20:4Numbers 20:4

Thirsty and finding no water in a barren place with no seed or figs or vines or pomegranates, the people angrily accused Moses and Aaron of bringing the congregation of the Lord with their cattle and children into the wilderness to kill them, even wishing they had died with Korah, Dathan and Abiram.Ms 8, 1886, par. 11–14+4 This happened at Kadesh near Edom on the borders of the promised land, when Israel was brought a second time to the same proving place after nearly forty years of wandering, and God had caused the long-flowing water from the rock to cease to prove whether they would trust His providence and walk by faith instead of by sight.Ms 9, 1903, par. 10–17+4 Their complaint showed forgetfulness of years of deliverance and provision, failure to keep God in view as their leader and turn to Him for help, and a repetition of the unbelief and murmuring of their fathers and the previous generation.Ms 8, 1886, par. 11–14+4 Though directed against Moses and Aaron, the murmuring was in truth against God and against Christ their invisible leader, whose work it was, so that accusing the leaders grieved and dishonored God and sinned against His providence.Ms 8, 1886, par. 11–14+2 God brings His people into strait places and then delivers them to exhibit His power and be glorified and to soften hearts to repentance, but Moses and Aaron sinned by taking the murmurings as personal dishonor, answering in wrath and taking to themselves the glory belonging to God, so the Lord was displeased and said they should not enter the promised land, and though God gave water the people's unbelief kept them from passing through Edom as intended.SG1 41.1–42.1+4

The complaint was made at Kadesh near Edom on the borders of the promised land, just before entering Canaan, when Israel had been brought a second time to the very place where they had first been proved soon after leaving Egypt, after nearly forty years of wandering.1SP 309.2–3+2 The water God had brought out of the rock had continued to flow for years until just before they came again to the rock, when the Lord caused that living stream to cease.1SP 309.2–3+1 God brought the people into this strait place of no water to prove them again, to see whether they would endure the trial of faith, trust His providence, believe His promise, and walk by faith instead of by sight.1SP 309.2–3+4

Thirsty and finding no water, the people became impatient and did not remember God's power in giving water before.SG4 38.1–2+1 Instead of turning to God for help they angrily and impatiently accused Moses and Aaron, their appointed leaders, of bringing up the congregation of the LORD with their cattle and children into the wilderness to die there and to kill them.Ms 9, 1903, par. 10–17+4 Their charge that the leaders had brought them out to perish was directed against Moses and Aaron, while the work was God's and not Moses'.Ms 8, 1886, par. 11–14+2

They called the place evil because it lacked food and water, with no seed or figs or vines or pomegranates and no water to drink.Ms 65, 1906, par. 25–30+1 In desperate murmuring they wished they had died with those destroyed in the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.SG4 38.1–2+1

The cry that Moses and Aaron had brought the congregation and their cattle into the wilderness to die showed that Israel had forgotten God's years of providing for them, of deliverance, and of power in giving water from the rock before.Lt 188, 1903, par. 36–40+4 They failed to keep God in view as their leader, and instead of trusting Him and turning to Him for help when tested by the ceasing of the supply, they murmured against Him and treated lack of water as proof they would perish.Ms 8, 1886, par. 11–14+4 In this they repeated the unbelief and murmuring of their fathers and the previous generation, showing the same impatient, distrustful, unthankful and rebellious spirit instead of believing His promise.Ms 9, 1903, par. 10–17+3 God had permitted the lack just before entering Canaan to prove whether they would trust His providence and walk by faith, but they forgot the One who had supplied their wants for so many years.SG4 38.1–2+2

Though spoken against Moses and Aaron, their appointed leaders, the murmuring was in truth against God and against Christ, their invisible leader.SG1 41.1–42.1+4 The work was God's, not Moses', and God alone deserved the glory, so in accusing the leaders the people grieved, dishonored and insulted God, insulting their best Friend and sinning against His providence.Ms 8, 1886, par. 11–14+3 It was transgression against Christ, and Christ was the one offended who suffered most intensely as the one who would bear their iniquities.10MR 151.3+1 God often brings His people into strait places and then delivers them in their necessity to exhibit His power, that it may live in their memory and He may be glorified by them.SG1 41.1–42.1+1 He does so that they may realize His love and care and be led to serve and honor Him, and the lack of water was a merciful opportunity to sanctify the Lord before the people and show His long-suffering and tender pity to soften hearts and lead to repentance.SG1 41.1–42.1+2

Moses and Aaron sinned in connection with the complaint by taking the murmurings personally as a trial and dishonor to themselves.SG1 41.1–42.1+2 Made keenly sorrowful by continual waywardness, Moses for a little forgot how much God had borne with the people, thought only of self and personal wrong and ingratitude for his deep love, answered in wrath and claimed the power of opening the rock.SG1 41.1–42.1+2 Thereby he took to himself the glory belonging to God and failed to honor and magnify Him before Israel that they might glorify God.SG1 41.1–42.1+2 Satan stirred up the worst passions of Israel to murmur and rebel until Moses lost command of himself, and Moses was surprised into sin without premeditation.SG1 41.1–42.1+1 By appropriating God's glory he transgressed God's law and placed himself on Satan's side and under Satan's power, and the LORD was displeased and said he should not enter the promised land.SG1 41.1–42.1+3

Moses was wearied by the forty years wandering, and for a moment his faith let go its hold upon infinite power and failed just upon the borders of the promised land.10MR 151.3+1 This shows that Satan assails in the time of greatest weakness to prevail, gaining the victory when strength fails and will power weakens and faith ceases to repose in God, so that even those who have stood long and valiantly for the right can be overcome.Ms 15, 1908, par. 6+1 Israel's murmuring sin was their own and not caused by Moses, though their murmuring led him to deviate from the right and commit that excluding sin, and though Moses felt he had caused them to sin and mourned his own sin that kept him out.10MR 151.3+1 God gave water in answer to their clamors, but their unbelief and discontent kept them from passing through Edom as He had intended.PP 424.2+1 They therefore had to cross the desert again and drink from the miraculous spring when trust would have made it unnecessary, for their own murmuring brought the hardship of the journey around Edom instead of gratitude for His care.PP 424.2+1