MOSES YIELDS TO IMPATIENCE

Moses "and Aaron assembled the whole community in front of the rock, and Moses said, 'Listen, you rebels! Do we have to get water out of this rock for you?'SRme 1.706

"Then Moses raised the stick and struck the rock twice. . .and a great stream of water gushed out, and all the people and animals drank.SRme 1.707

"But the Lord reprimanded Moses and Aaron. He said, 'Because you did not have enough faith to acknowledge My holy power before the people, you will not lead them into the land that I promised to give them'" (Num. 20:12).SRme 1.708

Moses sinned. He became tired of hearing the complaints of the people against him. Instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded, Moses hit the rock twice with the rod after saying to the people, "Must we get water out of this rock for you?" Moses did not speak wisely. He should have said, "Now God will show you another sign of His power. He will bring you water out of this rock." Moses failed to give God the glory for causing water to flow again from the rock. Moses did not honor God before the people. Moses did not do what God told him to do, so God did not permit Moses to lead Israel into Canaan.SRme 1.709

A divine miracle was necessary to supply water. Moses and Aaron should have used this miracle to lead the people to reverence God and trust in His goodness. Instead, Moses was angry and impatient with the people. He said, "Listen now, you rebels, must we get you water out of this rock?" In saying that, Moses was admitting that the Israelites were right in accusing him of being their leader, not God.SRme 1.710

God had forgiven the people greater sins than this mistake by Moses. But God could not regard a sin in the leader of His people in the same way that He did the sins of the people who were being led. God could not excuse Moses' sin. God could not allow Moses to enter the Promised Land.SRme 1.711

The Lord gave His people proof that He was the mighty Angel who brought them out of Egypt and led them in all their travels. Moses was not their real leader. The Lord said, "I will send an Angel ahead of you to protect you as you travel, and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. Pay attention to Him, and obey Him. Do not rebel against Him, for I have sent Him, and He will not pardon [forgive] such rebellion." (Ex 23:20, 21), TEV.SRme 1.712

Moses had taken glory to himself that belonged to God. Now the Lord must let Israel know forever that God, not Moses had brought them out of Egypt. The Lord had given Moses the big job of leading the Israelites, but the mighty Angel went ahead of the people and directed all their travels.SRme 1.713

Israel easily forgot that God's Angel was leading them. They were always ready to think that human beings were doing that which God's power alone could do. So God kept testing them to see whether they would obey Him. At every trial they failed to obey God. They failed to honor Him. God had given Israel many wonderful signs of His power, care, and love, but the Israelites did not trust God. They blamed Moses for taking them from Egypt and for causing all their troubles. Moses had been very patient with the stubborn people, who once had threatened to stone him.SRme 1.714