Question About 1st Corinthians 10:1-5

[Hidden In Him]

In the following passage, Paul identified Christ Jesus as the Rock who followed the Israelites in the wilderness, and this equates our Lord with the God of the Old Testament.

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

My question is this: What specific passages in the Old Testament was Paul using to support this? I am aware of some things stated in the OT that can be directly equated with statements made in Revelation, but that book post-dates First Corinthians, which means Paul was getting it from someplace else. I'm curious if anyone knows where.

There is no one "right" answer, so any replies will be appreciated.

Tagging a few people who might be able to give me some responses:
JLB, eddif, Tenchi, Free, Edward, jasonc, Jethro Bodine, D-D-W, Ben Avraham, for_his_glory, Dorothy Mae, wondering, Barbarian, tim-from-pa, WIP

 

[Dorothy Mae]

In the following passage, Paul identified Christ Jesus as the Rock who followed the Israelites in the wilderness, and this equates our Lord with the God of the Old Testament.

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

My question is this: What specific passages in the Old Testament was Paul using to support this? I am aware of some things stated in the OT that can be directly equated with statements made in Revelation, but that book post-dates First Corinthians, which means Paul was getting it from someplace else. I'm curious if anyone knows where.

There is no one "right" answer, so any replies will be appreciated.

Tagging a few people who might be able to give me some responses:
JLB, eddif, Tenchi, Free, Edward, jasonc, Jethro Bodine, D-D-W, Ben Avraham, for_his_glory, Dorothy Mae, wondering, Barbarian, tim-from-pa, WIP

When I looked up the passage in bible.cc, it quotes Num16:41-50 as the reference, but that is a plain description of the events he is referring to in the above. When we read beyond verses above into the next ones, we find he is telling them not to do the same things those people did and perished as a direct result of that behavior. The description in Numbers does not describe the food or water as spiritual nor, of course, Christ as following them, but he is thinking about the text and beyond the mere words, which I think it common in the New Testament.

But I have to admit you catch me right after a discussion with a poster who demands exact wording or he refuses to see what the scripture clearly implies so I am extra sensitive to seeing that Paul is remarking on what he sees the OT scripture as implying. I also note that Paul does not use any references to where this can be found in scripture, which book of Moses, but described the events that are known to be in scripture. This I understand as I worked in eastern cultures (Asia and the S. Pacific to be exact) and those people are event oriented. That is, WHAT happened is important and not when or where it is exactly discussed. In the west we are time-oriented. What happened is less important than when. Scripture is written by event-oriented thinkers.

Thanks for giving me the honor of tagging me. I appreciate it.

 

[eddif]

In the following passage, Paul identified Christ Jesus as the Rock who followed the Israelites in the wilderness, and this equates our Lord with the God of the Old Testament.

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

My question is this: What specific passages in the Old Testament was Paul using to support this? I am aware of some things stated in the OT that can be directly equated with statements made in Revelation, but that book post-dates First Corinthians, which means Paul was getting it from someplace else. I'm curious if anyone knows where.

There is no one "right" answer, so any replies will be appreciated.

Tagging a few people who might be able to give me some responses:
JLB, eddif, Tenchi, Free, Edward, jasonc, Jethro Bodine, D-D-W, Ben Avraham, for_his_glory, Dorothy Mae, wondering, Barbarian, tim-from-pa, WIP

The very first (IMHO) jump into understanding how there should be a way to understand the passage.

I just came online and saw all the red bells. It will be interesting to see how we all answer.

We were made h the image of God.

Let Us. Very important that (Us).
Make Man. Very important (Man)
in our image. (Looking at man) a story/information will be given.
The God of creation was telling us something Very Important.
By looking at man (intensely examining man) you can get a view of the creator.

This is the introduction of symbolism in the first days of creation.

“To look at something you get information.
An image tells a story.”

By carrying that thought forward:
Very far forward.
To:
Water out of a rock
Brazen serpent on a pole
Tabernacle construction
Ark of covenant

To examine anything it can tell a story. But it takes revelation from God to understand all things.

