Now that the Spirit has been given, there is no need for Christ to be crucified again that the living water may flow forth. To have the living water, we simply need to take the rod and apply it to our situation today. We also need to speak to the rock. Speaking to the rock is a matter of believing. Furthermore, speaking to the rock indicates that we have prayed, not in the way of begging but in the way of believing that the Spirit has already been given.
Through the crucifixion of Christ living water has flowed out of Christ. This is clearly revealed in John 19:34. "One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water." Today we need only to speak to the rock, and the water will flow again from the rock. We may say, "Praise the Lord that the Spirit is here!" This is to speak to the rock that the water may flow into us to be our supply. This is the way to apply the death of Christ to our situation that we may have the Spirit of life.
In our hymnal there is an excellent hymn with deep spiritual significance on the relationship between the cross and the Spirit (Hymns, #279). Stanza four of this hymn says that we must go through the Jordan before we can be anointed from above, that we must be baptized in death before we can experience the Dove. Here Jordan signifies death, and the Dove signifies the Spirit. If we pass through the river of death, we will receive the living Dove.
The problems in the church life are solved when we have an abundance of the Spirit of life. The problems between us and others and between us and God are due to our shortage of the Spirit of life. The reason we are short of the Spirit of life is that we are lacking in applying the death of Christ to our present situation. If most of the saints in a local church do not apply the death of Christ, that church will have many problems. But if we apply the death of Christ to ourselves, this application will bring in the living water to supply our need and solve our problems. Then, with our need supplied and our problems solved, we will live a victorious life in the church.
At this point I would like to say a further word concerning God's holiness and fairness in taking care of the necessities of His people. When God's people were contending for their necessities, God was not offended but was fair in taking care of these necessities. But when the people were lusting according to the flesh, God was angry with them. We may compare Him to a nourishing mother who sympathizes with the needs of her child. When her child cries out for milk, she will be sympathetic toward the child, cherish him, and supply milk to make him happy. This does not mean, however, that she loves her child blindly and does not discipline him when he is naughty. Concerning certain things the mother will cherish her child, but concerning other things she will discipline him.
A mother's care for her child is an illustration of what God is in His nature. It is God's nature to be fair. When His people were contending for food, He was not angry with them but supplied them with manna. When they were contending for water, He was likewise not angry with them but supplied them with water. However, when they were contending according to their lust, He punished them.
God is not only fair but also rich and bountiful. In his anger with the children of Israel, Moses surely did not remember that God is bountiful and that He can supply His people's need under any circumstances. Whether or not there is rain or water, He can satisfy the desperate need of His people for water.