Part Two
Continuing from last week’s Bible Study Gem, we will go back and look at the other requirements that Moses was to do, regarding the second event when the Children of Israel needed water in Numbers 20:2,7-8, as it reads, 2, And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. … 7, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
Here God tells Moses to “take the rod”, … and “speak ye unto the rock before their eyes”; … Last week we looked at part of the lessons for “Speak”. But now we will look at “take the rod”, that we may go deeper still, where we will come to the rest of the meaning of “Speak”.
We know that Moses did take the Rod, yet he did the wrong thing with it.
The other lessons God taught me by studying these verses was, why did God ask Moses to “take the rod” and not “thy rod” as before in the first account in Exodus 17? And why take “the rod” and not use “the rod” as before in Exodus 17?
The Children of Israel were expecting Moses to strike the rock, as Moses had the Rod in his hand, just as he did the very first time in Exodus 17:6.
God showed me why Moses had to take “the rod”, as well as, which rod was, “the rod”.
Why take “the Rod”? Note Psalms 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
The rod was a comfort for the Children of Israel. Seeing “the Rod”, the Children of Israel knew God would take care of them. As Moses rod was used to bring forth water the first-time, they needed water, back in Exodus17:6.
However, what rod, was “the rod”, God asked Moses to take the second time in Numbers?
Now, before we read the following verse, an explanation in short needs to be shared. There was trouble within the camp of the Children of Israel, found in Numbers chapters 16-18 (feel free to read this account for yourselves in the scriptures). Some people were murmuring against Moses and Aaron regarding leadership. To resolve one of the issues, which was regarding the priesthood, God laid out a sign on whom He had chosen. The sign regarding who was chosen of the twelve tribes of Israel for the priesthood; was that a rod of the head of each tribe was to be brought forth and laid up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony where God would meet Moses. Each rod from the head of the tribe, had the tribe’s name written on each of the rods. Aaron’s rod of Levi had Levi written on it, and so forth, for each head of each tribe of the Children of Israel, on their rod.
Now we will read Numbers 17:8 -10. (Which is also mentioned in Hebrews 9:3-6)
Numbers 17:8 -10, reads, 8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. 9, And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 10, And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
Here we see “the Rod” that budded life and produced fruit. This is “the Rod” that Moses was to take.
Now to pull all this all together, we will look at the important objects that are in these two events where the Children of Israel needed water.
The Rod in the second event =
Comforter – Psalms 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” and the Holy Spirit John 14:26, But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
The Early Rain, Joel 2:23, Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
“the Rod” that budded life and produces fruit. Galatians 5:22-25, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Rock = God and Christ, 2 Sam 22:2-3, And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
Matthew 16:15-18, He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, (meaning stone) and upon this rock (referring to Peter’s acknowledgement of Jesus being the Christ, the Son of the living God) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (“emphasis mine” for explanation)
1 Corinthians 10:4, And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
Speak =
Trust, showing faith, great faith. Ask, speak to the Rock, Talk to God, Prayer, receive, given,
Proverbs 3:5-7, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Matthew 7:7-8, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luke 11:13, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Then comes the Water. Water = The Living Water = the Holy Spirit, Early and Latter Rain.
The Latter Rain, Joel 2:23 and 29. 23, Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. … 29, And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
John 7:38-39, He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Note John 19:34. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
Roman 8:11, But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
James 5:7-8, Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
How can we receive of the Rod that bud’s life and produces fruit and Water from the Rock?
Note the following verses.
Matthew 21:21-22. 21, Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22, And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Luke 11:9-10, 13. 9, And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10, For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. … 13, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
John 14:13, 14. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. Note also John 15:16; 16:23-26.
James 1:5-8, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 4:2-3, … yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
1 John 3:22-24, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1 John 5:14-15, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Ask of The Heavenly Father, Our God, in Prayer, for the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name. Stay connected with God, believe in His Word, in a loving relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, The Christ, The Word of God, where we receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Great faith grows within us, as we follow and obey God at His Word. Trust in the Rock that the water flows, the Water of life, that we too will have rivers of living water flow from our belly. And the Spirit that raised up Jesus will also raise us up to life everlasting. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Roman 8:11.
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Deuteronomy 5:29.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen 2 Thessalonians 3:18.
Open The Light Studies 