.... His banner over me is love (Song of Solomon 2:4)
Moses knew that after his death Israel would corrupt themselves and turn aside from the way which he commanded them to do evil in the sight of the Lord, and to provoke Him to anger (Deut 31:27,29). So Moses reminded all the elders of their tribes, and their officers (Deut 31:28-30) that the LORD was their Rock:
Deut 32:4 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.
Israel angered the LORD to jealousy with strange gods (Deut 32:16). They were taught by Moses that ‘the Rock’ brought them forth and formed their nation:
Deut 32:18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
God was provoked and judged them according to their works:
Deut 32:20-21 And he said, I will hide my face from them,
I will see what their end shall be:
for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.
21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God;
they have provoked me to anger with their vanities:
and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
Israel’s God was not like the strange gods of the heathen:
Deut 32:31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.
Since I am no longer a ‘mid-Acts-er’ applying only Paul’s epistles .... now I can enjoy all the Bible .... rather than always saying, "That was just for Israel," when reading OLD testament scriptures:
1 Sam 2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
2 Sam 22:2-3 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3 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, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
Now I can be comforted by passages that praise the Lord. Rather than constantly dividing them away from me, now I sing the old hymn "Constantly Abiding":
2 Sam 22:32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? (also Psa 18:31)
2 Sam 22:47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. (also Psa 18:46)
Now that my ‘mid-Acts’ BARS have been removed, I am free to appreciate verses other than those Paul wrote:
Psa 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Psa 31:3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Psa 62:6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
The last words of David recounted that God was Israel’s Rock (2 Sam 23:3).
Isaiah prophesied that Israel would stumble and be offended by their Rock:
Isa 8:14-15 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
In the context of the Gentiles attaining the righteousness of faith, and Israel stumbling at their Rock (Rom 9:30-32), Paul used ‘OLD testament’ prophecy to show ‘NEW testament’ fulfillment:
Rom 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Isaiah taught this truth. Paul taught it. The Psalmist taught it:
Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
.... and Peter taught it:
1 Peter 2:6-10 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (also see Isa 28:16)
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious:
but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, (also see Matt 21:42)
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people (also see Titus 2:14); that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (also see Acts 26:18, Rom 13:12, Eph 5:8, 1 Thess 5:5):
10 Which in time past were not a people (Eph 2:11-12), but are now the people of God (1 Cor 15: Rom 9:24-26, 2 Cor 6:16): which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (Rom 11:30-32)
Israel stumbled and fell on their Rock. Isaiah said so:
Isa 8:15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
Paul said so, too:
Rom 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Paul identified the ‘OLD testament’ Rock personally as Jesus Christ, and told the ‘NEW testament’ church of God which was at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Cor 1:2) to take a lesson from the church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38):
1 Cor 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink:
for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them:
and that Rock was Christ.
1 Cor 10:6 Now these things were our examples,
to the intent we should not lust after evil things,
as they also lusted.
1 Cor 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples:
and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
In the context (Matt 16:13-17), when Jesus asked His disciples about Who they thought He was, Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Then He told Peter that He the Christ was the foundation ROCK, the corner stone, of the ‘NEW testament’ church:
Matt 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ think they have nothing to do with ‘that’ church. They assign it as being ‘Israel’s prophecy-program church’, even though PAUL wrote that we are ‘able ministers of the new testament’ (2 Cor 3:6).
Peter knew the Rock was the only means of salvation:
Acts 4:11-12 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
In the context (1 Cor 3:10), that Paul laid the foundation, where Christ had not been named (Rom 15:20), Paul assured the saints that Jesus Christ was the ONLY foundation:
1 Cor 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Paul explained that we Gentiles are not shut out anymore, but now we ALL, as saints of God, as the people of God, grow TOGETHER upon the ONE solid foundation, upon the SAME Rock, Jesus Christ, laid by God’s apostles and prophets:
Eph 2:19-21 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Isaiah wrote to Israel of ‘the Rock’ that begat them and of Abraham their father .... but now Christ is also our Rock, and Abraham is also our father (Rom 4:11,16; Gal 3:26,29):
Isa 51:1-3 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you (also see 1 Pet 3:6): for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
Unlike the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ .... I am prepared to be there. Are you?
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
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