“Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel” (Exodus 17:6).
TEXT — Exodus 17:1-7
Message
There is a clear difference between miracles and magic. According to David Weddle, “Unlike magic, miracles are acts of transcendent power that cannot be controlled by ingenuity or guaranteed by technique or technology; neither can miracles be provoked by human piety or need. They can only be received as divine gifts with astonishment and gratitude.” This is the scenario that played out when God provided water from the rock for the Israelites in the wilderness.
The children of Israel had been delivered from Egyptian slavery, crossed the Red Sea, had water purified for them and were provided with Manna. But they were now faced with lack of water. In their characteristic nature, they murmured against Moses, even accusing him of wanting to kill them. They had forgotten the recent miracles of God. In response to their complaints, God directed Moses to strike the rock in Horeb and bring out water from it for the people to drink. Christ was the Rock and Water of life (1 Corinthians 10:4).
For true believers in God, crisis moments bring divine encounters. When limits constrain us in the natural, God’s omnipotence meets us supernaturally. He often provides for His people from unexpected quarters; therefore, we must avoid forgetting His manifold blessings and resorting to complaints.
Those who think they can get God’s attention through complaints will end up with nothing valuable. Saved from sin, we must desire a consistent walk with Christ to the Promised Land. We must also trust Him to provide for all our needs. We can continue to enjoy the Rock’s freshness and life-giving flow throughout our pilgrimage if we are willing and obedient.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
Lord Jesus thank you for the miracle