Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I would say that different passages of Scripture liken God to a rock from the standpoints of strength, solidity, protection, and advantage.

As a rock is massive and static, God is infinite and eternal (1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 90:2).

As a rock is solid and unshifting, God is almighty (Revelation 1:8), holy (Isaiah 43:15), unchanging (James 1:17), and a firm foundation (Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 7:24-25). 

As a rock is impenetrable and unyielding, and thus useful as a refuge, God provides shelter and protection to those who rely on Him (Psalm 91:2).

And as a rock offers a position of advantage because of its height and bulk, God is a fortress and resource in our fight against the efforts of the world, our flesh, and the devil (Psalm 18:2).

December 25 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

When we think of a rock in the sea, and when the weather is gale, sometimes on that rock we can see a lighthouse, and we know that it has been there for years since it was built. And for years that Lighthouse while working has protected many ships and people from trouble.

God is the same - Psalm 18:2 says - My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and my horn of salvation, my secure refuge.

The Psalm 18 superscription is interesting: To the director. By Jehovah’s servant David, who addressed the words of this song to Jehovah in the day that Jehovah rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 

The Bible also likens Jehovah to inanimate things. He is described as “the Rock of Israel,” as a “crag,” and as a “stronghold.” (2 Samuel 23:3; Psalm 18:2; Deuteronomy 32:4) What is the point of similarity? Just as a large rock is solidly placed, unmovable, so Jehovah God can be a solid source of security for you.

The scriptures tell us that God is a "rock" because a rock symbolises stability, strength, and permanence, providing a secure, unshakeable refuge for believers in times of fear, trouble, and insecurity. The term also signifies God as the foundation, source, and protector who delivers and restores, much like a strong, ancient rock formation. 

Moses says in Deuteronomy 32:4, "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.” This connects the enduring nature of a rock to God's eternal and timeless existence.

A rock is a stable, unmoving force in the natural world. This image conveys God's steadfastness and reliability in contrast to the shifting, unstable circumstances of life.

IN THESE critical times, many are enduring stormlike adversities. Yet, for Christians, love for God and loyalty to his principles help them to cope. How? The answer can be found in an illustration told by Jesus Christ. He compared his obedient disciples to “a discreet man, who built his house upon the rock-mass.”

And in a parable, Jesus compares those who follow his teachings to a wise person who builds their house on a rock, so it can withstand life's storms. Those who do not follow his teachings are like a person who builds on sand.

Luke 6: 44. He is like a man who, in building a house, dug and went down deep and laid a foundation on the rock. Consequently, when a flood came, the river dashed against that house but was not strong enough to shake it, for it was well-built.

Those who heed Christ’s words use discernment and show good judgment. By following Christ’s teachings, many are successfully weathering storm-like trials.

7 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Just as a rock is solid, firm, unassailable and unremovable, God is that to us, and in this context David, an emotional man, needs this kind of stability. 

God is like a rock in that I, as a Christian, can have recourse to His divine resources of protection (shelter), safety, supply (provision), support, and spiritual satisfaction. I have security. I have built my hope of eternal life and happiness on Christ, my rock, and thus I'm safe from all my enemies and all danger. Christ is that rock (1 Cor. 10:4) to me. In 1 Cor. 10:4 Paul said, "[our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4] and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ."
Compare Psalms 62:2

2 He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I'm set for life.

IS GOD A ROCK IN THE SAME SENSE THAT KING DAVID REFERRED TO IN Psalms 61:2? When David prayed, "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I" in Ps 61:2, he was asking God to help him "climb." (I love mountain climbing, literally and spiritually, by the way. We climbed Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale/Phoenix, Arizona so many times that I lost count).

David was writing of a rock big enough that he could hide on top of it from his enemies below. A few can defend a high rock bluff vs. A much bigger army below. Maybe he was remembering the rocks and caves protecting him from King Saul (1 Sam 23:25).

March 03 2020 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report