Numbers 20:3
And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
At Kadesh near the borders of Canaan after nearly forty years of wandering, Israel found no water and quarreled with Moses, wishing they had died with their brethren destroyed by the plague following Korah's rebellion. The living stream from the rock had flowed beside them for years and was stopped by God's own act to prove whether they would walk by faith and trust His providence or murmur like their fathers. In forgetting God's long provision and accusing Moses and Aaron of bringing them out to die, they sinned against God Himself, dishonoring and grieving Christ their invisible leader who bore their iniquities. God heard their complaint in that strait place and purposed to meet their need by displaying His glory in mercy and power, to soften their hearts to repentance and sanctify Himself before them. Their complaining wearied Moses until in weakness his faith let go its hold, and he was surprised into the sin that shut him out of the promised land, showing how quickly unbelief arises when past deliverance is forgotten and warning against distrusting God in hardship.
Wording and Historical Setting
The cry was raised at Kadesh, the very wilderness place and rock where God had first proved Israel soon after leaving Egypt, now revisited nearly forty years later just before entering Canaan at the borders of the promised land after forty years of wandering. For all those years the living stream brought from the rock had gushed and flowed beside their encampment, and just before they came again to the rock God by deliberate act caused it to cease, leaving them thirsty with no water. The stoppage was on purpose to prove them again, to give them a little time to walk by faith instead of sight.
The test was whether they would endure the trial of faith, trust God's providence and believe His promise, or murmur again and imitate the unbelief of their fathers. In their thirst and desperation they wished they had died when their brethren died before the Lord, meaning they wished to have been among those destroyed by the plague that followed Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron, including Dathan and Abiram. That wish exposed the same turbulent, unthankful spirit as their fathers when the water ceased before Edom.
The cutting off of the miraculous water was a token that the wilderness wandering was ended and should have been a cause for rejoicing. They were in sight of the hills of Canaan, a few days' march from its borders and a little distance from Edom, through which lay the appointed route to Canaan where God had promised unmolested passage and the chance to buy food and water for money through a well-watered, fertile country. Blinded by unbelief they did not understand this, gave up hope that God would bring them into possession of Canaan, and turned what should have been evidence of fulfillment into an occasion of doubt and murmuring, clamoring for the blessings of the wilderness.
Their discontent at Kadesh when the water ceased brought the journey around Edom. Unbelief kept the intended passage through Edom from becoming a blessing and led them to cross the desert again, whereas trust would have removed the need to quench thirst again from the miraculous spring. That resulting hardship was a consequence of their own sin, which God punished lightly.
Unbelief Against God Himself
When the water failed the people forgot the hand and power that had supplied their wants for years, lost sight of God, and did not turn to Him for help. Instead of trusting Him they grew impatient and broke into desperate complaint. Their cries were directed against Moses and Aaron as chiding and quarreling, gathering against them with bitter and angry complaint. They focused on Moses rather than keeping God in view, blaming the leaders for the hardship and lack of water and accusing them of bringing them and their children out of Egypt to die.
That murmuring against the leaders was really against God and not against men. In charging their lack upon Moses and Aaron they murmured against Him and at His providence, grieving Him, sinning against Him, dishonoring Him, and insulting their best Friend. It expressed the same turbulent, unthankful spirit of unbelief and rebellion as their fathers and their continual waywardness. The wicked course put the people under great guilt before God, guilt that should have been set before them. For Christ was their invisible leader whom they transgressed against and offended, who would bear their iniquities and who suffered most intensely from their sin, more than Moses suffered.
God heard their murmuring in the strait place and meant to meet their great necessity by displaying His glory in mercy and power. He would so live in their memory that they would glorify Him, and would soften and subdue their hearts and lead them to repentance. It was a golden opportunity to sanctify Him before them by showing His long-suffering and tender pity.
The continual complaining wearied and provoked the leaders and caused Moses the keenest and deep sorrow. For a little he forgot how much God had borne with them and thought only of himself, how deeply he was wronged and how little gratitude they showed for his deep love. He took their murmuring to himself and focused on the wrong done to him.
Consequences and Present Warning
Israel's murmuring and complaining spirit was their own sin, and that sin led Moses to deviate from the right and commit the sin that kept him out of the promised land, though he mourned his sin and his exclusion and felt he had caused Israel to sin. He fell at the borders after forty years of wandering, wearied and in the time of greatest weakness when Satan assailed him with fiercest temptation. His strength failed, his will power weakened, and his faith for the moment let go its hold upon infinite power and ceased to repose in God, so he who had stood long and valiantly for the right was overcome.
Satan gains the victory by the policy by which he prevails over man, taking advantage of the weakness of humanity and attacking weak points of character when one is encompassed with clouds, perplexed by circumstances, or afflicted by poverty or distress. He seeks to shake confidence in God, tempting to distrust God and question His love, and arraying weakness and infirmities to discourage the soul and break its hold upon God. Meeting him as Jesus did escapes defeat, while parleying with the enemy gives him advantage. God, not Moses, was the one who had led and helped Israel, and taking glory for God's work obscures its true source.
Satan stirred up the worst passions of Israel to murmur and rebel until Moses lost command of himself. Moses took the people's murmuring to himself and was surprised into sin, not premeditated sin. By appropriating to himself the glory that belonged to God he transgressed God's law, placed himself on Satan's side of the controversy and under Satan's dominion and power, merited the penalty of transgression, and became subject to death.
When the water supply failed the people lost sight of God, quickly forgot His past deliverance and provision, blamed Moses and Aaron for their hardship and bitterly complained that they had been brought out of Egypt, gathering against them instead of trusting God. Their response reveals how quickly and readily unbelief can arise when people forget their dependence on God and fail to guard their hearts, remember His past deliverance and provision, and trust Him. Complaining in hardship against Moses, wishing they had died with their fellow Israelites, is like complaints against the one bearing the most responsible burdens for God's work.