The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet #4257a

Moses did not follow the Lords instructions.
Moses struck the rock, without first
speaking unto the rock to sanctify God in the eyes of the children of Israel.

My Hi-lite:Numbers 20:12  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

In the desert of Zin in Kadesh

Moses did not follow the Lords instructions.
Moses struck the rock, without first
speaking unto the rock to sanctify God in the eyes of the children of Israel. 
Then came the children of Israel ... into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. ... And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod ... and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water.... Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. Numbers 20:1-8
For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. Numbers 27:14

Moses' sin:

Years of wandering: [6] death of Miriam
Numbers 20:1  ¶Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Years of wandering: [7] thirst in Meribah-Kadesh (Dt.32:51; cp.Ex.17:1-7)
Deuteronomy 32:51  Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
Exodus 17:1  ¶And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2  Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?

Numbers 20:2  And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
3  And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
4  And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
5  And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
6  And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.

Sin of Moses in smiting the rock
Numbers 20:7  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
8  Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
9  And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
10  And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
11  And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

Penalty for striking the rock instead of speaking to it (vv.7-11); Dt.32:48-52; 1 Cor.10:4)
Deuteronomy 32:48  And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, 49  Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: 50  And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: 51  Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. 52  Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.
1 Corinthians 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Numbers 20:12  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
13  This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.

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We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.


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