When was the last time you had “one of those days”? I didn’t ask “if” because we all have them from time to time; the kind of day when nothing seems to go right. Welcome to Moses’ world, circa Numbers 20. Imagine the context: Israel is in stage three of their travel itinerary between Egypt and the Promised Land. Exodus 13-19 covers the trip from the Red Sea to Sinai, and Numbers 11-12 covers Sinai to Kadesh, where we find them at the beginning of chapter 20. Stage 3 will take them to the Jordan River and the Promised Land. Since Sinai we have read of the repeated cycle of Israel’s grumbling disobedience. In other words, Moses is already up against it as he leads a massive collection of malcontents through the wilderness! Upon settling at Kadesh, he suffers the loss of his sister Miriam. He gets half a verse to mourn her passing before the familiar complaints start up again: ‘no water’, ‘lousy food’, and ‘why did you drag us out here to die anyway’. And we haven’t even got to the failed international negotiation, and the death of his brother Aaron. Back to dealing with the complainers; Moses and Aaron go before the Lord, and God speaks to Moses: “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water.” Somewhere between the tent of meeting and the rock, Moses reached his limit and lost his temper. Instead of speaking to the rock, he spoke to the people. By “spoke” I mean berated! He was angry and revealed a contempt for God’s people he had never before displayed. At Marah (Ex 15) and Massah (Ex 17) for example, even in the face of contention and rebellion, Moses interceded for the people. When he needed to speak firmly, he did so without the edge of spite and bitterness we see here. Moreover, he magnifies his own role and partnership with God saying, “Listen you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?” He speaks as if he is bringing forth the provision of water to the people. In the midst of his anger, Moses strikes the rock twice and, mercifully, God provides: “water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.”
Something to See:
Moses’ tantrum has many explanations (we can probably all relate), but not a single excuse. The Lord immediately calls him on it saying, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” He would continue the arduous task of leading the people of God through the wilderness to the Promised Land, but not have the privilege of leading them in. Did you see what the Lord put his finger upon? It was Moses’ unbelief: “because you did not believe in me”, said the Lord. This week, we will see how trust and belief, or lack thereof, relates to our hearts and thus to our actions.