Numbers 20:11, commentary and pictures

God commanded Moses to speak to the rock before Israel so it would give water for the people and their animals, but instead he called them rebels and lifted his hand to strike the rock twice with the rod without command. God still caused water to gush out abundantly in mercy, yet the blow showed shaken faith and failure to honor Him, putting self forward and giving the impression the leaders themselves brought the water. Judgment fell at once that Moses and Aaron would not lead the congregation into the promised land, making clear that honored position magnifies guilt and does not excuse sin. Moses repented and was forgiven, but the earthly entrance was still denied, and after death he was raised by Christ over Satan's claim and taken to heaven. The rock pointed to Christ, from whose death the water of life would flow to a thirsty world, and the failure stands as a warning that even long faithfulness does not excuse angry self-exaltation or deviation from God's word.

Wilderness Test Setting

The long-standing living stream that had flowed beside Israel's encampment for years ceased just before they entered Canaan to prove whether they would trust divine providence and walk for a little time by faith instead of sight. It was a renewed trial of faith to see if they would endure or again murmur, coming when Moses was weary after forty years of wandering and his faith for a moment lost hold. The test fell at Kadesh in sight of the hills of Canaan, only a few days' march from the promised land and a little distance from Edom, at the very place where God had proved them soon after leaving Egypt. The water first brought from the rock there had continued until just before they came again to the rock.

They were about to pass by the appointed route through the well-watered, fertile country of Edom to Canaan, with promise of unmolested passage and opportunity to buy food and sufficient water for the host. The cessation of the miraculous flow should therefore have been understood as a token that wilderness wandering was ended and a cause for rejoicing and evidence that the promise was being fulfilled. Instead, as soon as the cry for water was heard they forgot the hand that had for many years supplied their wants, including power shown in giving water from the rock nearly forty years before. They murmured against Moses and Aaron rather than turning to God for help, wishing they had died when their brethren died before the Lord in the rebellion of Korah, and charging that they had been brought up out of Egypt into the wilderness to die with their cattle in an evil waterless place with no seed or figs or vines or pomegranates and no water to drink.

God's plan was to bring Israel frequently into strait places in their great necessity and then deliver them by His power, so that in need they would call upon Him for deliverance, recognize His special regard, fix their faith and trust in Him alone, and glorify His name. He would answer by revealing His greatness and power, and their softened hearts, awakened gratitude, and solemn sacred awe gave favorable opportunity to adore and magnify His goodness and exalt Him as One whose threatenings never fail and whose promises are ever sure. But blinded by unbelief they made the cessation an occasion of doubt and murmuring, showing they had given up hope of possessing Canaan and clamored for the blessings of the wilderness. The first trial exposed the same turbulent, unthankful spirit manifested by their fathers, and the same unbelieving spirit appearing in their children raised the question whether they too would fail of the promise.

It was the duty of the leaders to put forth every effort to bring about a better state and by unwavering faith and prompt decisive exercise of authority to set the test rightly before the people and quell the murmuring at Kadesh, but wearied and disheartened they made no effort to stem the current of popular feeling, and failure to check it promptly opened a train of evil. Only two of that vast army who were above twenty years old when they left Egypt were found faithful enough to see the promised land, the rest having evil hearts of unbelief and being doomed by the Lord to fall in the wilderness for their transgressions. Because they had not trusted God they had to cross the desert again and drink from the miraculous spring; had they trusted Him they would not have needed it. Their murmuring when the water ceased brought upon them the hardship of the journey around Edom, yet instead of recognizing that their own sin had made their lot harder they blamed God for their misfortunes.

Striking Instead Speaking

God's command was to take the rod, gather Israel together, and speak to the rock before their eyes so that it would give forth its water for the congregation and their beasts. That water was what Moses himself could never supply unless the Lord supplied it. The requirement was exact, to speak and not to strike.

Instead, after crying Hear now, ye rebels, and asking whether he and Aaron must fetch or bring water out of the rock for them, Moses lifted up his hand and smote the rock twice. He struck with the rod of God when he had no command to strike it, disobeying the instruction to speak to it. Wearied by continual murmuring, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips, taking the work to himself instead of declaring that God would show another evidence of His power.

Though the charge ye rebels was true, his words were spoken from irritated human passion rather than holy indignation because God had been dishonored. His impatient, self-directed accusation took the reproof upon himself and grieved God's Spirit. Speaking truth in passion harmed the people and gave them excuse to question the divine authority behind his earlier reproofs.

