Issue 997 – Water From the Rock – March 3, 2023
Over the years, I have been blessed to drink water directly from many pure mountain and deep forest springs. They have been cold and refreshing, almost sweet to the taste. I have also encountered some springs where the water was warm and bitter, and I would only have drunk from the spring if my life depended on it. Mountain springs came to mind while reading in the Old Testament yesterday.
There is an account of a miracle that appears twice in the Pentateuch. A brief account occurs in Exodus 17, with a more detailed version in Numbers 20. It is a familiar passage. For the sake of brevity, I have opted only to use one of the texts this morning, but I recommend you read them both.
Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “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.” These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy. Numbers 20:2-13.
In the Numbers account, the Lord chastises Moses for his lack of belief. That has always puzzled me because Moses did strike the rock, and water came out just as the Lord said.
Where was the disbelief? Some have suggested that Moses striking the rock twice rather than just once shows his doubt. That may have been part of the problem, although the text doesn’t reveal the number of times he was supposed to hit it.
The problem lay in deeper disobedience. It was in Moses’ failure to follow God’s instructions, thinking that he knew better.
I understand Moses’ frustration; after all, time and time again, the people complained despite all God had done for them.
God instructed Moses to “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water.”
Instead of telling the rock to yield water, Moses spoke to the people, chastening them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
Rather than follow what God told Him to do and give god the glory, Moses chose to do it his way and take it upon himself to admonish the ungrateful Israelites.
It is sin whenever we choose to do things our way rather than God’s. God still provided water for the thirsty people and will still accomplish His purposes despite our sin.
When we rebel, we miss out on the blessings that could have been ours, just as Moses did in the desert. In those times when we are tempted to do it our way rather than God’s, let’s stop and remember who is in control.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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