Isaiah 6 basically says hid truth so seeing they see not and hearing they hear not.

Matthew 13 opens (gives key to Unlock)
Symbolism/imagery:
The Seed is the Word of God
The Ground is Man’s Heart

The seed has a book of development written in it.
The Genetic code is a book.
The Bible is a book of spiritual development.

The law was written in man’s heart and mind.
( the secrets of the heart will be revealed)
The ground has nutrients for growth.

Finding the meaning of Gods symbols teaches us.

The two women are two covenants

Mississippi redneck
eddif

 

[Hidden In Him]

Thanks for giving me the honor of tagging me. I appreciate it.

I was looking around a little last night, and apparently it's not one of those especially easy questions to answer.

So I appreciate the response.

 

[Hidden In Him]

To examine anything it can tell a story. But it takes revelation from God to understand all things.

Yes, which actually becomes a bit problematic when dealing with non-Trinitarians and the like. There are dozens of passages that teach His Divinity, but scriptural supports for how they actually arrived at that conclusion get tougher to come by.

Granted, they didn't come to it by scripture, but by eyewitness account, but still.

I'm a Trinitarian, btw, in case I'm putting anyone in doubt, Lol, but it's a question I think is worth trying to find an answer to.

 

[eddif]

Yes, which actually becomes a bit problematic when dealing with non-Trinitarians and the like. There are dozens of passages that teach His Divinity, but scriptural supports for how they actually arrived at that conclusion get tougher to come by.

Granted, they didn't come to it by scripture, but by eyewitness account, but still.

I'm a Trinitarian, btw, in case I'm putting anyone in doubt, Lol, but it's a question I think is worth trying to find an answer to.

Ok so you have gotten right to the problems.

There are several sources of doctrinal foundations. If I list them I get in trouble. I stay in trouble as my flesh strives against the spirit and the spirit against my flesh.

I will do what I can.

Before the Word of God became flesh it was: What God has spoken shall be written .
Redneck translation (book of Moses)
It is Written. The Gold Standard of the law

Next the prophets spoke what the spirit in them directed (they did not understand all they spoke of). The future was hidden in prophetic symbolism.

The word became flesh
John 1:14 kjv
14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

What Jesus said was truth.

1 Corinthians 15:45 kjv
45. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Other translations give became life giving spirit.

If that spirit dwells in us truth should come forth. Revelation 3:20

So without making a list I did imply sources.

All sources agree
If
You understand shadows of things to come. Especially when moving from law on stone to law placed in a new heart of flesh.

The one new man understands. He is made of Jew and gentile. Both have the same root.

Mississippi redneck
eddif

 

[eddif]

In the following passage, Paul identified Christ Jesus as the Rock who followed the Israelites in the wilderness, and this equates our Lord with the God of the Old Testament.

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Understanding the image:
The cloud our brain looks like a cloud.

Ephesians 4:23 kjv
23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And following verses.

Jesus and Holy Spirit was with the disciples, but he sent his spirit back at Pentecost.
Then
The cerebellum looks like a tree planted on either side of a river of clear spinal fluid. Modern science says thinking occurs in cerebellum too.

If you do not see the clouds of our brain and our carnal thinking in our wilderness walk, the seven hills of New Jerusalem will have trouble appearing.

Food equals word of God
Water is spinal fluid bringing needed spirit.

Our rock hard stony heart has to be broken to have a heart of flesh. Water came out of the rock in the wilderness. Out of our belly comes rivers of living water.

After it is broken in repentance it can be spoken to by the Holy Spirit.

The things in the verse were foreshadows oh spiritual things to come.

This body of death we live in will not inherit eternal life. It will be changed at the last trump.

We are the temple, but not the eternal reality of what we will be.

Of course you are reading redneck writing. Judge it
eddif

 

[Jethro Bodine]

For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

My question is this: What specific passages in the Old Testament was Paul using to support this?

Deuteronomy 32

 

[Hidden In Him]

Understanding the image:
The cloud our brain looks like a cloud.

