Cut by the Rock

In a recent blog ‘Speak to the Rock’ I had posted some comments on what has become known as “the incident at Meribah” related in Numbers 20:12-14 where Moses demonstrates by his actions disrespect for Christ in the presence of the children of Israel. When asked by the LORD to “speak to the rock” that it would bring forth its waters he chooses rather to address the people directly in a very self righteous manner and at the same time with a provocative gesture striking the rock twice with his staff.

In so doing Moses seeks to take for himself glory for the provision of the waters that subsequently gushed forth.  I can’t help but think of the words that Jesus Himself would many centuries later speak to the lost sheep of Israel “Whoever honors me honors Him who sent me” and by the same token whoever dishonours Jesus Christ dishonours the Father that sent Him into this world. God was immediately displeased with Moses for his action and as a consequence he is denied the privilege to lead the people of God into the land of promise.

That privilege of crossing the Jordan and claiming the land in fact goes to Joshua, the servant of Moses. The Hebrew name Joshua translates into Greek as Jesus and whatever opinion we may have of the LXX (the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, that would have been in wide circulation in the times of Jesus), the significance of the words from Matthew 1:21 ‘You shall call his name Jesus (Hebrew Joshua) for He shall save his people from their sins” and the parallel with this well known Sinai desert story would not have  been lost on those first century Jews and God fearing Gentiles alike.

The apostle Paul also develops this idea even further writing in the letter to the Corinthians concerning the children of Israel in the desert. Christ was with the Israelites in the desert and He was both the bread (manna) from heaven that fed them and the spiritual rock that followed them quenching their thirst during their journey:

“And drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Cor 10:4)

I came across another reference to this story at the end of Psalm 114 where it is written:

הַהפְכִי הַצוּר אֲגַם־מָיִם חַלָּמִישׁ לְמַעְיְנוֹ־מָיִם׃

 “Who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water” (Psalm 114:8)

This psalm is a celebration of the deliverance of the people of God from Egypt and the signs and wonders that accompanied that deliverance. When reading the passage I was immediately struck by the use of the term ‘hard rock’.  On digging a little deeper I find that the Hebrew word translated as ‘hard’ is חַלָּמִישׁ (pronounced hal-lamish) and has the meaning of a sharp rock, or flint to be more precise.

In the LXX the word has been translated into Greek as ἀκρότομον (pronounced ‘akrotomos’). It’s a word not found in the New Testament but it does occur in a few occasions in the Old Testament in one or two revealing passages. One of which is Joshua 5:2 where God commands Joshua to circumcise the men of Israel. Note that the knives to be used in the act of circumcision were to be made not with metal but with flint (ἀκρότομον)

“At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.”  So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth” (Joshua 5:2)

Circumcision was the sign of the covenant God had made with Israel. To make the process as quick and as painless as possible of course a very sharp instrument was required.

In the early days of the church many of the Jewish believers were still demanding adherence to the ritual of circumcision for the gentiles that had believed in Christ and been converted to the new ‘Way’. Paul however argued against this stating:

“No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code” (Romans 2:29)

The requirement for the believer therefore is still circumcision, but a circumcision of the heart performed by Christ through the Spirit. He is also the means, that sharp rock by which that circumcision is administered. It is unquestionably a painful exercise, and I am speaking here of the separation of the heart from the lusts and desires of this world that compete with God for a place on the throne of our hearts!

The Christ presented in today’s modern liberal society is often presented as a smooth, rounded stone that fits comfortably in the hand or pocket but this is not representative of the Christ found in the scriptures. He is sharp like a flint and when an individual truly encounters Christ it will be an uncomfortable experience with the individual most certainly experiencing the incision of his sharp edge in their life.

However let us not forget that the same sharp rock that cuts the heart in circumcision is the same sharp rock that poured forth pools of refreshing water in the desert place to sustain the children of Israel in their journey to the Promised Land. He is the same spiritual rock and it is the same living water we drink that Jesus Himself speaks of:

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38)

 

“Lord grant us inwardly your grace and endurance as the sharp rock of circumcision cuts into our hearts to separate us from the worldly desires and lusts of this passing age that we with circumcised hearts as a sign of the new covenant may enter your kingdom and become true citizens of heaven worthy to bear Your Name”