3/11
Numbers 20:8.10-11
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."
10He 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?" 11Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
This is the second time the LORD commanded Moses to bring water from the Rock. The first time God told Moses to strike the rock with his rod. This second time Moses was told to speak to the rock. Instead Moses spoke some harsh words to the complaining people and struck the Rock twice. We can hardly blame him for being upset. This incident was cited as the reason he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. What is so horrible?
We must remember that the LORD spoke clearly to Moses. Moses was not trying to discern what the LORD was leading him to do. In 1Corinthians 10 we learn that this rock is a picture of Jesus. The first time we come to Him for the water of life, we find that He had to be struck for us that the water of life might flow out. He was struck in receiving punishment for our sins upon the cross.
Once struck He never need be struck again. All we need to do is speak to our Rock, and the water of Life is freely given to us. What a prophetic picture God was painting! But Moses marred it. Notice that in Moses' anger he also said that Aaron and he were the ones bringing out the water from the rock. God alone can do that. Moses fell into the fatal error of many leaders. He suggested that he was the one who could meet their needs, pointing to himself instead of to God. We must always be careful to give God all the glory.
Meditation: Since Jesus was struck for me, now all I need to do now is speak to Him and the water of life will flow out to me.