Ephesians 4:23 kjv
23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And following verses.

Jesus and Holy Spirit was with the disciples, but he sent his spirit back at Pentecost.
Then
The cerebellum looks like a tree planted on either side of a river of clear spinal fluid. Modern science says thinking occurs in cerebellum too.

If you do not see the clouds of our brain and our carnal thinking in our wilderness walk, the seven hills of New Jerusalem will have trouble appearing.

Food equals word of God
Water is spinal fluid bringing needed spirit.

Our rock hard stony heart has to be broken to have a heart of flesh. Water came out of the rock in the wilderness. Out of our belly comes rivers of living water.

After it is broken in repentance it can be spoken to by the Holy Spirit.

The things in the verse were foreshadows oh spiritual things to come.

This body of death we live in will not inherit eternal life. It will be changed at the last trump.

We are the temple, but not the eternal reality of what we will be.

Of course you are reading redneck writing. Judge it

My brother, you seem to be missing the point of the exercise, Lol. See, we can allegorize and spiritualize, but the NT writers were already spiritualizing and allegorizing all kinds of things from the OT to make various arguments. I'm looking for specific texts that would corroborate in no uncertain terms Paul's claim that Jesus was the Old Testament God.

Think of it as if you were a Jew, and wanted textual proofs from both the OT and NT that confirmed Jesus and Jehovah were one and the same God.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Deuteronomy 32

Thanks for the reply.

This certainly identifies the God of the Old Testament as the Rock, only I read through the entire Chapter and couldn't find anything in it that could be used to specifically identify Jesus as the same thing.

Decent try, but if there's anything there I wasn't able to find it.

 

[tim-from-pa]

The Rock that followed them was based on a Jewish legend sometime after the events. In an ecumenical Bible I have, it states, "A later legend told of a Rock following the people in the desert. Paul sees the Rock as a symbol of Christ..." Other Bibles state basically the same in their footnotes, although I'm not sure of the source of the legend. But scriptural reference and deduction is based on the likes of Numbers 20:11 and the fact that the passage uses the definite article 'THE' (the letter He in Hebrew)specifying a specific Rock. In short, Moses would not have picked out a new rock for each location any more than there are multiple Christs. I looked at the text myself and can confirm that I don't believe that because I was told it, but because the Hebrew word הַסָּלַע appeared in the texts (I can read Hebrew). Yes, there was only one Rock and therefore must have been carried with them is the logical conclusion - not many Rocks but One God: She-ma yisrael, adonai eloheinu, adonai echad.

Now for some additional information and this is what I believe about the Rock. The rest can stop here if they don't like what I'm about to say. Words don't hurt anyone and one does not have to read them if they don't like them. But I find this fascinating.
* This Rock is the same as Jacob's Pillar or Pillow Stone in Bethel and was a perfect size for a comfortable pillow. (Genesis 28:22)
* Jacob later made a reference to the "Stone of Israel" while blessing his sons under the care of the house of Joseph (Genesis 49:22-24)
* It was the pillar stones that the Kings of Israel had their coronation on e.g. 2Kings 11:14. I knew that the Lord at one time was getting my attention when the chapter and verse (1114) used to be my old house address. LOL
* Israel was to do without a pillar (or image KJV) stone for awhile because the house of Israel, lost to history, became other nations while the stone remained with the Kings of Judah being the eternal Davidic lineage. (Hosea 3:4)
*With complex prophetic passages I won't elaborate on here, Jeremiah who mysteriously vanished from Scripture was reported by legend that he transferred the throne of King David to Ireland where it is told as an old man brought a chest, a pillar stone for coronation and a princess who was King Zedekiah's daughter (c.f. Ezekiel 17:22-24). In that location were the sons of Zarah-Judah also of a royal lineage and the transference of birthright could be made by a daughter if she married within her own tribe. Also in the isles were some of the lost house of Israel who later were to become many nations and one great nation to come from them spilling over the wall (c.f. Genesis 49:22). Thus, the royal house of King David remains but as Jeremiah stated that David would never want a man to rule over the house of Israel (not Judah). Today, it's commonly known as the Coronation stone, Jacob's Pillar, or the Stone of Destiny that the royal house of Britain has in their coronation ceremony.
*As a side note here, Paul mentions that the Antichrist will prove that he is the Christ while sitting in the Temple of God (to be built yet). I listen to a famous 'conspiracy' theory talk show host, who by the way can quote prophecy as good as any end time preacher, make the connection that the royal house of Britain will be able to trace their lineage back to King David, and thus as the "son of David" proclaim himself as the Messiah. The thing is, technically, that's true, although the real Messiah's lineage is just as valid and actually more so (but that genealogical lesson is for another day not today). If you are curious, the name is Clyde Lewis Ground Zero. He had preachers on his shows already.

