Split Sea and Rocks
by Eric Engelmann
All content © 2023 Static Force, LLC
When are we?
Around 1000 BC, give or take about 20 years. Near the death of King David. After Moses, the Judges and Samuel. Before Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar and Jesus.
Today’s Unpaid Plug
The version of Scripture I'm using is the Christian Standard Bible. I read parts of it in this podcast.
Where are we?
In Israel, probably in Jerusalem.
Why are we here now?
Asaph, King David's leading musician, is writing about rocks. He'll use an interesting way to talk about how the rock split and how the sea split back in Moses' time.
A Little History
Roughly half a century ago, Moses faithfully did as God commanded during most of his life. Near the end he missed a big step. He was told to speak to a rock to get water. Instead, he hit a rock with a rod as he had earlier in his lifetime. For that reason, Moses wouldn't lead the people across the Jordan.
I believe God wanted Moses to show the similarity between striking a rock with a rod and giving the rock a command. I believe Moses could have shown that God was going to bring spiritual water out of a spiritual rock someday.
Part of the message in the Psalm before today’s passage says that God is faithful, and his works need to be taught to future generations. Some of those works will be splitting both rock and sea.
Scripture
Psalm 78:11-16
Listen for the word "split". Even though the passage talks about sea and rock, the same verb is used. It can be translated, "cleave". The Strong's definition for the Hebrew "baqa" -- number 1234 -- is "generally, to rend,
break,
rip or
open."
Psalm 78 Verse 11
They forgot what he had done,
the wondrous works he had shown them.
12 He worked wonders in the sight of their ancestors
in the land of Egypt, the territory of Zoan.
13 He *split* the sea and brought them across; // pause!
the water stood firm like a wall.
NOTE: Many other versions say "wall" or "heap"
Verse 14 He led them with a cloud by day
and with a fiery light throughout the night.
15 He split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink as abundant as the depths.
16 He brought streams out of the stone
and made water flow down like rivers.
That's the end of the passage
In the future
About a thousand years from now, a man named Simon will live by the sea of Galilee. He’ll grow up hearing about how the Jordan river that flows out of that sea was once stopped. Priests who carried the ark walked across on dry ground near Jericho. And the water piled on top of itself upstream.
The day will come when Simon will see Jesus walk on top of the water toward him and even call him to walk alongside.
Shortly after that, Jesus will label some of his disciples not only servants, but friends. I believe He won’t need a spiritual rod to make life flow from them – they’ll have life the moment He calls them, just like Peter walked on the water once he was called.
About two thousand years after that, the rocks and the sea in the past will carry an important message for our hearts. God will want willing hearts that will listen and obey him. He will still make life flow out of them.
May what God has done in the past – in Christ and before Christ – be known in the future.
All content © 2023 Static Force, LLC