DCLM DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL FOR JANUARY 30, 2024 (MIRACLE FROM THE ROCK)
TOPIC: MIRACLE FROM THE ROCK
Text: Exodus 17:1-7 (KJV)
1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?
3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
5 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
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.
7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?
KEY VERSE: 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.”
MESSAGE
There is a clear difference between miracles and magic. According to David Weddle, “Unlike magic, miracles are acts of transcendent power that cannot be controlled by ingenuity or guaranteed by technique or technology; neither can miracles be provoked by human piety or need. They can only be received as divine gifts with astonishment and gratitude.” This is the scenario that played out when God provided water from the rock for the Israelites in the wilderness.
The children of Israel had been delivered from Egyptian slavery, crossed the Red Sea, had water purified for them and were provided with Manna. But they were now faced with lack of water. In their characteristic nature, they murmured against Moses, even accusing him of wanting to kill them. They had forgotten the recent miracles of God. In response to their complaints, God directed Moses to strike the rock in Horeb and bring out water from it for the people to drink. Christ was the Rock and Water of life (1 Corinthians 10:4).
For true believers in God, crisis moments bring divine encounters. When limits constrain us in the natural, God’s omnipotence meets us supernaturally. He often provides for His people from unexpected quarters; therefore, we must avoid forgetting His manifold blessings and resorting to complaints. Those who think they can get God’s attention through complaints will end up with nothing valuable. Saved from sin, we must desire a consistent walk with Christ to the Promised Land. We must also trust Him to provide for all our needs. We can continue to enjoy the Rock’s freshness and life-giving flow throughout our pilgrimage if we are willing and obedient.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Murmuring distances one from God’s miracles.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Romans 10-12
Daily Manna is the daily devotional of the Deeper Christian Life Bible Ministry (DCLM) written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi. It is an extraction of God’s Word designed to draw the sincere seeker closer to God on a daily basis through an insightful exposition and analysis of God’s Word.