Christ a Rock

    CHRIST A ROCK

    "The Rock of Israel spake to me" &c., 2Sa 23:3.

    "Upon this Rock will I build my Church" Mt 16:18.

    "And that Rock was Christ," 1Co 10:4.

    THE Lord Jesus is compared to a Rock.

    METAPHOR

    I. A Rock is a firm and an immoveable thing, good for a foundation: "I will liken him unto a man that built his house upon a Rock," &c., Lu 6:47; Mt 7:24. That which is built upon a Rock, stands sure in a tempestuous and stormy season: "The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house, it fell not."

    PARALLEL

    I. The Lord Christ is a firm and sure foundation: "Upon this Rock will I build my church," Mt 16:18. "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone."---"Other foundation can no man lay," 1Co 3:11. 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, Ro 8:31, (&c.)

    METAPHOR

    II. 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, Isa 22:16, and Isa 42:16; Jer 48:28.

    PARALLEL

    II. God in Christ is a believer's spiritual habitation; they, like the dove, make their nest in the clifts of the Rock, Ps 90:1, and Ps 91:9, "He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God," 1Jo 4:16. See Habitation, Dove, &c.

    METAPHOR

    III. A Rock is Locus excelsus, 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.

    PARALLEL

    III. 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.

    METAPHOR

    IV. Rocks being high, or eminent places for height, they are exceeding useful to take pleasant prospects; from hence one may see afar off: "From the tops of the Rocks I see him," saith Balaam, Nu 23:9.

    PARALLEL

    IV. 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.

    METAPHOR

    V. Rocks are strong, and were made use of for defence; they are cannon-proof; no fortifications like some Rocks; they are impregnable: David for security came into a Rock, 1Sa 13:6.

    PARALLEL

    V. God in Christ is the godly man's Refuge. He that makes God his defence, or flies to Christ for refuge, needs not fear devils, nor wicked men, nor what all the powers of hell can do unto him, Ps 89:26, and Ps 94:22.

    See Strong-tower.

    METAPHOR

    VI. 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.

    PARALLEL

    VI. The Lord Jesus hath the stability of a Rock in him. He is the Rock of ages; "The same yesterday, to-day, and for ever;" he grows not weak; as his years, so his strength decays not.

    METAPHOR

    VII. Rocks yield honey: "Out of the Rock with honey would I have satisfied them," Ps 81:16, and elsewhere it is said, "he gave them honey out of the Rock."

    PARALLEL

    VII. All sweet peace and comfort proceed from the Rock Christ, 2Pe 1:4. His promises are "sweeter than honey, or the honey-comb," Ps 19:10.

    METAPHOR

    VIII. 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.

    PARALLEL

    VIII. That celestial stream, spring, and river of comfort, viz., the Spirit, proceeds from the throne of God, and the Lamb, Re 22:1. From this Rock, saith a worthy writer, the clear and crystalline streams of living water bubble forth.

    METAPHOR

    IX. Precious stones and jewels are but as it were the sperm, the spawn, or (as philosophers would have them) the sweat of Rocks. All rich mines of gold and silver (as is evident from that in Job) are in and among Rocks,

    PARALLEL

    IX. 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.

    METAPHOR

    X. Rocks yield oil: "The Rocks poured me out rivers of oil," saith Job, Job 29:6. And in another place it is said, God made Israel to "suck honey out of the stone, and oil out of the hard Rock," De 32:13.

    PARALLEL

    X. Christ affords us store of precious oil; the Spirit is so called, with which the godly are all more or less anointed: we have received an unction from the Holy One. No oil like that which comes from this Rock.

    METAPHOR

    XI. Rocks afford a very sweet and refreshing shadow in hot countries, to weary travelers.

    PARALLEL

    XI. Christ is as "The shadow of a great Rock in a weary land;" he keeps off all the hot scorching beams of the wrath of God, and hell.

    See Apple-tree.

    METAPHOR

    XII. 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.

    PARALLEL

    XII. 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

    I. Rocks, though they abide and last long, yet are not everlasting.

    DISPARITY

    I. Christ abides for ever and ever, he being styled the Rock of ages.

    METAPHOR

    II. Rocks in many respects are barren, useless, and unprofitable things, yield no fruit; seed that falls upon a Rock comes to no maturity: "some fell upon a Rock," &c.

    DISPARITY

    II. Christ, the spiritual Rock, is very fruitful, and every way exceeding profitable.

    METAPHOR

    III. Rocks are part of the coarsest and grossest element; they are but earth, condensed and congealed into a massy senseless lump.

    DISPARITY

    III. 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.

    1. Take heed Christ be not unto you a stumbling-stone, and Rock of offence.

    2. Let the godly, who dwell in this Rock, fear no evil; "Their Rock is not like our Rock."

    3. Get into this Rock, be like the dove, that makes her nest besides the hole's moth.

    4. 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.

    5. Prize the Rock; precious water, honey and oil flow from it. 1. It is a rich Rock, 2. It is a living Rock. 3. It is an invincible Rock. 4. It is a feeding and fattening Rock. 5. It is a Rock of pearls and diamonds. 6. It is an eternal Rock.

    6. When you see a great Rock, think of Christ.

    7. Build all your hopes of happiness upon it; let your anchor be so cast, as to take hold of this Rock.