The people of Israel were on a long journey through the desert. God led them through this great, hot desert, and Moses was their leader. People walked and went, but there was only sand and more sand to see.
One day they came to a place called Refidam. But oh dear, there was no water to drink! People were very thirsty. They began to murmur and complained to Moses, “We are thirsty! Why did you bring us here if there is no water here?”
Moses did not know what to do. The people were very unhappy. So Moses prayed to God. He said, “God, please help us! People are thirsty and unhappy.”
God heard Moses. He said, “Moses, take your staff and go to the big rock yonder. Strike the rock with your staff, and I will see to it that water comes out.” Moses did as God said. He took his staff, went to the rock where all the people could see, and struck the rock.
Suddenly, a miracle happened! Water gushed out of the rock, and people ran to drink. Everyone had enough water, and they were happy. God had provided for the people.
All people learned in this way: God is merciful and cares for us, even if it looks impossible.
Message of history
When we have a problem, we can trust that God will help us because He loves us and cares for us.
Bible passage
The story of the water source from the rock in 2. Genesis 17:1-7 describes how the people of Israel became thirsty in the wilderness and how God brought water out of a rock through Moses:
“And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the wilderness of Sin, after their marches, at the command of the Lord; and they encamped in Rephidim. But then the people had no water to drink. Then the people quarreled with Moses, saying, “Give us water that we may drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you tempt the Lord? So when the people there thirsted for water, they murmured against Moses, saying, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us, our children, and our cattle die of thirst?” Then Moses cried out to the Lord and said, “What shall I do with this people?” It is only a little short of them to stone me! And the Lord said to Moses, “Go before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the rod with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you on the rock of Horeb, and you shall strike the rock; and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did this before the eyes of the elders of Israel. Then he called the place Massa and Meriba because of the strife of the children of Israel, and because they had tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord in our midst or not?”
