Have you spoken to Christ, the Rock, lately in seeking His blessing? The water will gush out!
Time passes. In this account of the wilderness wanderings, we have few details, found elsewhere in Scripture. But when Numbers 20 opens, we find the children of Israel have just about completed their 38 years (after two years parked at Sinai), and almost the whole generation that came out of Egypt as adults have their burial sites in the desert. So we read, “Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh” (Num 20:1). Back to Kadesh! They had been so close to the Promised Land the first time they pitched there (13:26). “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (Heb 3:19). The chapter begins with the death of Moses’ big sister, Miriam (Num 20:1), and ends with the death of his brother, Aaron, the high priest (vv 23-29). There, solemnly, “Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son” (v 28), an eloquent reminder of the limitations of the Jewish priesthood. How different our Savior’s priesthood! “There were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood” (Heb 7:23-24). But just before Aaron dies, once again the people complain about the lack of water. If only we would change our complaints to prayers! Anyway, the Lord commanded Moses, “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water” (Num 20:8). But no, in anger Moses struck the rock and ruined a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus. Don’t smite it, Moses! That had to be done just once (Ex 17:6). Now we just speak to Christ the Rock to receive His blessings.