{"id":8035,"date":"2024-09-01T09:45:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-01T07:45:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sermons.seetal-chile.ch\/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=8035"},"modified":"2025-01-03T11:41:19","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T10:41:19","slug":"wasser-aus-dem-felsen","status":"publish","type":"wpfc_sermon","link":"https:\/\/sermons.seetal-chile.ch\/en\/sermons\/wasser-aus-dem-felsen\/","title":{"rendered":"Water from the rock"},"content":{"rendered":"

Twice during the 40-year desert peri\u00adod, the LORD<\/span> God cau\u00adsed water to flow from a rock and used it to sup\u00adp\u00adly a nati\u00adon of mil\u00adli\u00adons with their ani\u00admals. Becau\u00adse Moses\u00bb actions in Kadesh (= being holy) did not com\u00adply with God\u2019s ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions, he was not allo\u00adwed to enter the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land. This seems very harsh at first, but on clo\u00adser inspec\u00adtion it is under\u00adstan\u00adda\u00adble. The epi\u00adso\u00adde with the water from the rock is an illus\u00adtra\u00adti\u00adon of how a fol\u00adlower deals with Jesus.<\/p>\n

The peo\u00adp\u00adle of Isra\u00adel spent 40 years in the desert bet\u00adween their cap\u00adti\u00advi\u00adty in Egypt and the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land. Obtai\u00adning the neces\u00adsa\u00adry food and water was a mam\u00admo\u00adth task, which Yah\u00adweh, the pro\u00adper name of the God of Isra\u00adel, relia\u00adbly took care of. The water sup\u00adp\u00adly was delay\u00aded twice, which can quick\u00adly lead to dehy\u00addra\u00adti\u00adon in the heat of the Ori\u00aden\u00adtal desert. Both times, the peo\u00adp\u00adle lon\u00adged to return to Egypt: \u00abWhy did you take us out of Egypt and bring us to this ter\u00adri\u00adble place? Here the\u00adre is no grain, figs, gra\u00adpes, pome\u00adgra\u00adna\u00adtes or drin\u00adking water\u00bb (Exodus 20:5 NLB<\/span>). The\u00adre was a lon\u00adging in their hearts for grain, figs, gra\u00adpes, pome\u00adgra\u00adna\u00adtes and drin\u00adking water. On clo\u00adser inspec\u00adtion, you quick\u00adly rea\u00adli\u00adse that Egypt could not offer this bles\u00adsing. The Egypt of that time is not the same as today\u2019s holi\u00adday para\u00addi\u00adse Hurgha\u00adda. It was the site of cen\u00adtu\u00adries of cap\u00adti\u00advi\u00adty and bru\u00adtal repression.
\nThe tempt\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon of the people
\nMoses goes straight to the LORD<\/span> and wants to know what he should do with the\u00adse peo\u00adp\u00adle. \u00abGo befo\u00adre the peo\u00adp\u00adle with some of the lea\u00adders of the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes. Take your staff with which you struck the Nile. I will stand befo\u00adre you on a rock at Horeb (= Sinai). Strike the rock. Then water will flow out and the peo\u00adp\u00adle will be able to drink [\u2026]\u00bb (Exodus 17:5f NLB<\/span>). The mira\u00adcle that now fol\u00adlows is based on a natu\u00adral phe\u00adno\u00adme\u00adnon. God uses what hap\u00adpens in natu\u00adre. The rocks of the Sinai mas\u00adsif often have cavi\u00adties behind them in the moun\u00adtain. The\u00adse cavi\u00adties are fil\u00adled by spring and rain water. The moment a thin\u00adner lay\u00ader of rock in front of them is kno\u00adcked away, a huge amount of water can pour out of the rock. Moses strikes the rock with the staff with which he struck the Nile when the water tur\u00adned to blood. So much water pou\u00adred into the wadi that all the peo\u00adp\u00adle and ani\u00admals had enough to drink.
