Dishonoring God

August 16, 2009

Background Scripture: Numbers 20:1 – 13
Lesson Passage: Numbers 20:1 – 13

Chapter twenty of Numbers records some of the darkest days in the life of Israel in the wilderness. According to chapter thirty three of Numbers, the events of chapter twenty occur during the last year (the fortieth year) of wilderness wandering for the people of Israel. At the beginning of the chapter, Miriam, the prophetess and sister of Moses, died and was buried. At the end of the chapter, Aaron, Israel’s first high priest and brother of Moses died on mount Hor. Before the death of Aaron, Moses tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with their kindred, the descendants of Esau, for safe passage through their territory and offered to pay for whatever provisions they might use along the way. The fortieth year of Israel’s desert wandering was a dark and troubling time. This year marked the death of the remainder of the generation of adults 20 years of age and older who had come out of Egypt. Only Joshua and Caleb from that generation would be spared death in the desert. At the beginning of that troublesome year, the Egypt generation of adults that remained continuously displayed an absolute lack of trust or faith in God who had provided for them time and time again for the pass thirty nine years.

Our lesson today provides some details of one of the last rebellious acts; it was actually led by Moses and Aaron. Once again the people found themselves without water and rather than remember the faithfulness of God in times pass when this was the case, they instead made accusations that they were purposely led out there to die of thirst. Moses and Aaron followed protocol and presented themselves before God at the door of the tabernacle on behalf of Israel. The situation was very similar to one forty years earlier during their first year in the wilderness. God’s instructions to Moses were also similar to before except there was a distinctly different set of instructions given by God for this situation. The first time, Moses was asked to take the rod and strike the rock that water would flow from it. This time, God instructed Moses to take the rod but only to speak to the rock before the people. This would require a tremendous act of faith on Moses’ behalf. He would have to trust God that if he simply speaks to the rock in the sight of Israel that God would cause water to flow from the rock. Forty years earlier Moses’ instructions were to take the rod and hit the rock and it gave forth water. We don’t need as much faith when we have active participation in the blessing. The danger, however, exists that we will in effect receive some of the credit or glory for the results because the people will witness our active participation. Did the water flow because Moses hit the rock with the rod? No doubt, some of the people would have believed this to be the case. However, when we simply speak, then God gets all of the glory because we haven’t demonstrated anything except our reliance upon God for the results. When we dare to participate when God instructs us to only speak and rely on him, then our participation dishonors God and claims some of the glory for ourselves.

Robert C. Hudson
July 31, 2009