MOSES, THE ROCK AND THE LIVING WATER

Sometimes the simplest stories in Scripture hide the deepest truths. I’ve been thinking again about Moses and the rock — thanks to a message from a dear friend — the water that flowed from it, and the significance of his disobedience at Kadesh. It’s one of those moments in the Old Testament where the historical events are not just history — they are a shadow, a type, pointing forward to Christ and His work on our behalf.

The first incident occurred at Rephidim, recorded in Exodus 17:1–7. The Israelites had just come out of Egypt, and they were thirsty. God commanded Moses, “Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses obeyed, struck the rock, and water flowed. The people were sustained, and Moses named the place Massah and Meribah, because of the testing and quarreling of Israel.

Even in this first instance, the story is more than a miracle. The rock that Moses struck is later identified by the Apostle Paul as Christ: “They drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4). The water that came forth prefigured the living water of salvation that Jesus would provide centuries later. When Jesus said in John 7:37–38, “Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within him,” He was echoing the same life-giving reality the Israelites saw in the desert. This first strike of the rock, obedient and faithful, was a type, a foreshadowing of the one-time, sufficient sacrifice of Christ that brings life to all who believe.

But then, there is the second striking, at Kadesh, recorded in Numbers 20:1–13. The Israelites were again thirsty, and God instructed Moses to “Take the staff, and you and Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to the rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.” Yet Moses, frustrated with the people, struck the rock twice with his staff instead of speaking to it as God commanded. Water still came forth, but God rebuked Moses and Aaron, saying in verse 12, “Because you did not trust in Me enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

Here is where the typology becomes striking. The rock represents Christ. The water represents the living water of salvation, flowing from Christ’s sacrifice. The first strike was commanded, obedient, and life-giving. The second strike was uncommanded, born of anger and frustration, and it altered the type. In other words, it almost distorted the symbolic teaching that God was giving through Moses’ actions.

Think about it. Christ, the Rock, needed to be struck once. His suffering and death were sufficient for all sin. He did not need to be struck twice, and He will not be struck twice. Unlike the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament priests, His atonement is complete, final, and eternal (Hebrews 9:12, 10:12). By striking the rock a second time out of anger, Moses inadvertently interrupted the typology — a single action meant to foreshadow the one-time, all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus.

There is something deeply sobering in that. Moses’ disobedience was not a small mistake. It carried consequences. He could not enter the Promised Land. God did not change, His provision did not fail, but the moment was a reminder of the seriousness of obedience, especially when God is revealing truth through His types and shadows. As Paul writes in Colossians 2:16–17, the festivals, sacrifices, and elements of the Old Covenant were “a shadow of the things to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Distorting the shadow can obscure the reality.

Yet even in this, there is beauty. God’s plan remains perfect. Moses’ sin did not diminish the promise, but it did underscore the holiness and sufficiency of Christ. The story shows us that God’s types are precise, purposeful, and pointing us forward to the Lord Jesus. Every detail matters. Every act in the story carries meaning. The first strike reminds us of God’s faithful provision and the sufficiency of Christ. The second strike reminds us that disobedience can disrupt the teaching of God’s Word, even when the outcome appears the same.

It is also a reminder for us today. Like Moses, we are human, prone to frustration, impatience, and anger. We can try to take matters into our own hands, to do what we think is right, even when God has given us clear instructions. And while God’s grace is sufficient, there are consequences for stepping outside His commands. Our obedience matters — not just for ourselves, but for the witness of His truth.

So when I reflect on Moses and the rock, I see a picture of grace, obedience, and typology. The rock, Christ. The water, life-giving salvation. The first strike, obedience, life and the once-for-all suffering of Christ for our sins at the cross. The second strike, disobedience, a reminder that God’s types are intentional. His Word is intentional. His plan is perfect. And Christ alone is sufficient for every need, every thirst, every longing of the human soul.

I love the way the Lord uses these Old Testament stories. They are not just history; they are mirrors, showing us His truth, His provision, and His Son. The living water flows to us because of one strike — one perfect sacrifice. And that is all we need. No repeats. No additions. No human fixes. Just Him.

Moses’ disobedience may have cost him the Promised Land, but it points us more clearly to Christ, who never disobeyed, who never failed, and who alone gives eternal life to all who believe (John 10:28–29). And that, to me, is breathtaking.

Bryan Dewayne Dunaway