Hebrews 13:5 NKJV
“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”
The awesomeness of God’s deeds from generations past to date has continued to amaze. On the one hand, the display of God’s greatness is for us to see and put our trust in Him (Psa 40:3). On the other hand, it is for us to “Praise Him for His mighty acts; [to] Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!” (Psa 150:2 NKJV). God also manifests His greatness to defend His purposes and to protect those involved in the fulfillment of His will on earth. In that regard, the Psalmist said to Him, “You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples” (Psa 77:14 NKJV).
As a people at the heart of God’s covenants (Rom 9), Israel witnessed numerous and rare wonders God did in their midst. For instance, the LORD “…split rocks in the wilderness and gave them abundant [water to] drink like the ocean depths. He brought streams also from the rock [at Rephidim and Kadesh] and caused waters to run down like rivers” (Psa 78:15 -16 AMP)! Notice, Scripture records two places, Rephidim and Kadesh, where the miracle of water from the rock took place. However, the journey in the dry and hot wilderness lasted 40 years. Was there another way God kept meeting their daily water needs in other places over the years?
Recounting the faithfulness of God in meeting our needs, the Apostle Paul made reference to what the LORD did for Israel in the wilderness. Paul narrated, “…all [Israel] ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (1 Cor 10:3-4 NKJV)! The Holy Spirit revealed to Paul that Israel “drank of that spiritual Rock”; and that the Rock “followed them”; and that “that Rock was Christ”. In other words, (the preincarnate) Christ was ever present when Israel needed divine help. Blessedly, He is still Immanuel: God with (and in) us!
Pst. Emmanuel