Monday, February 12, 2024

Smiting the Rock and Waters Came Out - Psalms 78:20

In Psalms chapter seventy-eight Asaph shared how the people of Israel in the wilderness, “tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. Yes, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?”, and in chapter seventy-eight and verse twenty of Psalms Asaph shared how Moses, “smote the rock, that the waters gushed out” where we read,

Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed;

can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

The verse begins, Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; Asaph began with the words, “Behold, he smote the rock” or “lo, look and consider he, Jehovah God, struck, hit and beat the cliff, block of stone or boulder”, “that the waters gushed out” which means “so the rushing stream or flood of refreshing waters pined away, issued, discharged and flowed”, “and the streams overflowed” or “and the torrents, wadis, rivers and brook engulfed, swept away and rushed”. Asaph desired his readers to consider how Moses struck the rock in the wilderness and Jehovah God caused refreshing waters to discharge and pour out to overflowing.

The verse goes on to say,can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? Asaph continued with the words, “can he give bread also” or “is he, Jehovah God, even so and indeed capable of granting, delivering and providing grain, corn or bread-corn”? “can he provide flesh” which means “is he, Jehovah God, capable of granting, establishing, making secure and delivering food or meat” “for his people” or “on behalf of his, Jehovah God's, human beings both male and female”. Asaph said the people of Israel wondered whether Jehovah God was able to provide “bread and flesh” for the people of Israel.

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how Asaph reminded his readers and listeners about the time when Moses was instructed by Jehovah God to strike the rock in the wilderness. The people were extremely thirsty, and they needed water. God told Moses if he struck the rock, water would be provided. Moses obeyed, and waters gushed from the rock. The people desired “bread and meat” while they were in the wilderness, and Jehovah God provided “manna” and “doves” for food. God is able to provide for everyone, and He wants to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus. He sent Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and make provision for our every spiritual and physical need. Let us give praise, honor and glory to Jehovah God and His Son Jesus for our greatest need – the salvation of our souls.

Next time Asaph shares how, “the LORD heard this, and was wroth”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".








 

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