In the Cleft of the Rock
1 Cor 2:7-9
I speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery,
that God ordained before the ages for our glory.
8 None of the rulers of this age understood it.
If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
In the beginning the tempter convinced man that God was withholding a “knowledge” from them – that He was hiding something
They were persuaded that if they ate of the fruit “their eyes would be opened” – all mysteries would be revealed!
So, they did what we still do today – they chose to know “like” God
Rather than choosing to “know God”
After Adam & Eve sinned, in shame they tried to hied themselves with fig leaves – Gen 3:7
God, instead made coverings of skin for them – Gen 3:21
After God made a covering for them, He made a covering for Hmself
Isaiah 59:2
Your sins have come between you and your God,
and by your evil doings His face has been veiled from you.
Since they chose to know outside of God
And hide themselves from Him
In turn, Isaiah declares in 45:15
Truly, You are a God who hides Himself.
God didn’t just hide Himself and put a veil over His presence.
He also hid His plans, shrouded them in a mystery, then wrapped them in a secret.
That’s why when He spoke of His plans, He did it in
“simil-itudes” as it says in Numbers
or He spoke in “types” and “shadows” (Col 2:17),
or why Jesus spoke in “parables” – “to hide the mysteries of the Kingdom” (Matt 13:11)
God stilled longed for relationship among His creation and looked for someone to share Himself and His plans with:
“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” – Gen 6:8
So God whispered one secret: “It’s going to rain”
:Abraham believed the Lord, so He credited it to him as righteousness” – Gen 15:6
Since God found someone on earth He could trust, He asked:
Gen 18:17 “Shall I had from Abraham what I am about to do?
Then Moses rises up!
Ex 33:11
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.
The more God revealed the more Moses became aware
that there was something God wasn’t revealing,
some divine “mystery” some holy “hiddenness.”
Moses had to know more! He had to see more!
Moses begged God in Ex 33:18
“What I have experienced is not enough. Please, let me see Your glory”
Alright, God said. I can’t show you everything, but I’ll show you my back
Ex 33:21-23
The Lord said, "Behold, there is a place by me
where you shall stand on the rock,
22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock,
and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back,
but my face shall not be seen."
God was giving Moses a glimpse of the love and redeeming work of Christ
“Since you want to see My glory, let me show you Jesus.”
God promised Moses that He could see His “goodness and beauty.”
But first, God had to stand him “on the rock.”
Then, look, God specifies “in a cleft of the rock”
Apostle Paul tells us that Christ was that rock 1 Cor 10:4
So God tells Moses to stand “on Christ,”
Then, God positioned Moses “in the cleft” of Christ,
What is that cleft?
Neqara: a hole or piercing
So that means God put Moses on the rock – in the piercing of that rock
God positioned Moses in Jesus’ piercing
The one place that reveals the depth of His love
God positioned Moses inside the mystery that had been hidden from the beginning
When you want to see God’s glory
He shows you the crucified Christ
The Father has always been trying to show us Jesus
When He made covering of skin for Adam & Eve
He was trying to show us Jesus
When He told Noah to build an Ark –
Don’t think a boat, think Ark of the Covenant
He was trying to show us the saving power of Jesus
When He told Abraham to offer up Isaac
He was trying to show us Jesus
When He told Moses to stand in the cleft of the Rock
But in the fullness of time
When it was time for the mystery to be revealed
God came, wrapped in flesh
At the cross, that wrapping of flesh was torn open
And now we can know
Not know like God
We can know God
“This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).
When we want to see Jesus, why does God put us in the piercing of Christ?
· Why not put us on a throne
· Or in the holy of holies
· Or even place us at a manger?
God puts us in his piercing
To let us know that He identifies with us
He puts us in His suffering
To say that He understands what we go through
God doesn’t remove us from life
What He does is let us know that walks through this difficult life with us
He will be involved in life with us
He experienced evil and suffering
So, don’t look for Him outside of suffering
He is located right in the midst of our suffering
This is the “fellowship of suffering” Paul spoke about
The promise is, we will also participate in His power of His resurrection