God nevertheless caused the water to gush out and flow abundantly, and the congregation drank and their beasts also drank. That flow was an act of mercy and a gift from the living God at His word, not from idol gods or nature. It did not prove Moses had acted rightly, for by acting impatiently and failing to give God the glory he misrepresented who had power to provide and mingled human passion with God's work.

Unbelief Taking Glory

The stroke betrayed unbelief and distrust, as if a human act were needed to accomplish what God could do by His word alone, and as if the Lord would not do what He had promised. Faith had been shaken by the murmuring and rebellion of the people when the water failed, and weariness and discouragement kept Moses and Aaron from stemming the current of popular feeling when unwavering faith and prompt, decisive exercise of authority might have quelled it and set the test rightly before the people. It was their duty to put forth every effort to bring about a better state before asking God to work for them, yet the same unbelieving spirit that had condemned the first generation appeared in their children and raised the question whether they too would fail, and failure to check it promptly opened a train of evil.

Moses and Aaron did not believe God and did not sanctify, honor, magnify, and give Him glory and credit before Israel for causing water to flow again from the flinty rock. They did not declare that God would show another evidence of His power, did not ascribe the power and glory to Him, and did not exalt Him before the people. The abundant flow for the congregation and their beasts was mercy that did not make the disobedience right, and the failure to honor God brought displeasure and the judgment that they would not lead Israel into Canaan.

They put themselves forward in God's place and gave prominence to self, presenting the miracle as their own work and leaving the impression that they themselves gave the water. In asking whether they must fetch water from the rock they appropriated to themselves the honor due to God and arrogated power that belonged to Him alone. That assuming to take God's place was the greatest sin in the act, marring the figure of Christ whom Moses represented.

Now aged and worn after long bearing with rebellion, Moses let patience give way when harassed by undeserved complaints, provoked and wrought up until he acted in irritated, offended, self-willed impatience and wrath from natural impulse. With mind engrossed by ingratitude and waywardness he spoke unadvisedly, hastily, and presumptuously with his lips, crying in human passion rather than holy indignation though the charge of rebellion was true. The double stroke revealed great weakness and marked lack of self-control, with a spirit like that of the murmurers when he should have been an example of forbearance and patience.

He forgot for the moment that their murmuring was against God and not himself, taking it as personal trial and dishonor and looking to self and appealing to his own sympathies. He failed to grieve that the Spirit of God was insulted and missed a golden opportunity at the very time God would mercifully display His glory to soften and subdue hearts and lead them to repentance. Instead of setting before the people their great guilt before God and showing His long-suffering and tender pity to soften hearts unto repentance, he claimed the power of opening the rock for himself.

By striking and asking whether he and Aaron must bring out the water he made it appear that divine power belonged to human leaders and mingled human passion with God's work. He misrepresented God before the people as His representative, gave them cause to question his leadership and excuse their own failures, and gave Satan opportunity to unsettle their faith. His impatient, self-directed accusation grieved God's Spirit, harmed the people, and gave them an excuse to question the divine authority behind his earlier reproofs.

It was his first sin after forty years of faithful labor, a momentary yielding to sudden temptation when labor seemed almost in vain, not wilful or deliberate sin or self-esteem. Wearied and disheartened just on the borders of the land, strength failed, will power weakened, and faith for the moment let go its hold on Infinite Power. At Satan's instigation he fell under Satan's power in that triumph of temptation, and it was not given to him to pronounce judgment against Israel. That one transgression marred his otherwise illustrious and faithful life and brought him under the dominion of death.

His honored position as God's teacher, example, and representative, highly favored with special views of God's majesty and brought into close relation with Him, did not lessen guilt but greatly magnified it. His long life of fidelity could not atone for the present sin, and his departure from usual patience made the failure more conspicuous. God does not excuse sin in the exalted sooner than in the humble, but holds leaders accountable as He does those in humble positions, for all are judged according to privileges, light, and benefits bestowed.