 

[eddif]

Paul was getting it from someplace else. I'm curious if anyone knows where

Paul is the one who wrote Romans 1:20
He must have looked at creation.

I can shut up if you like. You asked.

eddif

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Thanks for the reply.

This certainly identifies the God of the Old Testament as the Rock, only I read through the entire Chapter and couldn't find anything in it that could be used to specifically identify Jesus as the same thing.

Decent try, but if there's anything there I wasn't able to find it.

How are you missing it?
Moses says God is their Rock.
Paul refers to that Rock as Jesus.
Walla! Jesus is God.

(Yes, I know it's 'voila', but, hey, I cants never remember how to spell that.)

 

[eddif]

The Rock that followed them was based on a Jewish legend sometime after the events. In an ecumenical Bible I have, it states, "A later legend told of a Rock following the people in the desert. Paul sees the Rock as a symbol of Christ..." Other Bibles state basically the same in their footnotes, although I'm not sure of the source of the legend. But scriptural reference and deduction is based on the likes of Numbers 20:11 and the fact that the passage uses the definite article 'THE' (the letter He in Hebrew)specifying a specific Rock. In short, Moses would not have picked out a new rock for each location any more than there are multiple Christs. I looked at the text myself and can confirm that I don't believe that because I was told it, but because the Hebrew word הַסָּלַע appeared in the texts (I can read Hebrew). Yes, there was only one Rock and therefore must have been carried with them is the logical conclusion - not many Rocks but One God: She-ma yisrael, adonai eloheinu, adonai echad.

Now for some additional information and this is what I believe about the Rock. The rest can stop here if they don't like what I'm about to say. Words don't hurt anyone and one does not have to read them if they don't like them. But I find this fascinating.
* This Rock is the same as Jacob's Pillar or Pillow Stone in Bethel and was a perfect size for a comfortable pillow. (Genesis 28:22)
* Jacob later made a reference to the "Stone of Israel" while blessing his sons under the care of the house of Joseph (Genesis 49:22-24)
* It was the pillar stones that the Kings of Israel had their coronation on e.g. 2Kings 11:14. I knew that the Lord at one time was getting my attention when the chapter and verse (1114) used to be my old house address. LOL
* Israel was to do without a pillar (or image KJV) stone for awhile because the house of Israel, lost to history, became other nations while the stone remained with the Kings of Judah being the eternal Davidic lineage. (Hosea 3:4)
*With complex prophetic passages I won't elaborate on here, Jeremiah who mysteriously vanished from Scripture was reported by legend that he transferred the throne of King David to Ireland where it is told as an old man brought a chest, a pillar stone for coronation and a princess who was King Zedekiah's daughter (c.f. Ezekiel 17:22-24). In that location were the sons of Zarah-Judah also of a royal lineage and the transference of birthright could be made by a daughter if she married within her own tribe. Also in the isles were some of the lost house of Israel who later were to become many nations and one great nation to come from them spilling over the wall (c.f. Genesis 49:22). Thus, the royal house of King David remains but as Jeremiah stated that David would never want a man to rule over the house of Israel (not Judah). Today, it's commonly known as the Coronation stone, Jacob's Pillar, or the Stone of Destiny that the royal house of Britain has in their coronation ceremony.
*As a side note here, Paul mentions that the Antichrist will prove that he is the Christ while sitting in the Temple of God (to be built yet). I listen to a famous 'conspiracy' theory talk show host, who by the way can quote prophecy as good as any end time preacher, make the connection that the royal house of Britain will be able to trace their lineage back to King David, and thus as the "son of David" proclaim himself as the Messiah. The thing is, technically, that's true, although the real Messiah's lineage is just as valid and actually more so (but that genealogical lesson is for another day not today). If you are curious, the name is Clyde Lewis Ground Zero. He had preachers on his shows already.

