A 2013 Outpouring
The coming of a Messiah to redeem man, His death, and His resurrection are depicted many times thousands of years before it’s unfolding in the Old Testament. A powerful example is following the great exodus in chapter 17. Moses is instructed by God to take his rod and smite (nakar) the rock in Horeb and there would come forth water for all of the people to drink (Ex. 17:6). It is interesting to note that God told Moses that He would stand before him upon this rock as he smote it. Now, we see in Scripture that our Lord is often referred to as a rock. He is the Rock of our salvation (Ps. 95:1); He is the Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20 & I Pet. 2:6); He is the Rock that the church is built upon (Mt. 16:18); etc. Paul even refers to the rock in Exodus in I Corinthians 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.” Now, imagine with me, when Moses nakars the rock; God is standing there. God sees His Son being nakared (smitten). This represented the Lamb of God, Jesus, being slain, as the rock is struck. Now, notice what happens. Israel is in a barren land; death all around; five to six hundred thousand plus people are thirsty; and Moses nakars (strikes) the rock. Rivers began to flow from that rock. It was not a trickle but rivers flowed in different directions so that the multitude could drink, including their animals.
The rock was nakared by a rod in Exodus and water came forth. The Rock, Jesus Christ, would be nakared by a rod. The rod represents the Word. Jesus is the Word (Jn.1:1). The Word had already prophesied His Own crucifixion. The Word lay down His life, but the Word raised Himself up (Jn. 10:15, 17&18). Hallelujah. Jesus, the Rock, smitten (nakared), hanging on the cross cries, “I thirst” (Jn. 19:28). He took on the craving of humanity. The Fountain of living water, Himself was thirsty. He died but from His side flowed blood and water. Oh, it was more than a trickle. Rivers of living water still flow from Him to minister life. Rivers of blood still flow from Him to cleanse the sinner. Is it any wonder that Jesus says to the Samaritan woman, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst (Jn. 4:14). Jesus even cries out in John 7:37 & 38, “…Jesus …cried, saying, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink, he that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’” Jesus was saying that whoever would cleave to and trust in and rely on Him would experience the rivers of living water flowing through them.
Do you even understand what it means to crave water in order to live? Most of us have not experienced such a deprivation of water that death has begun to move in. I have known great thirst and nothing could satisfy that but water. Many are thirsty for the Water of Life, Jesus Christ; but they are attempting to satisfy that thirst with everything other than the One, Who satisfies.
Let us, as believers in Jesus, again call upon Him. Let us confess all of our sins to Him and walk holy before Him (I Jn. 1:9). Let us ask Him to fill us to overflow with His Holy Spirit (Lk. 11:13). There is a river of God. It is flowing from the throne of God. It is flowing in us. Church, Jesus is coming soon. We need the River to usher in the last day harvest of souls. Are you with me? “Jesus, we are thirsty. Fill us again. Oh Lord, may this year of 2013 be the year of the outpouring of your river around our world. Amen!” (cont.)