LESSON 4
JOURNEY OF THE ISRAELITES (Part IV)
REPHIDIM to SINAI
REPHIDIM: (Exo 17:1; Num 33:14)
• This place was also called Massah and Meribah.
• The children of Israel chided and tempted the
Lord here when there was no water for them to
drink.
• Moses smote the rock with his rod.
• Water flowed out of the rock.
• Power of God was revealed.
Soon after this, the Amalekites attacked the children
of Israel and smote the hindmost of them, those
who were feeble, faint and weary (Deut 25:17,18).
About the Amalekites, the Lord said that He will
have war against them from generation to
generation (Exo 17:16).
Three things had to be done to overcome the Amalekites:
Moses had to be on the hilltop with his hands
held up (Exo 17:9-11).
Aaron and Hur had to hold up Moses’ hands
(Exo 17:12).
Joshua had to fight the enemy with the sword
(Exo 17:13).
Only then will God be with us as our Jehovah-Nissi (Banner of Victory) (Exo 17:15).
Spiritual Meaning:
• The ‘rock’ is Jesus Christ.
• Christ was smitten for us (1 Cor 10:4).
• The ‘rod’ is the judgement of God.
The same ‘rod’ was used by Moses to smote the
river that brought the judgement of God on the
Egyptians and turned the waters of the river to
blood (Exo 7:20).
Smiting the rock with the rod, therefore, speaks
of Christ taking upon Himself the judgement that
was to come upon us, so that we might receive
life.
So even in this generation, the spirit of the
Amalekites attacks us when we are faint and
weary. If we murmur in times of trial as the
children of Israel did, we will become weak in our
spiritual life and lag (fall behind).
In the church, there must be leaders who
remain in the presence of God, bearing the
iniquity of the church.
There must be a group of saints in the church
who stand by the leaders and uphold them in
prayer.
There must be those who stand by the leaders
and contend for the truth once delivered to the
saints (Jude 3).
WILDERNESS OF SINAI: (Exo19:1,2, Num 33:15) Spiritual Meaning:
• The children of Israel came into the wilderness This is a shadow of being baptised with the Holy
of Sinai and camped before the mount. Ghost and fire (Matt 3:11).
• They had to sanctify themselves and be ready
for the third day.
• On the third day, the Lord came down on Mount
Sinai, in fire and directly communed with them.

God called Moses to the top of the mount, where He
gave him the following:
1. The ten commandments
2. The pattern of the tabernacle
3. The details of the priesthood
In the New Testament:
1. Jesus divided these ten commandments into
two, namely, love towards God and love towards
our neighbour (Matt 22:35-40).
This love is shed abroad in our hearts through the
Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5).
2. We become God’s tabernacle (or temple) by
the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; 11 Cor
6:16).

3. We become a holy priesthood by the Baptism of

the Holy Spirit, to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ our Lord (1
Peter 2:5; Rev 1:6).

We should not murmur amidst trials but count it all joy when we face diverse temptations. If we
lag (fall behind), the devil will destroy our spiritual life. Therefore, being anointed with the Holy
Spirit, we should press forward.

Memory Verse:

James 1: 2, 3

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.