Exclusion Yet Forgiven

The sentence fell at once that Moses and Aaron must die with rebellious Israel before crossing the Jordan and would not bring the congregation into the land given them, because in striking twice instead of speaking they failed through unbelief to sanctify, honor and magnify God before Israel for causing water to flow again from the flinty rock. Though water gushed out abundantly so that the congregation and their beasts drank, the gift came by mercy at God's word and did not prove the act right, but made history to show God as a firm ruler who in no case justifies sin and lays the same punishment on the exalted as on the lowly. Their guilt was not wilful or deliberate sin or self-esteem but a momentary yielding to sudden temptation when patience gave way under long bearing with rebellion, followed by immediate heartfelt contrition which the Lord accepted; Moses confessed his sin, implored pardon, humbly accepted the severe affliction without murmuring at the decree, and was forgiven, yet punishment could not be remitted because of the harm among the people and the home in the promised land he longed for was denied.

Though Moses begged to go over, the Lord refused lest pardoning open disobedience before Israel make light of His Word, would not hear his earnest prayer to see the good land beyond Jordan, the goodly mountain, and Lebanon, told him it was enough and to speak no more of the matter, and commanded him to go to the top of Pisgah and look westward and northward and southward and eastward upon the land with his eyes since he would not go over Jordan. Instead he was to charge Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for Joshua would go over before the people and cause them to inherit what Moses would only see. That one transgression marred his otherwise illustrious and faithful life and brought him under the dominion of death, costing him entrance into earthly Canaan and translation to heaven without seeing death, which God would have granted had he remained steadfast.

He passed through death, but after remaining in the grave a short time Michael, who is Christ, with the angels that had buried him, came down, approached the grave where Satan and his angels were guarding the body and claiming it as rightful prey because of the sin, forced them back by glory and power with The Lord rebuke thee, prevailed in the contention, resurrected him before his body saw corruption, and bore him with a resurrected and glorified body to the courts of heaven to wait upon Christ and later to immortal life. Moses humbly repented of the wrong so that no stain rested upon his character and his name stood untarnished in the heavenly book of records. God pronounced no judgment on the people whose wicked murmuring had provoked Moses and Aaron but let all reproof fall on them as His representatives because they had not honored Him, though Israel's own murmuring and complaining spirit had led Moses to deviate and Christ as invisible leader was the one truly transgressed against and offended and suffered most intensely and would bear their iniquities.

Aaron was likewise barred from serving as high priest in Canaan, an especially grave consequence because his sacred office represented Christ.

Christ Satan Conflict

The rock struck in the wilderness symbolized Christ, the living Rock, by whose death the water of life would be made available to the thirsty world. He is seen as the smitten rock with arms stretched wide, standing before dark towering rocks, with life-giving water gushing from clefts in the rock and spreading in bright streams across barren land.

The Son of God Himself was with Moses and Joshua to lead His chosen people to Canaan, and Christ Himself led the fathers through the wilderness for many years, teaching them His will through Moses His faithful servant whom God honored greatly. Yet Satan tempted even Moses the meek man to take to himself the glory that God claimed in giving water from the rock. Satan then boasted over that fall that even the Son of God who was with Moses and Joshua could not resist his power and finish that leading, because nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness, and by this God's purpose in salvation would be thwarted. Those fathers whom Christ so led were the fathers of the Hebrew people who crucified Christ, and Moses' smiting the rock was a mistake and a sin not to be lightly passed over, for God sees not as man sees.

In that overcoming of Moses at the rock Satan triumphed, marring an otherwise illustrious and faithful character by the sin of taking to himself before the people glory that belonged to God. That one transgression brought Moses under the dominion of death and kept him from entering the promised land and from translation to heaven without seeing death. Satan triumphed in causing the sin and afterward claimed Moses' body because of it.

Moses' error belongs to the time just before Israel entered the promised land, when he erred near the end of his journey. It stands as a parallel to William Miller erring as he was nearing the heavenly Canaan.

The striking twice that brought water abundantly for the congregation and their animals stands among the mighty acts through which God sustained Israel during the journey. The God who brought abundant water from a rock in the desert is therefore able also to provide water in Paradise Valley.

Example Warning Today

Those entrusted with God's work must not give prominence to self, for to exalt self is to neglect His work and dishonor Him, and His name alone is to be magnified by exalting righteousness and heaven's holy principles. This applies with special force to presidents of schools and to one standing at the head of a school, who must not get above the real virtues and simplicity of the work or become ambitious to climb higher and higher, lest the Lord manifest His displeasure against failure to reach His standard. He will work counter to those who work counter to Him, and He can do but little for one who takes to himself the glory for wisdom and power He bestowed and forgets to exalt the Giver. Those who have become unfaithful in this way need now to seek the Lord with deep humiliation of soul and be converted, that He may heal their transgressions.

