That Rock Was Christ

There’s something powerful about the image of water pouring out of a rock.

The Israelites had just been miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt. They had seen the plagues. They had walked through the Red Sea on dry ground. The Egyptian army had been swallowed up in the sea behind them. They knew that they had been rescued by God.

But they were thirsty and afraid. There was not enough water in the location where they had set up camp, and there was no obvious source of water nearby. They complained to Moses: “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?” (Exodus 17:3, New Living Translation). In response, God instructed Moses to gather the people by a large rock on Mount Horeb and to strike the rock with his staff. He did so, and water came pouring out. (See Exodus 17:6.)

Had the people seen the rock? Surely they had. Did it look like a source of water? Certainly not! One lesson from this story may be that the answer to our prayers is sometimes right in front of us; we just don’t realize it yet.

Later in their journey, a similar event occurred. The people were again thirsty, with no obvious source of water nearby. This time, God gave Moses and Aaron slightly different instructions: Speak to a large rock, He said, and water will appear. For some reason, Moses didn’t follow the Lord’s instructions exactly. In exasperation, he asked the people, “Must we fetch you water out of this rock?” (Numbers 20:10). Then, instead of merely speaking to the rock, he struck it twice with his staff. As before, water came pouring out. (See Numbers 20:11.)

These dramatic events served as important markers in the Israelites’ journey to their promised land. Subsequent generations of Israelites looked back on those miracles as evidence that God remembers His people, that He is aware of our needs, and that He will provide.

He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

Psalm 78:15-16

He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

Psalm 105:41

Nephi referenced this miracle during his own family’s journey in the wilderness, and again after they arrived in their promised land:

• “Yea, and ye also know that Moses, by his word according to the power of God which was in him, smote the rock, and there came forth water, that the children of Israel might quench their thirst” (1 Nephi 17:29).
• “And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power…that he should smite the rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved” (2 Nephi 25:20).

We expect rocks to be solid, reliable, and strong. That’s why the wise man in Jesus’s parable builds his house upon a rock. (See Matthew 7:24-25, 3 Nephi 14:24-25.) That’s also why Helaman told his sons that they must build their foundation on the rock of our Redeemer. (See Helaman 5:12.)

We don’t expect rocks to quench our thirst. But the Savior provides both a firm foundation and “living water.” (See John 4:10-11.) So a rock which produces water symbolizes at least two of His attributes.

The apostle Paul made it clear that he saw this symbolism in these events:

[Our fathers] did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:4

Today, I will be grateful for the Savior’s twin attributes of reliability and generosity. I will be grateful that He provides a solid foundation for my life, and I will also be grateful that He provides living water to nourish and sustain me.