STRIKE THE ROCK / EXODUS 17:6

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Exodus 17:6

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Strike the Rock: Finding Living Water in Desert Seasons

We have all found ourselves in dry places. Desert seasons—where resources feel scarce, anxiety runs high, and our patience wears thin—are an inevitable part of the human journey.

In Exodus 17:6, the Israelites found themselves in exactly such a place. Parched and complaining in the wilderness of Rephidim, they cried out for water. God responded to Moses with a profound instruction: “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.”

Moses struck the stone, and a miraculous, life-giving stream gushed out into the dry sand. But this moment was much more than a historical miracle to quench physical thirst. It was a vivid, prophetic picture of a promise meant for you and me today.

The Rock is Christ

When we read the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament, incredible layers of truth begin to unfold. In 1 Corinthians 10:4, the Apostle Paul explicitly reveals the deeper meaning of this wilderness miracle, stating that the Israelites “drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”

Christ was the ultimate source of Israel’s blessings and provision, standing hidden in plain sight within their journey. Just as the rock in the desert had to be struck to release its hidden treasure, Jesus Christ was struck by death on the cross for our sakes. As the prophet Isaiah penned centuries before the crucifixion, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). Through His brokenness, our healing was unlocked.

Rivers of Living Water

Because the Rock was struck once and for all, the ultimate source of living water is now accessible to anyone who thirsts.

• The Invitation: Jesus stood up in the temple courts and shouted, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37-38).
• The Promise: He promised that those who believe in Him would have rivers of living water flowing from their heart—a direct reference to the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 20:22; Acts 2:1-4).

You no longer have to wander through your dry seasons trying to dig artificial wells that run dry. The same Christ Jesus who provided for millions in the wilderness is the exact same Giver of the Holy Spirit for the church of believers today (Psalms 105:41-42). When life strikes you with worry, fatigue, or grief, remember that the Spiritual Rock has already been struck for you. Turn your heart toward Him, and let the living water overflow.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being our steady provider, even when we find ourselves wandering through dry and weary deserts. We praise You for the ultimate gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ—the Spiritual Rock who was struck on the cross so that we might live. Thank You for opening up the heavens and pouring out Your Holy Spirit into our hearts.

Whenever we feel spiritually parched, anxious, or overwhelmed by our circumstances, remind us to stop digging our own wells and to look to the Rock instead. Refresh our souls today with Your living water. Let Your peace, joy, and presence overflow in our lives so that we might become streams of blessing to a thirsty world.

In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY / EXODUS 16:30
2. EACH MORNING / EXODUS 16:21
3. BREAD FROM HEAVEN – IN THIS WAY I WILL TEST THEM / EXODUS 16:4
4. GRUMBLED AGAINST MOSES / EXODUS 16:2
5. I AM THE LORD WHO HEALS YOU / EXODUS 15:26
6. PROPHETESS / EXODUS 15:20
7. THEN MOSES SANG THIS SONG / EXODUS 15:1-18
8. FEARED THE LORD AND PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM / EXODUS 14:31
9. THE WATER FLOWED BACK / EXODUS 14:28
10. THROUGH THE SEA ON DRY GROUND – A WALL OF WATER ON THEIR RIGHT AND ON THEIR LEFT / EXODUS 14:21-22
11. THE PILLAR OF CLOUD / EXODUS 14:19-20
12. THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU / EXODUS 14:14
13. A PILLAR OF CLOUD / EXODUS 13:21
14. NOTHING WITH YEAST IN IT IS TO BE SEEN / EXODUS 13:7
15. CONSECRATE TO ME EVERY FIRSTBORN MALE / EXODUS 13:1-2
16. WHAT DOES THIS CEREMONY MEAN TO YOU? / EXODUS 12:26-27
17. NO YEAST IS TO BE FOUND IN YOUR HOUSES / EXODUS 12:19
18. MUST BE CUT OFF FROM ISRAEL / EXODUS 12:15
19. MUST BE CUT OFF FROM ISRAEL / EXODUS 12:15
20. A LASTING ORDINANCE / EXODUS 12:14
21. YOUR CLOAK TUCKED INTO YOUR BELT YOUR SANDALS ON YOUR FEET / EXODUS 12:11
22. BITTER HERBS AND BREAD MADE WITHOUT YEAST / EXODUS 12:8
23. THEY ARE TO TAKE SOME OF THE BLOOD / EXODUS 12:7
24. THE FIRST MONTH OF YOUR YEAR / EXODUS 12:1-2
25. FIRSTBORN … WILL DIE / EXODUS 11:5
26. A FESTIVAL / EXODUS 10:9
27. YOU MAY TELL YOUR CHILDREN / EXODUS 10:1-2
28. I HAVE RAISED YOU UP FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE / EXODUS 9:15-16
29. LIVESTOCK OF THE EGYPTIANS / EXODUS 9:6
30. YOUR CATTLE / EXODUS 9:2-3
31. THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD / EXODUS 8:18-19
32. FROGS / EXODUS 8:2
33. HE STRUCK THE WATER / EXODUS 7:20
34. IT BECAME A SNAKE / EXODUS 7:12
35. I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART / EXODUS 7:3-4
36. THEY DID NOT LISTEN TO HIM / EXODUS 6:9
37. I WILL TAKE YOU AS MY OWN PEOPLE AND I WILL BE YOUR GOD / EXODUS 6:7
38. BY MY NAME THE LORD I DID NOT MAKE MYSELF KNOW TO THEM / EXODUS 6:3
39. YOU HAVE NOT RESCUED YOUR PEOPLE AT ALL / EXODUS 5:23
40. IS THIS WHY YOU SENT ME? / EXODUS 5:22
41. THIS IS WHAT THE LORD – THE GOD OF ISRAEL SAYS / EXODUS 5:1
42. THE LORD WAS ABOUT TO KILL HIM / EXODUS 4:24
43. ISRAEL MY FIRSTBORN / EXODUS 4:22
44. I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART / EXODUS 4:21
45. WHO MAKES HIM BLIND? / EXODUS 4:11
46. I AM SLOW OF SPEECH / EXODUS 4:10
47. STAFF … BECAME A SNAKE / EXODUS 4:2-3
48. ASK … PLUNDER THE EGYPTIANS / EXODUS 3:22
49. I AM WHO I AM / EXODUS 3:14
50. I WILL BE WITH YOU / EXODUS 3:12
51. MILK AND HONEY / EXODUS 3:8
52. SEEN THE MISERY OF MY PEOPLE / EXODUS 3:7
53. HOLY GROUND / EXODUS 3:5
54. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD / EXODUS 3:2
55. MOSES WAS TENDING THE FLOCK / EXODUS 3:1
56. THEIR CRY WENT UP TO GOD / EXODUS 2:23
57. MIDIAN / EXODUS 2:15
58. KILLED THE EGYPTIAN / EXODUS 2:12
59. MOSES / EXODUS 2:11
60. HEBREW BABIES / EXODUS 2:6
61. A SON / EXODUS 2:1-2
62. SLAVE MASTERS OVER THEM TO OPPRESS THEM / EXODUS 1:11
63. WHO DID NOT KNOW ABOUT JOSEPH / EXODUS 1:8
64. MULTIPLIED GREATLEY / EXODUS 1:6-7
65. THE SONS OF ISRAEL / EXODUS 1:1-5
66. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace