Numbers 20:8
Question
When the children of Israel complained about their trials, they were given a physical reminder of Jehovah, who “is the Rock of Israel, the ultimate source of living water.” We have other tangible symbols, such as the emblems of the Sacrament, that remind us of Christ.
Why do you think God provides these tangible symbols? How do they help you to focus on the Savior?
Scripture
8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
Numbers 20:8
Quote
At Rephidim, near Sinai, again there was no water. The significance of the mighty miracles of deliverance from Egypt had faded in the minds of the people, and they lamented, “Is the Lord among us, or not?” They angrily confronted Moses: “Thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst.” Moses explained that their complaints against him were in reality an attack on Jehovah. The people were prideful and slow to understand who Jehovah was. So the Lord instructed Moses to walk on ahead of the people from Rephidim to Mount Sinai and stand near “the rock of Horeb.” There the Lord told Moses to perform another wondrous miracle. The people gathered, and the Lord appeared in a cloud before them upon the rock. As instructed, Moses struck the rock with his rod, and water came gushing out, enough water to quench the thirst of a nation while they camped there for about a year. In doing so, Jehovah dramatically showed that He is the Rock of Israel, the ultimate source of living water, and that Moses was His prophet.
Elder David W. Ferrel
Bethene Zetterquist Photography 