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Water Came Out of the Rock

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I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. (Exodus 17:6)

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The Israelites who traveled toward Canaan camped from place to place

as the LORD commanded.

And this time they camped at Rephidim.

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They worked hard to set up the tents.

Then suddenly a problem broke out between the people since there was no water

for the people to drink.

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The people started to complain.

Even though they had experienced the miracle of God separating the Red Sea,

their faith had disappeared once again and their hearts were filled with complaints towards God and Moses.

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They grumbled against Moses, “Hey, Moses, now what are you going to do?”

“The God you believe in has brought us here where we can't find any water,

right now you better tell us what to do!”

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Then Moses replied, “Why are you treating me in such a rude matter?

Perhaps it is because you doubt God?”

Moses scolded their fault.

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But they kept quarreling with Moses.

“Why? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt where we lived peacefully?

Are you trying to let all of us, and our children, and our livestock die of thirst?”

They began to get violent and started to use force with Moses.

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Moses cried out to the LORD, "God what am I to do with these people?

They are almost ready to stone me."

Moses prayed to God first even though he was in the most worst situation he could be in.

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God answered Moses immediately.

“Walk on ahead of the people.

Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with

which you struck the Nile, and go.”

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“I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock,

 and water will come out of it for the people to drink."

 What God had said to Moses seemed impossible.

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However, Moses did just as God commanded.

He took some elders and his staff that had hit the Nile River and stood

in front of the rock where God had told him.

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As God directed Moses, he went toward the rock with his staff while the elders and the people watched. Then he hit the rock with a great force.

Will the rock gush water from it as God had said to Moses?

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At the very moment when Moses hit the rock, the rock split in half and water gushed out of it. When Moses followed what God had said to him a miracle occurred.

God never lets those who follow God's commands to be put to shame.

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This water flowed to the place where the Israelites stayed.

The people enjoyed drinking the water that gushed from the rock.

When the people saw this miracle, they realized that God was really the Living God.  So, they were so ashamed because they had tested God.

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So, Moses called the place "Massah" and "Meribah," because the Israelites had quarreled there and because they had tested the LORD by saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" The Israelites did not believe God and caused an evil act by testing God. However, the God of love did not punish the Israelites instead he provided for them by giving them water.

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The Israelites, when they met a difficulty, were against God instead of praying to God but Moses who served God well prayed humbly and he saw incredible miracles. When we meet difficulties, we should pray to God just like Moses and obey his words to become people who can achieve big miracles.