Does Hebrew have a parallel to Greek Lithos and Petros? As in one is a large foundation stone.
eddif

 

[tim-from-pa]

Does Hebrew have a parallel to Greek Lithos and Petros? As in one is a large foundation stone.
eddif

Yes, there are different Hebrew words used for this Rock.

 

[Cooper]

In the following passage, Paul identified Christ Jesus as the Rock who followed the Israelites in the wilderness, and this equates our Lord with the God of the Old Testament.

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

My question is this: What specific passages in the Old Testament was Paul using to support this? I am aware of some things stated in the OT that can be directly equated with statements made in Revelation, but that book post-dates First Corinthians, which means Paul was getting it from someplace else. I'm curious if anyone knows where.

There is no one "right" answer, so any replies will be appreciated.

Tagging a few people who might be able to give me some responses:
JLB, eddif, Tenchi, Free, Edward, jasonc, Jethro Bodine, D-D-W, Ben Avraham, for_his_glory, Dorothy Mae, wondering, Barbarian, tim-from-pa, WIP

ROCK
Exodus 17:6 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.

Numbers 20:10-11 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? (11) And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

Isaiah 43:20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

Isaiah 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

CLOUD
Exo_13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

Exo_14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

Exo_16:10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

Exo_19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

Exo_24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

Plus, many more.

.

 

[Cooper]

2Sa_22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

2Sa_22:47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

Psa_18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psa_18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Psa_62:2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

Psa_62:6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

Psa_62:7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Psa_89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

Jesus is the rock of our salvation, and then people say Peter is the rock!
.

 

[232 Ben Yissachar]

1 Corinthians 10:1
Do not be ignorant, about what? That it was all our fathers. Addressing those that were in past time gentiles, but now they had become citizens of Israel Ephesians 2:11-12. Paul was teaching them what each generation is commanded to teach the next generation of Israel, that it was their fathers that came out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 4:9 Psalms 78:3-8

​	Psalms 78 1 Give ear, O My people, to My Torah: incline your ears to the words of My mouth. 2​ I will open My mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: YESHUA taught the Torah in parables

Exodus 13:21
And the LORD {YHWH} went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

Because it is going to happen again, this time Worldwide, Many Assemblies, the escape that YESHUA said to watch and pray to be accounted worthy of.

For when you see these things, look up, for your redemption draws nigh, are you not already saved? The Redemption YESHUA is referencing is this

Isaiah 4:5 And the LORD {YHWH} will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

YHWH YESHUA was in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire, YESHUA appeared to Abraham, YESHUA gave the Torah, YESHUA led them in the wilderness, YESHUA drowned the egyptians in the sea, YESHUA sent fire upon sodom and gomorrah, the Scriptures testify of Him, and why it is so hard for many to grasp these things it is because they have been taught that it was the Father who did all of this, when it was the SON.

Exodus 17:6
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.

There are twelve gates into the New Jerusalem, blessed are those that keep His commandments that they may enter in through the gates into the city. And each gate is Named for a tribe of Israel, there isn't a catholic gate, a protesting catholic gate, a non-denominational protesting catholic gate, there are only Gates for Israel, what Paul says those in Messiah had become, and as Paul prophesied, savage wolves came in long ago and turned His heritage into something that it is not, a non-Israel gentile church, there's no such thing in the Scriptures.

What it all comes down to is this, when He gathers His people out of all the places where they are scattered, those that did not learn from the mistakes of the fathers, will do the same thing, and will be purged.

