GIVING GOD A BLACK-EYE
He said to them, "Listen to me, you rebels. Must we get water out of this rock for you?" Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff. Num. 20:10, N.E.B.
The children of Israel were murmuring again, this time about the lack of water. " 'Why did you fetch us up from Egypt to bring us to this vile place, where nothing will grow?' they complained to Moses. 'There is not even any water to drink' " (Num. 20:5, N.E.B.).
Since the smitten rock at Horeb, God had miraculously provided water to the Hebrew host wherever in their journeyings they went. It gushed out of the clefts of the rock beside their encampments. The smitten rock represented Christ, "smitten of God"--from whom flows the stream of salvation for a lost race. But they had forgotten how ready God was to satisfy their needs.
Moses took his position in front of the assembled multitude. He had been instructed by God to "speak to the rock and it will yield its water" (verse 8, N.E.B.). Instead, with his full of anger and impatience Moses yelled, "Listen to me, you rebels. Must we get water out of this rock for you?" (verse 10, N.E.B.). Then he raised his rod and struck the rock twice with his staff.
"Water gushed out in abundance, and they all drank, men and beasts. But the Lord said to Moses and Aron, 'You did not trust me so far as to uphold my holiness in the sight of the Israelites; therefore you shall not lead this assembly into the land which I promised to give them' " (verse 12, N.E.B.).
Why such horrible consequences? After all, the people were rebellious, and God had told Moses on another occasion to strike the rock! But this time Moses virtually gave God a black eye, a bad reputation. Moses' lack of self-control was evident. And he included God in his display of anger by saying "must we get water"--implying that God was reluctant to help them.
Something had to be done. God could not allow Himself to be viewed as an angry, capricious deity. He gave the people water as He had always done. Then He set Moses apart from Himself by disallowing him to enter Canaan with Israel. The reason He gave made it crystal clear: Moses did not "uphold My holiness in the sight of the Israelites."
But God wasn't mad at Moses. Fourteen hundred years later Moses stood with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration!
He said to them, "Listen to me, you rebels. Must we get water out of this rock for you?" Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff. Num. 20:10, N.E.B.
The children of Israel were murmuring again, this time about the lack of water. " 'Why did you fetch us up from Egypt to bring us to this vile place, where nothing will grow?' they complained to Moses. 'There is not even any water to drink' " (Num. 20:5, N.E.B.).
Since the smitten rock at Horeb, God had miraculously provided water to the Hebrew host wherever in their journeyings they went. It gushed out of the clefts of the rock beside their encampments. The smitten rock represented Christ, "smitten of God"--from whom flows the stream of salvation for a lost race. But they had forgotten how ready God was to satisfy their needs.
Moses took his position in front of the assembled multitude. He had been instructed by God to "speak to the rock and it will yield its water" (verse 8, N.E.B.). Instead, with his full of anger and impatience Moses yelled, "Listen to me, you rebels. Must we get water out of this rock for you?" (verse 10, N.E.B.). Then he raised his rod and struck the rock twice with his staff.
"Water gushed out in abundance, and they all drank, men and beasts. But the Lord said to Moses and Aron, 'You did not trust me so far as to uphold my holiness in the sight of the Israelites; therefore you shall not lead this assembly into the land which I promised to give them' " (verse 12, N.E.B.).
Why such horrible consequences? After all, the people were rebellious, and God had told Moses on another occasion to strike the rock! But this time Moses virtually gave God a black eye, a bad reputation. Moses' lack of self-control was evident. And he included God in his display of anger by saying "must we get water"--implying that God was reluctant to help them.
Something had to be done. God could not allow Himself to be viewed as an angry, capricious deity. He gave the people water as He had always done. Then He set Moses apart from Himself by disallowing him to enter Canaan with Israel. The reason He gave made it crystal clear: Moses did not "uphold My holiness in the sight of the Israelites."
But God wasn't mad at Moses. Fourteen hundred years later Moses stood with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration!
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