Since the advent and inundation into society of social media, phrases and expressions have been hackneyed daily. They become cliché and often sound rehearsed. One such phrase that has jumped out at me every time I see it is, ‘He is my rock.’ Most of the time it appears in a loving post for a birthday or anniversary greeting or could just be in appreciation to a significant other just because. It is often accompanied with other sappy remarks and usually well-deserved by the addressee. However, it is always a little unpalatable to me, not because I do not have a wonderful husband of forty years, a great marriage and he absolutely makes me feel secure and safe, but because I somehow, have in my mind over the years, reserved the title of ‘My Rock’, ‘The Rock’, ‘Solid Rock’, and other similar renditions of this, or my Savior, Jesus Christ. Keep in mind, this is not to offend anyone, but just a personal preference, just as some people may not like pickles or olives. Not right or wrong, just is. We use expressions like, “My theory is ‘rock solid’ or I feel like I am between a ‘rock and a hard place,’ which need no explanation, because just mentioning the word ‘rock,’ causes us to picture strength, resolve, firm, sturdy, and safety.
The Psalmist David started this social media trend, when he used the words ‘My Rock’ 15 times referring to the Lord. One verse that you may recognize is, Psalm 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.” He used the word ‘rock’ 26 times. The Hymn written in 1898 by Henry J. Zelley from New Jersey and Henry L. Gilmour originally from Ireland, called, ‘He brought me out’, sung in churches all around the world, is from Psalm 40:2, “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” This might be one song that as a child you would scratch your head about the lyrics, but as you grow older and go through trials and hardships of life, you begin to grasp the full significance of the words and message. I am thankful that God is still in the excavation business.
Just to set your mind at ease for those of you who have tuned me out because you have been one of those who have used that phrase, there have been others that have used that title and I take no umbrage with it. We had the classic Rocky Movies played by Sylvester Stallone from 1976 to 2006. Those were quite compelling, brought in millions of dollars, and continue to be great hits. Of course, you have an entire music genre and era called rock or rock n’ roll. Elvis Presley holds the title of the King of Rock and Roll, though Chuck Berry invented it. Many of you, I dare say could name your favorite rock stars. Though it was not known for its virtuous characteristics, in fact the opposite, it remains extremely popular to date. Finally, you have ‘The Rock.’ This was a ring name given to former WWE wrestler, Dwayne Douglas Johnson. He was born in 1972 in Hayward California, with his first success being a college football career, after which he moved into the wrestling arena. His wrestling career spanned from 1996 until he ‘quietly retired’ in 2019. However, he is not retired from other endeavors. He has a successful acting career, he is a businessman, producer for the company he founded in 2012 called Seven Bucks Productions, an activist, philanthropist, and singer. He has had other accomplishments along the way including his autobiography being published in 2000, called, ‘The Rock Says…’. He has also won many awards and accolades for the work he has done and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. These have earned their merit honestly, and deserve the credit they receive, but they will eventually fade away into the history books. Jesus is our present help in time of need and will be to everlasting.
Though Dwayne Johnson called himself ‘The Rock,’ the Apostle Simon, called Peter and Cephas by Jesus which means rock. Cephas being the Aramaic and Peter being the Latin translation. Simon Peter was just a fisherman by trade and did not portray the characteristics of a rock. When Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He was not referring to the man in front of him, but the revelation that had voiced by Peter in that moment that he showed he did have a backbone or was at least impetuous. Verses 13 to 19 give us a better look at the scenario. “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” The revelation of who Jesus was, was immutable, solid, a firm foundation, something on which you could rely. Even though Peter the man would falter, he would go back to the revelation of the true Rock, Christ, the Son of the living God to find forgiveness.
The dictionary version of what a rock is: “1: a large mass of stone forming a cliff, promontory, or peak.2: a concreted mass of stony material, also broken pieces of such masses.3: consolidated or unconsolidated solid mineral matter, also a particular mass of it.” There are three types of rocks that are on a continuum. The rock cycle is a series of processes that create and transform the types of rocks in Earth’s crust. There are Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic rocks. Igneous, also known as Liquid Rock, Lava, or Magma, apropos from the Latin word fire, are the rocks formed from the hot, molten material that we see after a volcanic eruption. When this solidifies on the surface of the earth, called extrusive rocks, like Pumice used in concrete and Obsidian used in ornamental pieces. When it solidifies beneath the earth, they are known as intrusive rocks, like granite and diorite, both used in the building process. They are also coated with a crust of beautiful crystals. Gemstones are mined from rocks that look very plain and ordinary. Some of those harvested from igneous rocks are quartz, which could be amethyst, ametrine and citrine, tanzanite, topaz, diamonds and more. They now make tile and mosaics from liquid rock. This seems like an oxymoron, but we see that the rock cycle has many stages, including liquid form.
