of Jesus had lain.
Compare this to description of the most holy place: Exo
37:8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another
cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat
made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
On this rock, where his body lay three days and three nights
we are left with a final picture of the true mercy seat,
with the sprinkling of redeeming blood.
In Genesis, Jacob forecasts the futures of the twelve tribes
of Israel as he blesses his sons, and says of Joseph - a
figure of Christ: Gen 49:24 But his bow abode in
strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the
hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the
shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Christ our rock came into this world as a spotless lamb,
swaddled and placed on a rock, destined to be a shepherd.
He led His people and died under God’s fiery judgment which
should have been on us. He was again swaddled and placed on
a rock, the mercy seat, as a spotless sacrifice, who became
the High priest that today intercedes for us.
Peter, in speaking of Jesus says: To
whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of
men, but chosen of God, and precious, 1Pe 2:4-8. |