// Read: Number 20:1-12 //
In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
MEDITATION:
Moses the meekest man on earth (Num. 12:3) that was said to be faithful in all his house (Heb. 3:5) also failed in this area! He allowed the children of Israel to provoke him and he smote the rock instead of speaking to it. Beloved, be careful, do not allow people to move you against God! Moses that interceded for the children of Israel several times was not given a second opportunity. By verse 9, he was alright with God and in verse 12 he had lost the priviledge to get to the Promised Land and he died in the Wilderness! Do all that you need to do to see God as He truly is and relate with him with reference.
PRAYER: God, I need your grace to please you all the days of my life.