MOSES HAD A PET ROCK, some Bible readers could easily conclude.
Blame Paul.
He said that when Moses led the Exodus Jews through the desert badlands for 40 years, the people didn’t have to worry about water:
“They drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4).
So, that’s where Jesus hung out for 40 years of the Old Testament?
Some Jews in Jesus’ century read the story and assumed a rock loaded with water traveled with Moses during the Exodus.
Another first-century document reports the Exodus story this way:
“For 40 years God rained bread from heaven for them, and he brought them quails from the sea, and a well of water following them” (Biblical Antiquities, 10.7).
Jews got the idea from a pair of stories about the Exodus.
- Water Rock 1. Camped at a place called Rephidim, at the beginning of their long trip, the Jews complained they were thirsty, big time. “Moses struck the rock…and water gushed out” (Exodus 17:6).
Moses named the place Meribah, Hebrew for “argument.”
- Water Rock 2. Later, camped at Kadesh oasis, possibly near modern-day Egypt’s border with Israel, the same thing happened. Thirsty people complained. Moses hit a rock. Water came out. Everyone called the source of water Meribah.
Paul, for some reason, added Jesus to the story. Bible experts say they wonder if Paul did that because Jesus called himself a stone, based on this prophecy:
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see” (Matthew 21:42).
What’s not clear is if Paul actually, truly, honestly believed that Jesus was a water rock that traveled with Moses and the Exodus Jews.
Most scholars don’t seem to put money on that bet. They are betting that Paul simply saw Jesus symbolized in the story – as the source of life, as reliable as the water God provided for his people.
For more about odd sayings of the Bible
- Book: 100 Tough Questions About God and the Bible
- Video: 100 Tough Questions About God and the Bible
New blog subscribers who win books this week
- Geri Small
- Charles Rightmer
I give away free books each week. It’s normally to randomly selected subscribers to my free blog and quarterly newsletter. But this time I picked two of the most recent subscribers. I’ll probably pick from the newbies for the next several weeks.
The winners will get the option of choosing my new release: A Quick Guided Tour Through the Bible – among about half a dozen other titles.
This is one of my favorite images from Paul that shows the unity and care of God for both the Old Covenant people and New Covenant Saints — they both had fellowship with Christ and participated in the ordinances of the Church — Baptism and Communion — Paul makes the point that Israel was judged and had the same privileges as you! We are all part of that Covenant Community in the stream of time.
Thanks Wayne. I always appreciate your insight.