Numbers 20:1-13
Q.1. Whom did the people blame for the lack of water? How did God respond to the nation’s faithlessness? – (Num.20:1-8)
Invariably, when people are unhappy with God, they vent their anger against the servants of God. This attack on Moses and Aaron was persistent and inexcusable, since they were trying to recover from the loss of their sister, Miriam (Num.20:1). God stepped in, because it was also an attack on His treatment of the nation, and a slur against His promises, which they had forfeited because of their lack of faith (Num.20:2-6 c.f. Num.14:22-23). Nevertheless, – where sin increased, grace abounded all the more (Rom.5:20), so God instructed Moses – take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink (Num.20:8).
Q.2. Why was the Lord displeased with the outburst of anger from Moses? How was he punished? – (Num.20:9-13)
Sadly, Moses lost his temper and smote the rock twice (Num.20:10-11). The New Testament casts light on the reason for God’s displeasure. Paul declared that – the rock was Christ (1 Cor.10:4) and the writer of Hebrews explained that Christ was smitten just once for the sins of the world … ‘once for all mankind and once for all time’ (Heb.10:12-14). Though God provided abundant water for Israel in spite of Moses’ outburst – the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them (Num.20:12). As a result of this incident, Moses forfeited the privilege of leading the people into the Promised Land (c.f. Dt.3:21-27; 32:48-52).