\nPaul inter\u00adprets this mira\u00adcle a few cen\u00adtu\u00adries later: \u00abThey all ate the same food that God mira\u00adcu\u00adlous\u00adly gave them and drank from the rock given to them by God that accom\u00adpa\u00adnied them, and this rock was Christ\u00bb (1 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 10:3f NLB<\/span>). Jesus Christ is the rock from which living water flows. Living water means bles\u00adsing, meaningful\u00adness, signi\u00adfi\u00adcan\u00adce, pur\u00adpo\u00adse, joy, peace. It is pre\u00adcis\u00ade\u00adly what a person\u2019s heart longs for: grain, figs, gra\u00adpes, pome\u00adgra\u00adna\u00adtes and drin\u00adking water.
\nLike the rock in the Sinai Moun\u00adta\u00adins, Jesus also had to be struck so that the refres\u00adhing water could flow. Jesus was nai\u00adled to the cross. Now the water flows. Ever\u00adyo\u00adne is invi\u00adted to drink from it.
\nWhen the peo\u00adp\u00adle argued about the lack of water, Moses said to them, \u00ab[\u2026] Why do you argue with me? Why do you tempt the LORD<\/span>?\u00bb (Exodus 17:2 LUT<\/span>). Moses later calls the place Mas\u00adsa (= tri\u00adal, tempt\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon) and Meri\u00adbah (= stri\u00adfe). The tempt\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon is brought to the point: \u00abIs the LORD<\/span> among us or not?\u00bb, in other words: Can He help us or not? This ques\u00adti\u00adon is pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly asked thou\u00adsands of times every day in emer\u00adgen\u00adcy situa\u00adtions around the world: And now, whe\u00adre is God? This God once intro\u00addu\u00adced Hims\u00adelf to Moses with the name Yah\u00adweh, which means \u00abI am the one who is with you\u00bb. In other words: I am always the\u00adre. The real ques\u00adti\u00adon is the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre much more: \u00abAre we with Yah\u00adweh or not?\u00bb Thus, times of adver\u00adsi\u00adty turn out to be tri\u00adals of man and not of God.
\nThe fate of Moses
\nThe second water epi\u00adso\u00adde took place in Kades (= being holy). New place, same pro\u00adblem. Despi\u00adte deca\u00addes of expe\u00adri\u00adence that Yah\u00adweh pro\u00advi\u00addes per\u00adfect\u00adly, they strugg\u00adle again. But Yah\u00adweh is the\u00adre! Moses and his brot\u00adher Aaron again head straight for the Tent of Mee\u00adting, whe\u00adre they meet Him. He sets a good exam\u00adp\u00adle for us. Yahweh\u2019s ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions dif\u00adfer in two respects: Moses is not to strike the rock, but to speak to it, and he is not to take the staff with which he brought jud\u00adge\u00adment on Egypt, but the priestly staff of Aaron from the sanc\u00adtua\u00adry (Exodus 20:9).
\nMoses\u00bb negli\u00adgent hand\u00adling of this ins\u00adtruc\u00adtion is fatal:<\/p>\n

\tHe struck the rock: per\u00adhaps it was force of habit, per\u00adhaps he allo\u00adwed hims\u00adelf to be pro\u00advo\u00adked by the muti\u00adnous peo\u00adp\u00adle and gui\u00added by his nega\u00adti\u00adve emo\u00adti\u00adons. As men\u00adtio\u00adned, the rock is a sym\u00adbol for Jesus. Jesus was bea\u00adten once. \u00abIn the same way, Christ died only once as a sacri\u00adfice to take away the sins of many peo\u00adp\u00adle. He will come again, but not once more becau\u00adse of our guilt, but he will bring sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon to all tho\u00adse who are eager\u00adly wai\u00adting for his return\u00bb (Hebrews 9:28 NLB<\/span>). Jesus was cru\u00adci\u00adfied once and thus crea\u00adted the con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons for a fri\u00adend\u00adly rela\u00adti\u00adonship with a water con\u00adnec\u00adtion. For us today, if we want to drink from the water that Jesus offers, it is through com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon and rela\u00adti\u00adonship. You and I are invi\u00adted to talk to the rock.
