Rocks.

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 2 min. read • grade level: 12

Often composed of flint. Deut. 8:15¹⁵Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; (Deuteronomy 8:15). Deut. 32:13¹³He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; (Deuteronomy 32:13).

DESCRIBED AS

Hard. Jer. 5:3³O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. (Jeremiah 5:3).

Durable. Job 19:24²⁴That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! (Job 19:24).

Barren. Ezek. 26:4, 14⁴And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. (Ezekiel 26:4)
¹⁴And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 26:14). Amos 6:12¹²Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: (Amos 6:12). Luke 8:6⁶And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. (Luke 8:6).

Often sharp-pointed and craggy. 1 Sam. 14:4⁴And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. (1 Samuel 14:4).

Often had holes and clefts. Ex. 33:22²²And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: (Exodus 33:22).

Were a defense to a country. Isa. 33:16¹⁶He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. (Isaiah 33:16).

Dreaded by mariners. Acts 27:29²⁹Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. (Acts 27:29).

INHABITED BY

Wild goats. Job 39:1¹Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? (Job 39:1).

Conies. Psa. 104:18¹⁸The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. (Psalm 104:18). Prov. 30:26²⁶The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; (Proverbs 30:26).

Doves. SoS. 2:14. Jer. 48:28²⁸O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth. (Jeremiah 48:28).

Eagles. Job 39:28²⁸She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. (Job 39:28). Jer. 49:16¹⁶Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:16).

The olive tree flourished amongst. Deut. 32:13¹³He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; (Deuteronomy 32:13). Job 29:6⁶When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; (Job 29:6).

Bees often made their honey amongst. Deut. 32:13¹³He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; (Deuteronomy 32:13). Psa. 81:16¹⁶He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee. (Psalm 81:16).

USED AS

Altars. Judg. 6:20, 21, 26²⁰And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. ²¹Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. (Judges 6:20‑21)
²⁶And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. (Judges 6:26). Judg. 13:19¹⁹So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. (Judges 13:19).

Places for idolatrous worship. Isa. 57:5⁵Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? (Isaiah 57:5).

Places of Observation. Ex. 33:21²¹And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: (Exodus 33:21). Num. 23:9⁹For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. (Numbers 23:9).

Places of safety in danger. 1 Sam. 13:6⁶When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. (1 Samuel 13:6). Isa. 2:19¹⁹And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. (Isaiah 2:19). Jer. 16:16¹⁶Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. (Jeremiah 16:16). Rev. 6:15¹⁵And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; (Revelation 6:15).

Places for shelter by the poor in their distress. Job 24:8⁸They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. (Job 24:8). Job 30:3, 6³For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste. (Job 30:3)
⁶To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks. (Job 30:6).

The shadow of, grateful to travelers during the heat of the day. Isa. 32:2²And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. (Isaiah 32:2).

Houses often built on. Matt. 7:24, 25²⁴Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ²⁵And 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. (Matthew 7:24‑25).

Tombs often hewn out of. Isa. 22:16¹⁶What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock? (Isaiah 22:16): Matt. 27:60⁶⁰And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. (Matthew 27:60).

Important events often engraved upon. Job 19:24²⁴That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! (Job 19:24).

MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE;

Adullam. 1 Chron. 11:15¹⁵Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. (1 Chronicles 11:15).

Bozez. 1 Sam. 14:4⁴And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. (1 Samuel 14:4).

Engedi. 1 Sam. 24:1, 2¹And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. ²Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. (1 Samuel 24:1‑2).

Etam. Judg. 15:8⁸And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. (Judges 15:8).

Horeb in Rephidim. Ex. 17:1-6¹And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. ²Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? ³And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? ⁴And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. ⁵And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. ⁶Behold, 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. (Exodus 17:1‑6).

Meribah in Kadesh. Num. 20:111.

Oreb. Judg. 7:25²⁵And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. (Judges 7:25). Isa. 10:26²⁶And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. (Isaiah 10:26).

Rimmon. Judg. 20:45⁴⁵And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. (Judges 20:45).

Seneh. 1 Sam. 14:4⁴And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. (1 Samuel 14:4).

Sela-hammahlekoth in the wilderness of Moon. 1 Sam. 23:25, 28²⁵Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. (1 Samuel 23:25)
²⁸Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth. (1 Samuel 23:28).

Selah in the valley of salt. 2 Kin. 14:7. (marg.) 2 Chr. 25:11, 12¹¹And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand. ¹²And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces. (2 Chronicles 25:11‑12).

Man's industry in cutting through. Job 28:9, 10⁹He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. ¹⁰He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing. (Job 28:9‑10).

Hammers used for breaking. Jer. 23:29²⁹Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29).

Casting down from, a punishment. 2 Chr. 25:12¹²And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces. (2 Chronicles 25:12).

MIRACLES CONNECTED WITH;

Water brought from. Ex. 17:6⁶Behold, 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. (Exodus 17:6). Num. 20:11¹¹And 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. (Numbers 20:11).

Fire ascended out of. Judg. 6:21²¹Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. (Judges 6:21).

Broken in pieces by the wind. 1 Kin. 19:11.

Rent at the death of Christ. Matt. 27:51⁵¹And, 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 27:51).

God's power exhibited in removing, &c. Job 14:18¹⁸And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place. (Job 14:18). Nah. 1:6⁶Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. (Nahum 1:6).

ILLUSTRATIVE OF

God as creator of His people. Deut. 32:18¹⁸Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. (Deuteronomy 32:18).

God as the strength of His people. Psa. 18:1, 2¹<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,>> I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. ²The 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. (Psalm 18:1‑2). Psa. 62:7⁷In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. (Psalm 62:7). Isa. 17:1¹The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. (Isaiah 17:1)

God as defense of His people. Psa. 31:2, 3²Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. ³For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. (Psalm 31:2‑3).

God as refuge of His people. Psa. 94:22²²But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. (Psalm 94:22).

God as salvation of His people. Deut. 32:15¹⁵But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:15). Psa. 89:26²⁶He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. (Psalm 89:26). Psa. 95:1¹O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1).

Christ as refuge of His people. Isa. 32:2²And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. (Isaiah 32:2).

Christ as foundation of His church. Matt. 16:18¹⁸And 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. (Matthew 16:18), with 1 Peter 2:6⁶Wherefore 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. (1 Peter 2:6).

Christ as source of spiritual gifts. 1 Cor. 10:4⁴And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4).

Christ as a stumbling-stone to the wicked. Isa. 8:14¹⁴And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 8:14). Rom. 9:33³³As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:33). 1 Peter 2:8⁸And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (1 Peter 2:8).

A place of safety. Psa. 27:5⁵For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. (Psalm 27:5). Psa. 40:2²He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (Psalm 40:2).

Whatever we trust in. Deut. 32:31, 37³¹For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. (Deuteronomy 32:31)
³⁷And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, (Deuteronomy 32:37).

The ancestor of a nation. Isa. 51:1¹Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. (Isaiah 51:1).

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The New Topical Textbook

• Reptiles.

• Resignation.

• Resurrection of Christ, the.

• Resurrection, the.

• Reuben, the Tribe of.

• Revenge.

• Reviling and Reproaching.

• Reward of Saints, the.

• Riches.

• Righteousness.

• Righteousness Imputed.

• Righteousness of God, the.

• Rocks.

• Saints, Compared to.