What happened after Christ was smitten on the cross?
After Christ was smitten on the cross, He arose from the dead victorious over sin and death. His smiting was once for all, so believers do not appropriate these things by another crucifixion; instead, they appropriate them through fellowship, speaking, communication, and prayer to Him.
Les teaches that before we could appropriate what has been done on our behalf by faith, Christ first had to suffer, die, and be smitten for our offenses. He emphasizes the Old Testament word "smitten" and says to keep it in mind. Later, in the book of Numbers, when Israel murmured for water, Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Les uses this to show that you do not smite Christ twice. The Hebrew word is "once," and He went to the cross once—He does not go again and again. After Christ was smitten, He arose from the dead victorious over sin and death. Therefore, we do not appropriate anything more by another crucifixion. Instead, we appropriate it through fellowship, speaking, and communication. God has given us the whole power of prayer so we can speak with Him, praise Him, and petition Him—not through another smiting, but by speaking to Him. Les then returns to Exodus 17, where Moses smites the rock, water comes out, and the account continues to verse 8 with Amalek.