Scripture:
Numbers 20:6–13
6 Then Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting; they fell on their faces, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Thus you shall bring water out of the rock for them; thus you shall provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”
9 So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he had commanded him. 10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. 12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13These are the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and through which he showed himself to be holy. (NRSVUE)
Observation:
The children of Israel were grumbling in the wilderness. They needed water for themselves and for their livestock. Moses and Aaron knew to bring this need to God, so they went to the entrance of the tent of meeting, fell on their faces, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
The LORD gave Moses very specific instructions. He was to take the staff, assemble the people before the rock, and command the rock to yield its water.
At first glance, we might not notice anything wrong with what happens next. Moses takes the staff, just as God commanded. He and Aaron gather the people before the rock. But then Moses departs from the instructions.
“Listen, you rebels,” he says. “Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
Then Moses strikes the rock—not once, but twice.
Moses had used the staff before when God performed miraculous signs through him. Perhaps using it had become almost instinctive. But this time God had told him to speak to the rock. The staff wasn’t special or magical. Moses wasn’t the source of the miracle. God was the One who had the power to bring water from the rock.
And here’s the remarkable thing: the water still flowed.
The people and their livestock drank. Their immediate need was met. But something had gone terribly wrong. God tells Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites…”
This wasn’t simply about getting water from a rock. God wanted His holiness to be revealed before His people. Moses and Aaron were called to participate in what God was doing, but they were to do so in trusting obedience.
The waters were called Meribah, or “quarrel,” because the Israelites quarreled with the LORD. Yet even there, God showed Himself to be holy.
Application:
These days, pretty much everything comes with instructions. We are told to read and follow the instructions thoroughly—but let’s be honest, sometimes those instructions sound as though they’ve been written by attorneys rather than by someone actually trying to help us. I mean, who is going to eat that little packet of silica gel in the box of new shoes? Who is going to dry their hair while taking a bath? What adult is going to try to sit in their grandchild’s car seat?
But maybe you’ve shopped at IKEA, and you’ve discovered that reading and following the instructions might actually be important. You don’t want to finish the assembly process and discover that you have pieces left over!
Moses and Aaron were on a spiritual journey. The more they walked and talked with the LORD, the more they knew Him. Moses had a remarkably intimate relationship with God, and yet even Moses failed to listen carefully and follow God’s instructions. The consequences were devastating: Moses and Aaron would not be the ones to lead the people into the promised land.
There’s something else here that makes me stop and think. Moses had used that staff before. God had worked through it before. But just because God had worked in a particular way in the past didn’t mean Moses could assume that was how God intended to work this time.
He needed to listen.
We do too.
God is still revealing His holiness in and through the lives of His people, but faithful participation requires listening. This means intentional time in the Word of God, prayer, and communion with other believers. These are sacred spaces in which we learn to recognize the voice and character of God.
Sometimes our problem isn’t that we don’t want to serve God. Moses certainly wanted to serve God. Our problem may be that we become so accustomed to the way God has worked before that we stop listening for what God is saying now.
Just as Moses and Aaron were on a spiritual journey, so are we. There is always more to learn.
Read the instructions.
Listen carefully.
And then follow.
Prayer:
Lord, we don’t have to go to the Tent of Meeting to meet with You. You have given us the privilege of coming into Your holy presence through the Holy Spirit. Thank You! Help me to become quiet enough not only to hear Your voice, but also to trust You enough to follow where You lead. Amen.
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