\n\tHe used the wrong staff: the\u00adre are two staffs in the con\u00adtext of Moses: the staff of Moses and the staff of Aaron. The rod of Moses is the rod of jud\u00adge\u00adment; it is the rod with which the river in Egypt was struck, tur\u00adning water into blood (Exodus 17:5). The rod of jud\u00adge\u00adment was used on the cross of Gol\u00adgo\u00adtha when God struck Christ for the guilt of others. The LORD<\/span> had com\u00adman\u00added that Moses should use Aaron\u2019s priestly staff. \u00abAnd Moses took the staff from the place befo\u00adre the LORD<\/span>, as he had com\u00adman\u00added him\u00bb (Exodus 20: 9 ELB<\/span>). But then: \u00abAnd Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; and much water came out, and the con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon and their live\u00adstock drank\u00bb (Exodus 20: 11 ELB<\/span>). Deal\u00ading with Jesus is not pri\u00adma\u00adri\u00adly about jud\u00adge\u00adment, but about fri\u00adend\u00adship and rela\u00adti\u00adonship. Jesus is pre\u00adcis\u00ade\u00adly not the strict judge, but the priest who offe\u00adred his life as a sacri\u00adfice so that we humans can now have free access to God. This should cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adse the life of a Chris\u00adti\u00adan. What counts befo\u00adre God is being and not doing.
\n\tHe beca\u00adme pre\u00adsump\u00adtuous: \u00abThen he and Aaron had the peo\u00adp\u00adle gather in front of the rock. \u00abLis\u00adten, you stub\u00adborn peo\u00adp\u00adle,\u00bb cried Moses, \u00abwhat do you think? Are we going to make water gush out of this rock for you?\u00bb \u00bb (Exodus 20:10 NLB<\/span>). No, Moses and Aaron could not. Only God has this power.<\/p>\n

And \u2013 alt\u00adhough some things went wrong here \u2013 the water flowed. All the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes and the ani\u00admals were given enough to drink. This shows the gene\u00adro\u00adsi\u00adty of Jesus. We don\u2019t have to do ever\u00ady\u00adthing right to get grain, figs, gra\u00adpes, pome\u00adgra\u00adna\u00adtes and drin\u00adking water. Speak to the rock and the water will flow!
\nLear\u00adning to let go
\nThe water came out, but Moses still had to bear the con\u00adse\u00adquen\u00adces of his actions. Moses has done such a good job and now he is excluded from the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land becau\u00adse of a tri\u00advi\u00adal mat\u00adter. At first, this seems inap\u00adpro\u00adpria\u00adte. It is important to say that Moses was not sepa\u00adra\u00adted from God. He remain\u00aded a fri\u00adend of God. Why was he no lon\u00adger allo\u00adwed to enter the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land?
\nIt is no coin\u00adci\u00addence that this sto\u00adry took place in Kades (= to be holy). Holy means maje\u00ads\u00adtic, set apart, awe-inspi\u00adring, com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly dif\u00adfe\u00adrent. God took Moses into his con\u00adfi\u00addence like a fri\u00adend. They held dai\u00adly mee\u00adtings tog\u00ade\u00adther in the Tent of Mee\u00adting. Such clo\u00adsen\u00adess also brings with it a cer\u00adtain obli\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon. The nor\u00admal reac\u00adtion to the holi\u00adne\u00adss of God is awe, respect and obe\u00addience. Moses lost this atti\u00adtu\u00adde in this situa\u00adti\u00adon. Moses beca\u00adme arro\u00adgant. The LORD<\/span> of hosts is not a God we can dese\u00adcra\u00adte for our own pur\u00adpo\u00adses. God does not beco\u00adme the \u00abmate next door\u00bb. HE<\/span> is the one who always was, who is and who will be. HE<\/span> crea\u00adted the who\u00adle uni\u00adver\u00adse through his word. He saw you befo\u00adre the foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon of the world.
