In the book of Exodus, we see a typology of Christ (Exo. 17: 5-6). The children of Israel complained about their thirst and God instructed Moses to strike a rock once and water would come out. Other portions of scripture –Psalms and the testimony of the Apostle Paul –reveal to us that this “rock” is a type of Christ (1 Cor. 10:1-4). That rock proffered a solution to a fatal problem. It returned hope to a discouraged people and faith to a weighed down generation. Just like Christ does. In the same way that rock quenched their thirst, Jesus provides us water so thirst-quenching, we will never have to thirst again. (Jn. 4:14) 

Salvation is a once and for all transaction. It is erroneous to think that Jesus Christ will have to come back to die for anyone else or any other sin. Jesus was struck once for all our sins and shortcomings. He was struck once for all our diseases and sicknesses. He was struck once for our salvation. When God asked Moses to speak instead to the rock, as opposed to striking it as he did the first time, He wanted to create a perfect picture of what Jesus Christ is to believers. He wanted to reveal His masterplan of a one-time sacrifice so powerful that it covers for sins of the world. He was showing us that there would be no need for extra activities and all we would need to do was to speak the word to receive answers. (Num. 20: 7-13)

Many believers easily believe that they have to strike the rock for something to happen but find it hard to believe in speaking to the rock instead. They initially believe in the sacrifice of Jesus but subsequently when all they have to do is go by that same faith concerning their walk with God, they feel that something extra has to be done. And this is the thing, you cannot try to complete to an already complete work. Such people believe in the grace that saved them but can’t comprehend the grace that keeps them saved. They try to do more than what God instructs, and like Moses, they end up on the offending side. (Num. 20:7-13)

It is wrong to think that there are some things that are just too heavy to be covered by the blood of Christ. God told Moses to strike that rock once and subsequently, He said to speak to it. That is, the initial suffering that the rock had been exposed to did not need to happen again to get the same results. Jesus is not coming to earth to die for any “new” sin or sinner. The same result can be gotten by the words we speak (that is, our confession of faith).

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Sometimes, when we feel there has to be more than just speaking to the rock, when we feel there needs to be an extra action to take, we fall short of God’s glory. It is this way of thinking that has made many Christians slip into the confusion that they can earn or work for their salvation. However, we know from Romans 6:23 that salvation is not worked for, it is the free gift of God through Christ Jesus. 

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The concept of “once struck” is that of completion. Isaiah 53:5 points it out to us that Jesus’ sacrifice cuts across virtually every aspect of our life. It covers for our wellbeing, soul and health. It is a complete sacrifice. Jesus Christ was struck, that is, He suffered all that He did, to give us all of these blessings. Now, He sits at God’s right hand, resting from any further sacrifice because all that needed to be done has been done. (Heb. 10:12)

What this means to every believer is that we live and serve God from a place of rest. Instead of exerting energy striking the Rock, we can speak to It instead. It means you can speak to those challenges and they would give way. There is no need for anything extracurricular. It means you can tell that sickness to depart and it will without you performing a special step. It means we can depend on the grace of God, instead of trying to make it about our works. (Heb. 4:16)

No one’s sin is above the cross. The gospel of the cross is salvation for all. Not for some. The blood of Jesus doesn’t just wash away some sins and leave others. It washes away all sins. The atoning sacrifice for all sins you have committed and may commit has already been made by that one-time event.

If you are yet to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, now is a good time to do so. Your sins are washed away in His blood. Say this prayer: Dear Jesus, I thank you for loving me. I thank you for being the Rock that was struck once for all my shortcomings and for my wellbeing. Today I accept you as the Lord of my life. Please help me live empowered by your grace.  Amen.