How does the smiting of the rock relate to Christ's sacrifice?

The act of Moses striking the rock in Exodus is profoundly symbolic of Christ's sacrifice. Just as the rock was smitten to bring forth water for the Israelites, Christ had to endure suffering and death to provide eternal life for those He came to save. In Isaiah 53:5, it speaks of the Messiah being 'smitten' for our transgressions, establishing the correlation that Christ, our spiritual rock, was indeed struck under the weight of God's wrath, ultimately producing life-giving water for His people. This emphasizes the necessity of His atonement for us as sinners.