Ezekiel 20:38​

And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against Me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD {YHWH}.

Exodus 14:13​

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the YESHUA of YHWH, which He will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

 

[Hidden In Him]

The Rock that followed them was based on a Jewish legend sometime after the events. In an ecumenical Bible I have, it states, "A later legend told of a Rock following the people in the desert. Paul sees the Rock as a symbol of Christ..." Other Bibles state basically the same in their footnotes, although I'm not sure of the source of the legend. But scriptural reference and deduction is based on the likes of Numbers 20:11 and the fact that the passage uses the definite article 'THE' (the letter He in Hebrew)specifying a specific Rock. In short, Moses would not have picked out a new rock for each location any more than there are multiple Christs. I looked at the text myself and can confirm that I don't believe that because I was told it, but because the Hebrew word הַסָּלַע appeared in the texts (I can read Hebrew). Yes, there was only one Rock and therefore must have been carried with them is the logical conclusion - not many Rocks but One God: She-ma yisrael, adonai eloheinu, adonai echad.

Now for some additional information and this is what I believe about the Rock. The rest can stop here if they don't like what I'm about to say. Words don't hurt anyone and one does not have to read them if they don't like them. But I find this fascinating.
* This Rock is the same as Jacob's Pillar or Pillow Stone in Bethel and was a perfect size for a comfortable pillow. (Genesis 28:22)
* Jacob later made a reference to the "Stone of Israel" while blessing his sons under the care of the house of Joseph (Genesis 49:22-24)
* It was the pillar stones that the Kings of Israel had their coronation on e.g. 2Kings 11:14. I knew that the Lord at one time was getting my attention when the chapter and verse (1114) used to be my old house address. LOL
* Israel was to do without a pillar (or image KJV) stone for awhile because the house of Israel, lost to history, became other nations while the stone remained with the Kings of Judah being the eternal Davidic lineage. (Hosea 3:4)
*With complex prophetic passages I won't elaborate on here, Jeremiah who mysteriously vanished from Scripture was reported by legend that he transferred the throne of King David to Ireland where it is told as an old man brought a chest, a pillar stone for coronation and a princess who was King Zedekiah's daughter (c.f. Ezekiel 17:22-24). In that location were the sons of Zarah-Judah also of a royal lineage and the transference of birthright could be made by a daughter if she married within her own tribe. Also in the isles were some of the lost house of Israel who later were to become many nations and one great nation to come from them spilling over the wall (c.f. Genesis 49:22). Thus, the royal house of King David remains but as Jeremiah stated that David would never want a man to rule over the house of Israel (not Judah). Today, it's commonly known as the Coronation stone, Jacob's Pillar, or the Stone of Destiny that the royal house of Britain has in their coronation ceremony.
*As a side note here, Paul mentions that the Antichrist will prove that he is the Christ while sitting in the Temple of God (to be built yet). I listen to a famous 'conspiracy' theory talk show host, who by the way can quote prophecy as good as any end time preacher, make the connection that the royal house of Britain will be able to trace their lineage back to King David, and thus as the "son of David" proclaim himself as the Messiah. The thing is, technically, that's true, although the real Messiah's lineage is just as valid and actually more so (but that genealogical lesson is for another day not today). If you are curious, the name is Clyde Lewis Ground Zero. He had preachers on his shows already.

Well now that's certainly interesting... and something came to mind by the time I got to the beginning of your last paragraph. Paul could have been deducing it from Daniel 2. What more obvious identifier than the One whose kingdom would stand forever?

31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. (Daniel 2:31-44).

Thanks for taking the time to write all that down. Looks like it took a second to compile.
Blessings in Christ to you,
- H

 

[tim-from-pa]

In the following passage, Paul identified Christ Jesus as the Rock who followed the Israelites in the wilderness, and this equates our Lord with the God of the Old Testament.....

I am overjoyed at the amount of Scripture (and some legend) about this Rock we are seeing here in this thread so far. So little did you realize you actually opened up basically what the Bible (and thus Jesus Christ) is all about! LOL