ROCK OF AGES!

Saturday, August 24, 2019

ROCK OF AGES!

Ex 17:5-6

5 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.

6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

John 19:34

34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

           There is a good bit of theology in the hymn Rock of Ages. The Rock is Jesus and the cleft or split refers to his wounds, particularly his riven side. The reference to “ages” takes us back to Daniel chapter seven where the Son of Man is seen as the “ancient of days” clothed in brilliant white.

           The Rev. Toplady, who wrote the song, was said to have taken shelter in a rocky region of Mendip Hills England called Burrington Combe. It was there he took refuge during a storm. Perhaps we should let the hymn speak for itself.

Rock Of Ages

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy wounded side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure;

Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands

Can fulfill Thy law's demands;

Could my zeal no respite know,

Could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone;

Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to the cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress;

Helpless look to Thee for grace;

Foul, I to the fountain fly;

Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,

When mine eyes shall close in death,

When I soar to worlds unknown,

See Thee on Thy judgment throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee.

1 Cor 10:4

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Dear Lord, I bring nothing in my hands for Thee for there is nothing suitable. Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling. Thank you for the solid security of the Rock. AMEN