The stroke at the rock stands as a warning example for God's people upon whom the ends of the world are come, especially men who occupy positions of trust, of what it means to become angry. Those who today hold such trust must stop and consider, for Moses' loss of self-control in anger displayed a spirit unworthy of a leader of God's people and set a wrong example that gave the people grounds to excuse their own anger. God condemns a harsh, hasty, condemnatory spirit, and His rebuke proved that even a leader greatly honored by Him is accountable for such conduct. Moses felt repentance for his anger, while there are those in God's service who give way to anger without that repentance and brace themselves to follow an unchristian course from one wrong to another. Murmurers in the churches who easily lose self-control, become irritated and provoked when crossed or when everything does not please them, and provoke one another to evil give loose rein to an unsanctified, irritable spirit and show they have not the light and love of God in their souls, so all must make diligent work for repentance.

Satan assails the soul with the fiercest temptations at the time of greatest weakness, and by this policy he has gained many victories even over those who have stood long and valiantly for the right. Moses failed just on the borders of the promised land after forty years wearied with the wandering, faithlessness and rebellion of Israel, when strength failed, will power weakened, and faith for the moment let go its hold upon Infinite Power and ceased to repose in God. He attacks weak points of character to shake confidence in God and to tempt to distrust God and question His love. It warns that when encompassed with doubt, perplexed by circumstances, or afflicted by poverty or distress, confidence in God is most shaken.

His trial was more severe than few will ever face, with very great burdens placed upon him under the greatest provocation, yet that pressure did not excuse his transgression. Though he had great spiritual light and enjoyed divine favor and blessing, he was still under sacred obligation to guard his spirit and exercise self-control, to walk humbly and plead in faith for God to direct every thought and control every impulse moment by moment. Neither earth nor hell can compel anyone to do evil, and the strongest temptation cannot excuse sin, for God had made ample provision and provided help so that by relying on His strength conquest is possible and Moses need not have been overcome or become the sport of circumstances. Satan seizes upon every blessing and trial to tempt and destroy if given the least advantage. Past service and spiritual privilege do not excuse self-reliance, for his sin was especially serious because he had been so favored and brought into close relation to God, and his departure from his usual patience made the failure more conspicuous; when people see a favored person's failure, they must not use it to excuse their own sin.

God's Word is precious and must be followed exactly to the letter by every soul, old and young, with no thought that deviation will come out just as well. The people were complaining for lack of drink, which Moses could not supply unless the Lord supplied it, and the Lord commanded him to take the rod and speak to the rock so it would give water; yet provoked and wrought up by their unreasonable course, Moses forgot himself for the first time in a faithful and true life, asking whether he and Aaron must bring water, calling them rebels, and striking when he had no command to strike. Though water came, the deviation brought terrible loss, for though Moses begged to go over into the land, the Lord refused, because pardoning open disobedience before Israel would make light of the Word of God. This exactness includes keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath of the Lord thy God instead of substituting the first day for convenience.

The sin and failing at the rock stands written plainly and faithfully with the sins that overcame Noah, Lot, Abraham, David, Solomon, and others, and with Elijah sinking under trial, Jonah disobeying, Israel committing idolatry, Peter denying Christ, and Paul and Barnabas contending sharply, lifting the veil from the human heart and laying bare the faults and follies of believers. Such faithful narration is required by the principles of justice for the benefit of all who read the Sacred Record, given as a warning to avoid unbelief and escape wrath and to teach that the wages of sin is death, that God's retributive justice never fails, and that He exacts strict regard for His commandments and is faithful to punish wrongdoing so that retribution follows sin. It is kept as a lesson to all following generations to show where they struggled and fell, so readers avoid the recorded evil and imitate only righteousness. Seeing where he struggled and fell, and that through God's grace he could gain fresh vigor to rise above his evil nature, encourages desponding hearts not to despair of excellence but to renew the conflict, press on, press over obstacles and conquer again, and to trust that God is as powerful to save from sin today and to pity, pardon and forgive the guilty, sorrowful, penitent, sin-sick soul and the repenting sinner as in the times of the patriarchs, prophets and apostles.