day no. 15,734: a rock in the desert sending out streams of life from its smitten side

Numbers 20:10-11
Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

Psalm 78:19-20
They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness? He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?"

There are few places less likely to produce life than a rock in the desert. Yet, when this rock was struck, it yielded water in such abundance as to slake the thirst of all those following after God's promises. From a source no one imagined in a place least likely to produce it, life burst forth. The rock's water was the source of provision and perseverance for those who drank it in.

John 19:32-37
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness-his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth-that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken." And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."

"(Jesus) is a rock in the desert, ever sending out streams of life from his smitten side." 
-- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

There are few places less likely to produce life than a dying man on a cross. Yet, when this Christ was struck, He yielded water and blood in such abundance as to satisfy the hunger and thirst of all those following after God's promises. From a source few imagined and a place few considered, life burst forth. The dying man's blood is the source of eternal life and security for those who believe in it.

1 Corinthians 10:1-6
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.


Jesus Christ was the Rock in the desert. He was struck then and gave relief to those living in the dusty, dry land of desert life. He is also the Man on the cross. He was struck and pierced there in order to give relief to those living in the desert of darkness, a land of suffocating shadow in which He shone brightly and overcame it.