Yes — the New Testament, through Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4, identifies the rock struck by Moses in Exodus 17 as Christ.
Paul explicitly says Israel drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Les Feldick emphasizes that this is the consistent biblical pattern: throughout Scripture, the rock is always Christ in typical language.
Exodus 17:6 — Records the striking of the rock at Horeb that gave water to Israel.
1 Corinthians 10:4 — The New Testament interpretation that explicitly calls that spiritual Rock Christ.
In Exodus 17, Israel thirsted in the wilderness and murmured against Moses. The LORD told Moses: "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink" (Exodus 17:6). This is the Old Testament event involving the rock. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul refers back to Israel's wilderness experience and draws the New Testament meaning. After recalling that "all 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," Paul says they "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 Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:1, 10:4). Thus Scripture itself explicitly identifies the wilderness rock as Christ.
Les Feldick teaches that Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 10:4 is the plain New Testament interpretation of Exodus 17's rock: that Rock was Christ. He emphasizes the capitalization of "Rock" as pointing to a person rather than an ordinary stone. Les says that all through Scripture, from the beginning of the Old Testament all the way to the end, whenever a typical rock or stone appears, it is Christ — never deviating. He applies this to the rock Moses struck in Exodus and later in Numbers, to Daniel's stone cut without hands, and to Matthew 16, where he insists the rock on which Jesus builds His church is Christ, not Peter. When Moses smote the rock, Les says he was smiting Christ — the smitten Christ. He also links the passage to 1 Corinthians 5:7, where Christ is our Passover.
Paul writes that Israel drank "of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:4). The context includes their being under the cloud, passing through the sea, and being baptized unto Moses. Les Feldick says Paul makes it "so plain" in this chapter that the rock was Christ. Les also notes the word "Rock" is capitalized, indicating it is the Christ who was smitten.
Les teaches that from the beginning of the Old Testament all the way to the end, whenever there is a typical reference to the rock, the rock is Christ — "None other. It will never deviate." He cites the rock struck in Exodus, the rock in Numbers, Daniel 2's stone cut without hands, and Matthew 16's "upon this rock" as referring to Christ. He also identifies Christ as the chief cornerstone in Peter's Old Testament analogy.
Les asks, "When Moses took that shepherd's rod and smote the rock, who was he smiting? Christ. Absolutely he was." He describes it as the smitten Christ, and says this is pictured in the Old Testament. He also mentions a verse in Isaiah (chapter 53, he thinks) that reflects the smitten Christ, though he does not quote it.
The Old Testament Rock at Horeb
Sets the Old Testament scene: the rock at Horeb that Moses struck, which the New Testament later identifies as Christ.
Paul's Plain Statement: The Rock Is Christ
Paul makes it plain in 1 Corinthians 10 that the rock was Christ, and Les notes this is true throughout Scripture — the rock never deviates from being Christ.
Context of 1 Corinthians 10
Les points to 1 Corinthians 10 and explains that Israel's experience under the cloud and through the sea was a placing under Moses, not water baptism — providing the context for Paul's later statement about the Rock.
Christ the Rock and Stone Throughout Scripture
Les says all through Scripture the stone or rock is Christ — in Daniel 2's stone cut without hands and in Moses striking the rock in the wilderness.
Matthew 16: The Rock Is Christ
In Matthew 16, Les shows that when Jesus said 'upon this rock I will build my church,' the rock is Christ, not Peter, and that the rock always refers to Christ in typical language.
The Smitten Christ
Les directly quotes 1 Corinthians 10:4 — 'that Rock was Christ' — and says when Moses smote the rock, he was smiting Christ, the smitten Christ.
Chief Cornerstone
Les declares Christ is the rock of Scripture and the rock of our salvation, using Peter's Old Testament analogy of the chief cornerstone.
Christ Our Passover
Les repeats the 1 Corinthians 10:4 identification of the Rock as Christ and ties it to 1 Corinthians 5:7, where Christ is our Passover.
Exodus 17:6: Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
This is the Exodus event where God commands Moses to strike the rock, providing the Old Testament backdrop for Paul's interpretation.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2: 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; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
Paul begins his wilderness analogy, showing the spiritual significance of Israel's deliverance from Egypt.
1 Corinthians 10:4: And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
This is the key New Testament verse that directly identifies the wilderness rock as Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:7: Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Paul connects Christ to the Old Testament Passover, paralleling Les's teaching that the rock also points to the suffering Christ.
Matthew 16:18: And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Les interprets this rock as Christ Himself, not Peter, showing the consistency of the rock typology.
Yes, in 1 Corinthians 10:4 Paul writes, "that Rock was Christ." Les Feldick notes that Paul makes it plain the rock struck by Moses was Christ.
Les teaches that all through Scripture, whenever there is a typical reference to the rock, the rock is Christ. He says it never deviates.
Les says the rock in Matthew 16 is Christ, not Peter; Jesus was speaking of Himself when He said He would build His church.
Watch the Teaching: Christ the Rock: Spiritual Warfare & The Battle with Amalek