1 Moreover, brethren, I
would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the
cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses
in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And
did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock
that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with many of
them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. (1 Cor
10:1-5)
There is none holy as the LORD:
for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. (1 Sam
2:2)
Rock
of Ages, Cleft for Me
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,
cleanse
me from its guilt and power.
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 the 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
mine eyelids close in death,
when I
soar through tracts unknown
see
thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock
of ages, cleft for me,
let me
hide myself in thee.
That Ancient Rock of Ages was not Peter, or any Pope, but the Lord Jesus
Christ! There is no Vicar of Christ that stands in His stead – He forever
stands for Himself, and none can take His place. Both the words and music
(Petra) were written by Augustus Montague Toplady in 1775. The words have been
described of the most concise embodiment of the whole of the Word of God in
beaut y, in majesty, in meaning, and in intent. The blessed Bishop of
Manchester, John Charles Ryle, has described the hymn in the following words: “Of
all English hymn-writers none perhaps has succeeded so thoroughly in combining
truth, poetry, life, warmth, fire, depth, solemnity and unction as Toplady has
done.” This hymn is bursting with biblical truth, doctrine, faith, and
humility. It rejects the popular myths and false doctrine that has arisen
around the identity of the Rock which was Christ. Let us examine this beautiful
and greatly loved hymn of the ages.
The first stanza possesses the force to evoke hot tears from the depths of our
souls. How is it that Jesus Christ is the Rock of our Salvation, and how came
He to be cleft for us?
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,
cleanse
me from its guilt and power.
Was that Ancient Rock cleft for us? “But when they came to Jesus, and saw
that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers
with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And
he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he
saith true, that ye might believe.” (John 19:33-35) That great wound,
made once the totality of our debt was paid, penetrated all of the way to the
very heart of Jesus – a heart that overflowed with love and forgiveness for all
who would come and gaze upon Him in faith. The cleft of the side of Christ,
just as the tearing of the Temple Vale from top to bottom at the same instance,
removed yearly sacrifice of oxen and sheep, and completed a better sacrifice
that would suffice for all sins. We now have access to the Heart of Jesus
through the means of faith through grace. Certainly, that blood and water which
literally flowed from the side of our Lord is sufficient to cover every sin
confessed and repented. Many stood very close to Christ at that dramatic Crux
in Time when “He gave up the ghost.” But many of those very close to Christ
never received the benefit of that shed blood for their wicked hearts were
darkened; but others, such as the women disciples and John, and you and me, all
have received the benefits of that salvation created at the cleft side of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Are we not washed by the blood of Jesus, and are we not kept
clean and pure by the Water of His Word?
That rich, red blood of Jesus cleanses us so that our sins, though scarlet,
will be made white. How white, you may ask? Well, according to the Psalmist, “Whiter
than Snow.” “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalms 51:7) I will remind the reader that
hyssop is a purgative that cleanses the bowels. God cleanses our inward soul
first, and then washes the outward appearance. Having that imputed
righteousness of Christ, we shall then appear – not white as snow – but WHITER
than snow. Every snowflake requires a tiny speck of impurity in the upper
atmosphere around which to coalesce, but we are made even whiter than that
snowflake because God will regard no speck of impurity in our hearts once we
are covered by the blood of Jesus.
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.
Have we followed the grand error of Rome in believing that we may be saved by
our righteous works? We can do nothing to save ourselves – salvation is all of
Christ! “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should
boast.” (Eph 2:8-9) Thank goodness, this is true since no man can live
a sinless life of good works. The law demands complete justice, and even a
single sin will send us to Hell. “For the wages of sin is death; but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans
6:23) All since Adam have come under the sentence of death for our sins –
either great or small. The sentence must be paid to satisfy the Law. Christ
saved us, under the terms of the Law, by paying our penalty in our stead. All
of our tears, all of our fervor for righteousness, cannot save us. Only
the pure righteousness of Christ can suffice for us.
Nothing
in my hand I bring,
simply
to the 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.
It should come as no shock to the informed readers of this devotion that we
shall carry nothing of this world with us through those glistering gates of
Heaven. “Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I
return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the
name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21) The dash in our lives is most important –
not the day of our birth, or the year of our death, but the dash in between.
When I visit a new church, I like to go first and look at the fathers of the
church who sleep in the Lord. Some will read June 3 1943 – 14 August 2004.
Though the two years are important, it is the dash between that represents the
life of the Christian. If that dash is comprised of golden deeds from and
unselfish heart, then we shall leave this life to go naked to God in order to
receive those riches laid up in store in Heaven’s bank account. God will, like
the father did for the Prodigal Son, bring forth the best Robe – the best
because it is the Robe of Christ that covers our sins – and cover our
nakedness. Our works, however, are not the means of salvation – only
grace! We are not saved BY good works, but UNTO good works. We are as the
thirsty doves that cross the parched deserts of Arabia bound for the brooks of
Lebanon. If we come not to the flowing Fountain of Life, we perish in the
Wilderness of Sin. If we are not washed of our sins by the blood of Christ, we
certainly will, as the Rich Man who forbade his crumbs to poor Lazarus, die in
our sins, be buried, and wake up in the fires of Hell.
While
I draw this fleeting breath,
when
mine eyelids close in death,
when I
soar through tracts unknown
see
thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock
of ages, cleft for me,
let me
hide myself in thee.
Dear reader, whether you choose to know it or not, you are presently drawing a
fleeting breath. Tomorrow’s sunrise is no guarantee for any of us. Our eyelids
begin to close in death the moment they are opened in childbirth. The energies
of life and growth work in opposition to the aging process which progresses
steadily until we arrive at that ‘room of dying’ which will be at the moment of
our Lord’s own choosing. The sands of the hour glass continually fall. We
behold the sands in the bottom of the glass, but the remaining grains in the
upper chamber are hidden from our view. Every soul born upon the earth has an
appointment to meet face to face with our Maker. There are no exceptions! Some
will appear to be judged for their sins and who have no Advocate to defend
their cause. Such sinners will be cast into the same Lake of Fire reserved for
Satan and his angels. But the man or woman, forgiven and restored in Christ,
will have an Advocate with the Father – the Lord Jesus Christ – and the
Adversary will be conspicuously absent for he has already been defeated and
judged. How do you anticipate your defense at the moment of the
appointment forthcoming?
There remains an aspect of truth revealed in this hymn that I have not yet
covered, and that is the nature of the follows of Christ whose salvation is
dependent upon that ancient Rock of Ages. Why did Christ tell Peter: “That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it?”
(Matt 16:18) Does this mean that Peter is the foundation of the Church? By no
means does Christ intend that meaning. Peter is strong, yet weak in moments of
separation from Christ. Christ is the Foundation and Rock upon which the Church
is established, and He is the Head of His Bride the Church. So what does Jesus
mean in making reference to Peter as “this rock?” Are not all children chips
off the old block of their fathers? Are not Christians to bear the nature,
though imperfectly, of Christ? A chip from the Rock of Ages should yet possess
the nature of the great Stone from which it is hewn. Even a chip from a Rock is
still a rock, isn’t it? We should be like Him. Are we?
