Mount Augustus in Western Australia’s Golden Outback is supposed to be the world’s largest rock. It covers an area of 18 1/2 square miles and rises 2,815’ above the surrounding plain. The central ridge is nearly 5 miles long.
God is first called a “rock” in Moses’ song he led just before he died and the Israelites crossed into the promised land. The song is found in Deuteronomy 32 and in verse 4, Moses sings: “The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.”
Rocks were used in the desert for a few different reasons: large rocks provided shade; they provided a hiding place; they could also be an indication that water was nearby. There were several reasons why, then, biblical writers would refer to God as a “rock” and the book of psalms are full of such references and we see several references in the prophets.
Here in Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses associates several attributes of God with the picture of Him as a rock: perfection, just, faithful, righteous, upright. Moses will refer to God as a “rock” several times in this song: verses 15 (“Rock of his salvation”), 18, 30, and 31. Then, in verses 31 and 37, Moses will say that other peoples also have a “rock” in whom they trust but their rock does not provide the benefits as the Rock of Israel, the God of heaven.
In the year of our country’s birth, a British man named Augustus M. Toplady wrote a song directed at the Rock: “The Rock of Ages.” The initial stanza of this song was published in a magazine, The Gospel Magazine, in October 1775. He wrote the hymn for an article in the same magazine in March 1776. That article dealt with the impossibility of man paying for his own sins.
I’m not sure how he reckoned it, but Toplady estimated that if a man should live to be 80 years old, he would commit 2,522,880,000 sins.
THE CLEFT ROCK – Exodus 33:17-23:
It seems verse one, which sets the stage for the whole message, is based on an event from the life of Moses recorded in Exodus 33.
Toplady uses this event to portray the protection that we receive through the blood of Christ. The only Gospel writer who mentions the blood of Christ in the context of the crucifixion itself is John, which he does in 19:32-34. In the cleft of the Rock of God’s love, we are hidden by the blood of Christ that flowed from His side on the cross.
That blood provides a double cure for sin, a cure for the guilt of sin and a cure of the power of sin. To say that we have no guilt for sin is the definition of the biblical word atonement.
THE EMPTY SACRIFICE – Titus 3:3-7:
I suggest a succinct biblical foundation for the thoughts from verse 2 can be found in Paul’s message to the young preacher Titus in 3:3-7.
There is no good thing that we can do to merit / deserve eternal life. There is no way we can live perfectly, sinlessly, fulfilling every single expectation God has of us – every minute of every day our whole life. We cannot save ourselves.
Toplady reminds us that even if our zeal for God knew no “respite,” no rest or relief, that is, even if we never ended our zeal for God and we were always hot, on fire for evangelism and faithful works, it would not be enough. He goes on: “could my tears [for my sins] forever flow…” If I cried Lake Superior full of tears for my sins, it would not cleanse a single sin, “all for sin could not atone.”
Only Christ and Christ alone can save.
THE FOUNTAIN OF CLEANSING – Zechariah 13:1:
In verse 3, Toplady will eventually portray the forgiving blood of Christ as a fountain. That imagery comes likely from an Old Testament minor prophet named Zechariah. Zechariah is living at a time when Israel was discouraged because of their 70-years in exile and they were back in their homeland but their temple laid in ruins, a constant reminder that it was destroyed and they spent 70 years in exile because of sin.
“Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to Thy cross I cling.” In 1 Corinthians 2:2, the apostle Paul wrote: “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
Toplady goes on: “Naked, I come to Thee for dress; Helpless, I look to Thee for grace. Vile (extremely unpleasant!), to the fountain I fly. Wash me, Savior, or I die.”
Toplady’s song is a song that finds refuge and hope in the God who is the Rock. That Rock provides defense, shade, hope from the bite of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. We have to come to grips with the fact that we cannot earn our salvation. All we can do is come to Jesus with the humility to do what He tells us to do and then find joy in the salvation He offers.
God hides us from Satan through the blood of His Son. With empty hands, offer Him your heart in faith and obedience. The fountain of His love will cleanse your sins.
Paul Holland