“The Rock of Israel spake to me,” 2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
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”Upon this rock I will build my church,” Matthew 16:18And 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.
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“And that Rock was Christ,” 1 Corinthians 10:4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
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The Lord Jesus is compared to a Rock.
| METAPHOR | PARALLEL | |
|---|---|---|
| A Rock is a firm and an immovable thing, good for a foundation: “He is like a man which built an house, and laid the foundation on a rock,” Luke 6:48He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
See All.... That which is built upon a Rock, stands sure in a tempestuous and stormy season: “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock,” Matthew 7:25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. See All.... | The Lord Christ is a firm and sure foundation: “and upon this rock I will build my church,” Matthew 16:18And 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.
See All.... “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone,” Isaiah 28:16Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. See All.... “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 3:11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. See All.... The Church being built upon Christ, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Whosoever lays the stress and structure of his salvation upon this foundation, the power of hell and rage of devils shall never be able to subvert and destroy. This made the apostle to break forth in that holy triumph, Romans 8:31-39 [31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? [32] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? [33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. [34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. See All.... | |
| Rocks in ancient times were made use of for habitations; people dwelt in them, as well as built upon them; they hewed out houses or habitations in Rocks, Isaiah 22:16What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?
See All..., Jeremiah 48:28O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth. See All.... | God in Christ is a believer’s spiritual habitation; they, like the dove, make their nest in the cliffs of the rock, Psalms 91:9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
See All.... “He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him,” 1 John 4:16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. See All.... | |
| A rock is an high place; though they have their root low and deep, yet their tops being high and soaring, are lifted far above the surface of the earth. | Christ, our rock, is high in respect of the dignity of his Person; he is the high God. He was lower than men in the state of his humiliation, yet far higher and more glorious than the angels. He is high in respect of his dwelling-place, being exalted far above all heavens; high in respect of his power and sovereignty, having absolute dominion over devils, angels and men. | |
| Rocks being high, or eminent places for height, they are exceeding useful to take pleasant prospects; from hence one may see afar off: “For from the top of the rocks I see him,” Numbers 23:9For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
See All.... | He that by faith ascends upon the top of this spiritual Rock, may take a better prospect and survey of heaven, than Moses could of Canaan, when he stood upon the top of Pisgah. He sees most of god, and the glory of the other world, that stands upon the Rock Christ. | |
| Rocks are strong, and were made use of for defense; they are cannon-proof; no fortifications like some Rocks; they are impregnable: David for security came into a Rock, 1 Samuel 13:6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
See All.... | God in Christ is the godly man’s refuge. He that makes God his defense, or flies to Christ for refuge, needs not fear devils, nor wicked men, nor what all the powers of hell can do unto him, Psalms 89:26He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
See All... and 94:22 See All.... | |
| Rocks are durable, permanent, and lasting; there is no removing a rock; they grow not weak with age, but continue the same from one generation to another. | The Lord Jesus hath the stability of a Rock in him. He is the Rock of ages; “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever,” Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
See All.... He grows not weak; as in years, so his strength decays not. | |
| Rocks yield honey: “and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee,” Psalms 81:16He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
See All.... | All sweet peace and comfort proceed from the Rock Christ. His promises are “sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb,” Psalms 19:10More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
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| Rocks yield the purest water. Most pleasant springs proceed from them. No water, says the naturalist, is so clear, as that which comes crystallized through rocks. | That celestial stream, spring, and river of comfort, the Spirit, proceeds from the throne of God, and the Lamb, Revelation 22:1And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
See All.... From this Rock, saith a worthy writer, the clear and crystalline streams of living water bubble forth. | |
| Precious stones and jewels are but as it were the sweat of rocks. All rich mines of gold and silver (as is evident from that in Job) are in and among Rocks. | In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, all the graces of the Spirit, (which are compared to, but far more excellent than gold, pearl, or precious stones) are only to be found in this spiritual Rock. | |
| Rocks yield oil: “and the rock poured me out rivers of oil,” Job 29:6When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
See All.... And in another place it said, God made Israel to “suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock,” Deuteronomy 32:13He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; See All.... | Christ affords us store of precious oil; the Spirit is so called, with which the godly are all more of less anointed: we have received an unction from the Holy One. No oil like that which comes from this Rock. | |
| Rocks afford a very sweet and refreshing shadow in hot countries, to weary travelers. | Christ is “as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land,” Isaiah 32:2And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
See All.... He keeps off all the hot scorching beams of the wrath of God, and hell. | |
| Rocks are dangerous to stumble at, or to fall on, especially to fall from. When men get up almost to the top of a high and mighty rock, and suddenly through want of care fall down, such are broken to pieces, and perish inevitably. | Christ is a Rock of offence, many stumble at him, and fall on him, and some fall from him, all whose state is very sad: for when men fall from this Rock, having gotten up very high by a speculative knowledge, and profession, they fall suddenly to the lowest hell. |
| METAPHOR | PARALLEL | |
|---|---|---|
| Rocks, though they abide and last long, yet are not everlasting. | Christ abides forever and ever, he being styled the rock of ages. | |
| Rocks in many respects are barren, useless, and unprofitable things, yield no fruit; seed that falls upon a Rock comes to no maturity: “And some fell upon a rock,” Luke 8:6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
See All.... | Christ, the spiritual Rock, is very fruitful, and every way exceeding profitable. | |
| Rocks are part of the coarsest and grossest element; they are but earth, condensed and congealed into a massy senseless lump. | Christ is of the highest and best of beings, he that made and formed the elements, and gave being to all creatures and things, who, though called a Rock, yet is the Lord from heaven, and a quickening Spirit. |
INFERENCES
- Take heed Christ be not unto you a stumbling-stone, the Rock of offence.
- Let the godly, who dwell in this Rock, fear no evil; “For their rock is not as our Rock,” Deuteronomy 32:31For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.
See All... - Get into this rock, be like the dove, that makes her nest besides the hole’s mouth.
- When you are down in the valley, and the waters swell, and threaten to overflow you, get with David by faith and prayer upon the Rock that is higher than you.
- Prize the Rock; precious water, honey and oil flow from it. A. It is a rich Rock. B. It is a living Rock. C. It is an invincible Rock. D. It is a feeding and fattening Rock. E. It is a rock of pearls and diamonds. F. It is an eternal Rock.
- When you see a great Rock, think of Christ.
- Build all your hopes of happiness upon it; let your anchor be so cast, as to take hold of this Rock.