08072021 The Rock

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of God our Rock. I’ve been thinking a lot this week about the Rock. Several verses about the Rock have caught my attention over the past months, and then on Sunday, we sang “Hiding in Thee.”

O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,

My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;

So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;

Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.

Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,

Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.

How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,

I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe;

How often, when trials like sea billows roll,

Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.

 

The hymn is taken from Psalm 61:2, a verse that has been precious to me for decades. “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” How aptly the hymn describes me as conflicted, sorrowful, and weary. I need a strong Rock. And the words of the last stanza are true - “how often.” Yes, over and over again I have come to this Rock for refuge, and He is always there and always strong.

I am not unique. David, who wrote the above verse, often referred to God as his Rock. “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge.” “For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?” “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation” (II Samuel 22:2,3,32,47, repeated in Psalm 18:2,31,46). “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit” (Psalm 28:1). “Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me” (Psalm 31:2,3). “He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.” “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God” (Psalm 62:2,7).

David uttered these words of dependence and desperation and confidence all throughout his life, and he found God to be always faithful. Do you know what David’s last words were? When he came to the end of his life, with the perspective of looking back over it all, his estimation did not change. On his deathbed he said, “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just” (II Samuel 23:3).

David wasn’t the only one. Moses wrote a song in which he referred to God as a Rock five times, including this verse: “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4). His influence carried over to the nation of Israel, as recorded by Asaph: “And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer” (Psalm 78:35).

After Hannah experienced God’s work on her behalf, she declared, “There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God” (I Samuel 2:2). An unnamed old man also reflected back and saw the Rock: “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress” (Psalm 71:3).

Three additional unidentified psalmists saw God as a rock. “To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him” (Psalm 92:15). “But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge” (Psalm 94:22). “O come, let us sing for unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1).

Other psalmists joined the familiar theme. The sons of Korah wrote, “I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” (Psalm 42:9). Ethan the Ezrahite wrote, “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation” (Psalm 89:26).

The Rock continued into the time of the prophets. Isaiah knew God as the Rock. “Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength” (Isaiah 17:10).

Finally, in the New Testament, Paul continues the same theme. “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that rock was Christ” (I Corinthians 10:4).

Clearly, the Rock is a great description of God. What does it mean? There are two Hebrew words. The more commonly used word refers to a cliff, sharp rock, or boulder. Figuratively, it is a refuge. The second word refers to something lofty, a craggy rock, figuratively, a fortress. The Rock is imposing, high, harsh toward attackers. It is difficult for attackers to access, but it hides those inside in safety. They can take refuge in this impenetrable, unscalable fortress.

Is God the Rock of Ages? Absolutely. For Moses and Paul, and many people in-between, and everyone before and since, God is the Rock. He is still a refuge. He is still a fortress. God hasn’t changed, and He won’t change. Our challenge is to do what David did and the unnamed old man – to remember. Several of the verses speak with caution about forgetting the Rock. Only when we forget are we in danger. When we remember how great our Rock is, we will be encouraged and strengthened. Truly, on Christ the solid Rock I stand.

May you find Him to be your strong refuge and your secure fortress this week. Remember the Rock!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA