Who Is On The Rock?

You can learn from what you can't see.

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Transcript

Who’s On The Rock?

by Eric Engelmann

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC

WHEN ARE WE?

During Moses' ministry. We're going to skip between two passages in Exodus, the second book of the Bible. I'll say around 1446 BC, not long after the ten plagues of Egypt.

WHERE ARE WE?

Leaving Egypt, on the way to Mount Sinai.

WHY ARE WE HERE NOW?

We're going to explore a theme. Sometimes the Most High appears on a rock, and sometimes He doesn't. I'd have a difficult time revealing myself to people if I was the Most High. People seem to get things wrong so fast it takes a lot of love to continue working with them.

FIRST SCRIPTURE PASSAGE

EX 17:4-6

4 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”

5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”

And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

That's the end of the passage.

NOTE: I don't think Moses saw the Lord standing on the rock when it was struck. I think that's one of the reasons the Lord told Moses that the Lord would be standing there. If the Lord did appear, I think the Scripture would have said, "The Lord appeared." 

Moses was supposed to whack a rock, symbolizing something, with the Most High standing on the rock and water would come out for the people to drink.

This is the first time Moses gets water out of a rock. This time, he did it right. The second time will be more famous, because he'll get it wrong.

The next passage occurs at Mount Sinai.

Note that in this first passage, the rock was visible, but the Most High probably wasn't.

SECOND SCRIPTURE PASSAGE

Ex 24:9-12

9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw Israel’s God. Under God’s feet there was what looked like a floor of lapis-lazuli tiles, dazzlingly pure like the sky. 

NOTE: This Scripture plainly says "they saw Israel's God." The Most High appeared to them in this instance.

Verse 11 God didn’t harm the Israelite leaders, though they looked at God, and they ate and drank.

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there. I’ll give you the stone tablets with the instructions and the commandments that I’ve written in order to teach them.”

NOTE: I didn't resist including the last verse because it mentions the stone tablets with instructions and commandments for teaching. Notice also the appearing of the Mosth High didn't take the place of the instructions and commandments that were necesssary for the people.

IN THE FUTURE

Some replacement stone tablets will sit in the ark of the testimony inside the tent of meeting. Above them will be a voice that speaks to the High Priest.

FURTHER IN THE FUTURE

In the book of Judges -- the seventh book of the Bible, Gideon will see and talk with the angel of the Lord. Gideon will offer a meat sacrifice on a rock. The angel will disappear, but Gideon will still hear His voice. Reference Judges 6:20-23

FURTHER IN THE FUTURE

The Most High will continue to train people to listen to Him and keep his commands.

The Apostle Paul will write that the Rock that followed the people through the wilderness will represent Christ -- the Messiah.

And followers of Jesus -- the Most High -- will continue to look forward to His appearance.

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