Rock Did Not Follow "Them"

"...Our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed THEM: and that Rock was Messiah" (I Corinthians 10:4).

Did a Rock really follow the Israelites? Did a Rock follow them? The answer is no -- "them" does not appear in the Greek, and therefore should not be in our English versions. This added word changes the intended meaning. Context suggests that drinking from the Rock was an event which occurred LATER IN TIME.

The Messiah did not follow Israel around in the wilderness. Instead of following them, he would have led them. The intended meaning must be that Yeshua the Messiah came later in time (followed) after Israel's wilderness experience. Yeshua was not back there in Mose's time:

"But when the fullness of time was come, the Almighty sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law" (Galatians 4:4) -- in other words, a normally begotten human being!

YEHOVAH's Shekinah Glory that accompanied Israel did not follow them. Rather it "went before them" (Exodus 23:20, 32:34, 33:2). This lends powerful support to the view stated above, indicating that it is correct.

Hope of Israel Ministries
P.O. Box 853
Azusa, CA 91702, U.S.A.
www.hope-of-israel.org