\nWhe\u00adther we like it or not, Moses was no lon\u00adger allo\u00adwed to enter the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land. Befo\u00adre his death, he clim\u00adbed Mount Nebo at God\u2019s com\u00admand, loo\u00adked into the land that God would give to the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes as their own and died (Deu\u00adte\u00adro\u00adno\u00admy 32:48\u201352). This event makes it clear: respon\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adty is given for a time. We should ful\u00adfil it, but also be able to relin\u00adquish it. I live the peri\u00adod of life available to me con\u00adscious\u00adly. And I can then hand my life back into the hands of God. If you belie\u00adve in eter\u00adnal life, you don\u2019t have to do ever\u00ady\u00adthing in this short time on earth! That is a relief.
\nMar\u00adtin Luther King refers to Moses in his speech of 3 April 1968, the evening befo\u00adre his ass\u00adas\u00adsi\u00adna\u00adti\u00adon: \u00ab[\u2026] I have been to the top of the moun\u00adtain. I am not worried. Like ever\u00adyo\u00adne else, I\u2019d like to live a long time [\u2026] But I\u2019m not worried about that now. I just want to do God\u2019s will. He allo\u00adwed me to climb the moun\u00adtain. And I have loo\u00adked over. I have seen the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land. May\u00adbe I won\u2019t get the\u00adre with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as one peo\u00adp\u00adle, will get to the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land. And that\u2019s why I\u2019m hap\u00adpy tonight. I\u2019m not worried about any\u00adthing. I fear no one. My eyes have seen the glo\u00adry of the Lord.\u00bb
\nThe Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land also sym\u00adbo\u00adli\u00adses the new world in the pre\u00adsence of God. Like Moses, we can alre\u00ada\u00addy catch a glim\u00adpse of this glo\u00adrious sple\u00adndour every now and then. Tho\u00adse who are tra\u00advel\u00adling with this hope can let go, be it of respon\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adties, peo\u00adp\u00adle or memo\u00adries. Howe\u00adver, it must not be a con\u00adso\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon for life after death, but a moti\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon to work for peace, joy and jus\u00adti\u00adce now.
\n 
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small group
\nRead the Bible text: Gene\u00adsis 20:1\u201313<\/p>\n

\t\u00abIs the Lord among us or not?\u00bb You know this tempt\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon in dif\u00adfi\u00adcult times. How do you deal with it?
\n\tWhy was Moses not allo\u00adwed into the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land? To what ext\u00adent do you under\u00adstand the Lord\u2019s decis\u00adi\u00adon? Did you learn com\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsi\u00adble reasons from the ser\u00admon? What does this mean for our rela\u00adti\u00adonship with God?
\n\tWhat does the way the Lord orde\u00adred the rock to be trea\u00adted say about Jesus Christ?
\n\tMoses was allo\u00adwed to let go of respon\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adty and give up his dreams. Are the\u00adre are\u00adas in your life that you are allo\u00adwed to let go of?
\n\tMoses clim\u00adbed the moun\u00adtain with the per\u00adspec\u00adti\u00adve of approa\u00adching the grea\u00adtest encoun\u00adter. Do you also live with this per\u00adspec\u00adti\u00adve? What influence does this have on your life?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Twice during the 40-year desert peri\u00adod, the LORD<\/span> God cau\u00adsed water to flow from a rock and used it to sup\u00adp\u00adly a nati\u00adon of mil\u00adli\u00adons with their ani\u00admals. Becau\u00adse Moses\u00bb actions in Kadesh (= being holy) did not com\u00adply with God\u2019s ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions, he was not allo\u00adwed to enter the Pro\u00admi\u00adsed Land. This seems very harsh at first, but on clo\u00adser inspection\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":8046,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[98],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-folge-du-mir-nach","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-8035","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"has-post-thumbnail","8":"hentry","11":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t

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