This week’s sermon focused on the rebellion of the people at Kadesh, and how their fear drove them to disbelief in God, and ultimately to going against his plan altogether. We explored how fear prompted the people to not only discredit all that God had done for them, but even fueled a desire to return to the yoke of bondage in Egypt. God’s pronouncement of judgement on the Israelites is hard to read, as we recognize that the failure of the Israelites to trust in their God directly mirrors our own lack of faith (and thus, the judgement we equally deserve).
As we’ve continued our time in Numbers this week, we read the exchange at the Waters of Meribah in chapter 20. The same judgement handed down to the congregation in Numbers 14 is now applied to Moses and Aaron in a more intimate exchange, and the deeply personal nature of being reprimanded by God feels acutely devastating.
There are many insights and applications to draw from this passage. One of the first things that struck me during my time of personal study was that Moses was instructed to “take the staff” first, but as for providing water, the only directive was to “tell the rock…to yield its water” (v. 8). Verse 9 even acknowledges that Moses’ taking of the staff was an obedient action, and he goes on to gather the assembly as he is told.
Moses clearly hears and understands the voice of the Lord, as Scripture tells us of countless instances where God gives explicit directions, and Moses follows them with the utmost diligence and honor. The man of God did not appear to be prone to acting outside the will of the Lord, although we know that he was still a human with a sin nature like the rest of us. So why does Moses “[strike] the rock with his staff twice” (v. 11), instead of giving a verbal cue as God had commanded? Some may argue that Moses was simply doing things as he had done before, in which he was told to strike a rock in order to prompt the flow of water for the people in the past (Exodus 17:6). But this time Moses addresses the congregation and strikes twice without being told to do so.
We know that Moses grows weary of the grumblings and quarreling of the people of Israel. Their constant crying out at the perceived injustice and/or lack of provision leads him to falling on his face (v. 6) and pleading with God for direction time and time again while leading this tiresome group. Rather than speaking to the rock as instructed, Moses speaks to the people in Numbers 20:10, calling them rebels and asking a rhetorical question (one might even argue that it could be sarcastic). While the people of Israel were motivated by fear in Numbers 14, we see Moses here acting out of his anger and exhaustion with his congregation. Instead of following God, he lashes out at the people, if only to get them to leave him be for a moment. The water is brought forth–by God, to be clear–and the people and livestock drink (v. 11).
Part of our sinful nature as humans means that we like to rank sin. If we compare our dirty laundry to everyone else’s instead of the truth of the Word, we might not feel so bad, and can continue on in our filth. It is easy to apply this flawed method here: to argue that Moses’ actions weren’t that out of line, and that the punishment is far greater than the crime. A single interaction denies his entry to the Promised Land, which one might say was his entire purpose since God called to him in Exodus 3. A lifetime of servanthood, seemingly ruined in two simple blows. We want to justify Moses’ actions, to pardon his outburst, to get a do-over; but God is clear: “you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people..therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land” (v. 12). It is heart-wrenching to read, and leads me to wonder what Moses’ response was. It is not recorded for us in Scripture, so all is speculation, but I can only imagine the regret he felt when God pronounced this judgement. Even so, this judgement is not the end of Moses’ story. God continues to be with him, work through him, and Moses remains in his position of leadership among the people and in service to the Lord.
As I studied this passage, I contemplated my own motivations for following God. We often say that Christianity is not simply about going to heaven when we die, but is about growing in relationship with Christ and being a part of building the kingdom of God on earth. What if that was all we had? What if our “promised land” was taken from us? Would we continue to follow God during our time here, proclaiming his glory and following his Word, as Moses continued to do? Or would we write off our religion, declaring this an all-or-nothing transaction, where obedience to God is directly correlated with a guarantee of a perfect afterlife. Is communion with Christ worth it on its own, even if there is no heaven?
While these questions are not ones we must answer, because eternal life is assured for those who follow Christ (Romans 6:23), I do believe it is wise to examine our hearts in these matters. What makes our promised land glorious is not that it is a land flowing with milk and honey, or streets paved with gold set amongst beautiful clouds. The glory of heaven is King Jesus seated on his throne, and our eternal worship of him.
“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” – Hebrews 11:24-26
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