Sedimentary rocks can also be divided into three categories, organic, like coal, chemical, like limestone and flint and clastic, like sandstone. They form from pieces of existing materials. Through the process of erosion, weathering, and water evaporation. These can yield precious stones like jasper, opals, malachite, and zircon. Thirdly, metamorphic rocks are presented in foliated or non-foliated classes. They are rocks that are transformed into a different type of rock, when put under extreme heat or pressure and begin to form layers called foliation, like granite, or without as many minerals they may not have the same appearance, being non-foliated, like marble. Beryl such as emeralds, aquamarine and morganite, jade, turquoise, ruby, and sapphire are beautiful gems that would come from this metamorphic process. As a sidebar to get us back on track as to who our Rock is; The color of gemstones is a result of how they refract light. Satan went wrong when he began to think that his beauty came from himself and forgot that he was a created being. It was from the Light that shone on his bejewel garments that shone and reflected Glory back to God. Ezekiel 28:13-17, “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covered; and I have set thee so: thou was upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou was created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise, they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore, I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.” Isaiah 14:12-14, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” God is the true source of beauty, light and is our Solid Rock.
Jesus was God manifest in the flesh, and as such received praise and worship that was offered to him when he was on earth. Luke 19:35-40, “And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” The stones and mountains will cry out to Him because he is the Creator, and the scripture tells us that they are witnesses of that, even if we never had a Bible to read. They also are awaiting their redemption from this world as we are. Amos 4:13, “For, lo, he that formed the mountains, and created the wind, and declared unto man what is his thought, that made the morning darkness, and treads upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name.” Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Romans 8:22, “For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.”
Scripture states that Jesus was that rock that followed them in the wilderness and quenched their thirst, however, he was rejected in the New Testament as being the One. 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.” 1 Corinthians 10:4, “And they did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” Romans 9:33, “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.” Psalm 118:22, “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.” 1 Peter 2:4-8, “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” Without Jesus our lives would fall apart. As you see in the previous verses, he is the part of the very foundation, and the chief corner stone which supports the entire structure. In architecture, the corner stone is the first stone laid in masonry foundations as a directional stone. Jesus gives the example and acknowledgement that a foundation is paramount to the building staying up, and in this verse, he denotes that his Word is that foundation. Matthew 7:24-25, “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” Buildings can stand for hundreds of years if established on a firm foundation.
The Old Testament prophets would make alters unto the Lord out of rocks so that they would stand as a memorial unto God before any friend or foe that would pass by. Thus, continually giving God glory for his deliverance. There are many examples of altars in the scripture for sacrificing and used as monuments. Deuteronomy 27:6, “Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God.” Joshua 22 ;26-28, “Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord. Therefore, said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.” Our children need to know who the true Rock is. They need to know who they can depend on when times get rough and witness us relying on Him.
There is one thing that should not be hewn out of, or metamorphic into stone or rock, and that is the heart. It must be humble and pliable in the hands of the Master. Our hearts are to be a soft soil in which the seed of the word can grow and flourish in. If we are stony ground, the seeds of the Word will wither away. Luke 8:6, “And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.” Luke 8:13, “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” The commandments were originally written on stone by Moses, but now are in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 3:3, “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” We must be willing to look to Jesus and his word as our foundation and fall upon him and his mercies. Matthew 21:42-44, Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore, say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” Ezekiel 36:26, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.” If we ask him, he will change us, make us a new creature, and give us a new heart.
The Psalmist David was not living in a virtual reality, but his writings were from personal experience. He had learned to love and trust the Lord as a shepherd boy when no one else was around. 1 Samuel 13:14 tells us of how the kingdom is taken from Saul and given to David. “But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” David knew where to run to and where to hide. Psalm 94:22, “But the Lord is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge.” There were times in his life that he had to hide in caves from those that sought to kill him. He knew that God had a plan for his life, and he knew who his true defense was. The children of Israel also knew how to survive by taking refuge. Judges 6:2, “And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.” Proverbs 30:26 tells us, “The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.” Conies were also known as small ‘rock rabbits’ because they hide under rocks for survival. Tiny but wise.
We are all human and life is riddled with troubles, but we survive by hiding in Jesus, our Rock, and our strength. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” Penned around 1762 by Augustus M. Toplady while in a storm, put to music by Thomas Hastings, the hymn ‘Rock of Ages’ embodies this concept. He is the solid Rock.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.
Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labor of my hands, can fulfill Thy law’s demands.
Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow.
All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.
Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace.
Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, when my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown, and behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.