Anthem OT/NT @ Living Water
What Kept Moses Out?
Why did the Lord chasten Moses and Aaron by withdrawing their privilege of entering the Promised Land? Psa 106.32,33 says that Moses "spoke rashly" on the occasion of the waters of Meribah. On that occasion, the Lord explicitly reproved Moses and Aaron for a lack of trust (Num 20.12). God had said "take the staff" and "speak to the rock" and "it will pour out its water." Doing nothing but speaking to the rock would have pointed to divine agency (like prayer). On the other hand, striking the rock drew attention to the staff and suggested a purely natural event (like breaking open a hidden reservoir).Remember that Aaron is included in God's rebuke; the problem was not so much that Moses struck the rock, but that both Moses and Aaron failed to speak to the rock as God had commanded both brothers to do ("speak ye"; see Heb. or KJV). In Num 20. 24 God declared that both Aaron and Moses had "rebelled against my command." Their punishment may seem harsh, but God sees the heart and would not countenance rebellion in His chosen leaders.
posted by Roderick of TMin at
9:44 PM
2 Comments:
Pastor Rod, Knowing the covenant of the Cross keeps Heaven open for the Christian, even if they commit acts of rebellion, how does God deal with rebellion in this age?
By
Anonymous, at 8:29 AM
Great question, Neal! I have to say that God, Who does not change, deals with rebellion now in the same way He did then. Just as "the Cross keeps Heaven open for the Christian," it kept Heaven open for Moses. Moses didn't lose his salvation when he rebelled; he just didn't get to conquer territory for the kingdom nor enjoy rest and fruitfulness in the land. (As we shall see, crossing Jordan and entering Canaan did not typify dying and "going to heaven" as in old hymnns and spirituals. Rather, it typifies fruitful spiritual warfare and ministry.)
So how does God deal with rebellion? Very seriously, but with each case uniquely. The general warning from Proverbs 24.21,22 still applies:
Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious, for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who know what calamities they can bring?
By
Roderick of TMin, at 4:35 PM
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