I want to amplify on my KALEO notes from last Sunday. Even as I was preaching, I was struck by the suspension bridge of verses that spans the Bible.
- In Exodus 17, the children of Israel found themselves in a desert place without water. Instead of trusting and praising God by faith, they grumbled. Moses struck the rock, and a river flowed out of it.
- In Psalm 95, the Psalmist began by reminding us God is the Rock that saves us, and he exhorted us to praise Him. The Psalm ends with a stark warning against the attitudes of the Exodus 17 crowd. We should praise God in the desert place rather than grumble.
- In Hebrews 3, the writer warned his readers about falling into discouragement and despondence during times of trouble. He quoted extensively from Psalm 95 about the incident in Exodus 17, then cautioned us against having an “unbelieving heart.”
Hebrews 3 is built on Psalm 95, which is built on Exodus 17. These passages are the three links of a cable that stretches from the front of the Bible to the end of it.
The lesson: Christ is our Rock in a weary land; from Him flow rivers of living water. In desert places, we must not grumble like the Israelites or lose heart like those who had no faith. We must rest in Him and rejoice.