May 31, 2010 (Numbers 18-24)

The complaining of the people finally got to Moses. I guess after that many years of dealing with them it was bound to happen. Once again they complained that they had no water, and put all the blame on Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron did what was right at the beginning - it says they immediately went to the entrance of the Tabernacle and fell face down on the ground, and God met with them and told them to command the rock to pour out water. So they went to God and He gave them an answer. But when they went to carry out His command, this is what they did:

^20:9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord. ¹⁰ Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” ¹¹ Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.

It looks as if his anger got the best of him. He didn't to what God told him to do (command the rock to pour out water), and instead took the glory for himself (must WE). Below, we see that one 'simple' failure cost him a trip into the promised land. Maybe it's because as a leader he had much more responsibility, and so his failure was much more costly. Or maybe we take sin too lightly. The punishment seems rather harsh considering all he had been through.

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” ¹³ This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.

And now, here the people go again:

⁴ Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, ⁵ and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”

God provided them manna and had 'rained it down on them' every morning. They always had food to eat. Yes, maybe it was the same every day, but it was food none the less. And how do they respond? By saying they 'hate' God's provision. Maybe we don't say it quite as vocally, but what about us? Are we satisfied with our 'lot in life' or do we complain about God's provision for us?

So in response to their complaints, God sent poisonous snakes among them, and many were bitten and died. And when they were in trouble, what did the people do? Go to the very ones they had complained against.

⁷ Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

And once again, God is gracious. He gave Moses a plan, and that was basically the same plan that exists for us today. They looked to the snake on a pole in faith, we look to Christ on the cross in faith:

⁸ Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” ⁹ So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!