Rock of Ages

Photo by Andrew Wolff on Unsplash

The hymn, Rock of Ages, by Augustus Toplady, speaks of a ‘double cure’ for sin provided by Jesus Christ. This, he says, is the water and the blood that came from Jesus’ side when the soldier pierced Him following His death on the cross.

His blood cleanses us from sin. Hebrews 9:22, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” 

By this blood, we are forgiven of sin and spared the wrath of God. But it was not only blood that came from the body of our Lord. Water also flowed.

As the Israelites traveled through the desert, God provided their every need. In Exodus 17:1-7, God instructed Moses to take his staff and strike the rock at Horeb to provide water for the thirsty, grumbling group. When he did, water poured out of it. 

In First Corinthians 10, Paul wrote that all these wilderness travelers drank the same spiritual water. Verse four says, “For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.”

Jesus does not leave us to ourselves. He continues to purify us, to make us more like Himself as He travels with us, provides for us, and satisfies our souls, as He did Israel. From Him, living water flows. Because of this, we are “saved from wrath and made pure,” the double cure.

Sin is far-reaching, but so is the arm of the Lord. He reached down to us with the two things we need for life: the water and blood of Jesus, poured out when His body was ‘cleft’ or split for us. He is the Rock of Ages, traveling with and providing for His people throughout time.

1 Corinthians 1:30b, “Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and freed us from sin.”