THE PERFECT ROCK 

Geology tells us that you cannot find a rock in its natural state that does not contain a crack. Why? “Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent” (Matthew 27:50, 51). 

Who is the perfect rock? When Christ asked His disciples, “But whom say ye (plural) that I am?” Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Christ told Peter that he was blessed because that revelation did not come from flesh and blood but from, “My Father which in heaven. That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  Peter is not the Rock! Peter’s answer is the Rock. “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-18). The Apostle Paul, speaking of Moses to the Church at Corinth, said “for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them:  and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4). 

His perfect work - “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me” (Psalms 138:8). “Because I will publish the name of the LORD:  ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:3, 4). “For who is God save the LORD? Or who is a Rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect” (Psalms 18:31, 32; 2 Samuel 22:33). “For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).                          

Man’s work – Perhaps the strongest and most beautiful city man has ever built upon this earth was the Phoenician port city of Tyre, or Tyrus, in Lebanon. The term phonics originated from their work. It was a strong city (Joshua 19:29). A city of such wealth that “Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire” (1 Kings 9:11). Because Tyrus rejoiced at the destruction of Jerusalem, the Lord God was against them (Ezekiel 26:2). They also worshiped the works of their own hands saying, “I am of perfect beauty. Thy builders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty” (Ezekiel 27: 3, 4, 11). When men worship their own works, it follows that they then want to be worshiped, “Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said I am a God” (Ezekiel 28:2, 6, 17).  

 You can find at least eighty-one prophecies in Ezekiel, Chapter 26, detailing exactly how destruction was to occur, including King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon’s thirteen-year failed attempt to subdue the city from 586 B.C. to 573 B.C. Alexander accomplished the task in seven months in 332 B.C. How? God’s prophecy: “I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock” (Ezekiel 26:4, 14). “And they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water” (Ezekiel 26:12). Alexander built a causeway to the last island stronghold with the rubble and dust removed from the beautiful works of man's hands. What is left? The Perfect Rock.  

Among the things too wonderful for me to understand is “the way of a serpent upon a rock” (Proverbs 30:18). When the old serpent crawls thru dust, he leaves a mark “for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19). The serpent cannot leave any mark upon the Rock.  

Moses, while standing upon a Rock, was placed in a cleft of the Rock, covered with God’s hand while His glory passed by. Moses was shown only the back parts (history). It is from there Moses was shown the creation events in Genesis (Exodus 33:22). 

Remember the prayer: “when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I” (Psalms 61:2).  Let us end this little study with this beautiful song: “The LORD liveth: and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted” (Psalms 18:46). 

Elder Don R. Watson 

Canyon, Texas