Exodus chapter 17 supplies another glimpse of Jesus and the future foundation He would provide for all men. In this chapter, we find Moses and the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. They are weary, tired, and above all else, thirsty. While the people grumbled and complained, Moses sought the face of God for direction.
In Exodus 17:6 God replies "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink."
Allegory is one of several methods that New Testament writers used to interpret the Old Testament. An allegorical interpretation acknowledges that in addition to the literal meaning of a passage, it also holds another, deeper meaning.
1 Corinthians 10:4 refers to the Israelites in their wanderings and reads "and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; the rock was Christ." In this verse, Paul allegorizes the accounts of God giving Israel manna and water from a rock during their time in the wilderness. Paul asserts that Christ was that rock which provided Israel with water in the wilderness.
Not only was Christ the rock provided for the peoples of Israel, He serves as our spiritual foundation. From Him flow spiritual food and drink. Jesus is a spiritual rock which we can stand upon. During times of unrest and confusion, stand firmly on the solid ground He provides. If you remain close to His side, your steps will be established and He will keep you from all harm.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment