And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
Moses taking the rod from before the Lord was itself obedience to God's command, for after he and Aaron fell on their faces at the door of the tabernacle God directed them to take the rod, gather the assembly, and speak to the rock before their eyes so it would give water for the people and their animals. The command came in a final test on the borders of the promised land after forty years of wandering, when the living stream ceased in order to prove whether Israel would trust God's promise and providence instead of murmuring as their fathers had done. The offense was not in taking the rod but in failing to complete the command, for Moses in anger struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as God had said. In calling the people rebels and asking whether he and Aaron must bring water, he took the glory to himself, failed to sanctify God before Israel, and showed distrust at the very moment God would have displayed His power to soften hearts and lead to repentance. For that public failure to honor God, Moses and Aaron were judged not to lead the congregation into the land but to die before crossing the Jordan, a solemn warning that God's word must be followed exactly to the letter and that He does not excuse sin in the exalted any sooner than in the humble.
Setting and Command
The verse belongs to a test just before Israel was permitted to enter Canaan, on the borders of the promised land after forty years of wandering, near Kadesh and before reaching Edom. Israel was brought again into the wilderness to the very place where God had proved them soon after leaving Egypt, and the rock there that had brought forth water had continued to flow until just before they came again to the rock. The murmuring at Kadesh over the lack of water led to punishment and to the journey around Edom, which became a further trial for them.
The living stream that had sustained Israel for years ceased to flow, and the Lord caused it to cease to prove His people again. The cessation was appointed to prove whether they would believe God's promise, trust His providence, endure the trial of faith, and walk by faith instead of by sight. The shortage tested whether they would trust God, but instead they doubted His promise.
Instead of turning to God for help they showed the same turbulent, unthankful spirit manifested by their fathers. As soon as the cry for water arose they forgot the hand that had supplied their wants for many years. They murmured against Moses and Aaron for water for themselves, their children, their cattle, their beasts and their animals to drink. They complained that they had been brought out of Egypt into an evil wilderness place with no seed, figs, vines, pomegranates, and no water. They wished they had died when their brethren died before the Lord in the rebellion of Korah, and they accused their leaders of bringing them out to kill them and charged their calamities upon them.
When the people murmured, Moses and Aaron left the assembly for the door of the tabernacle and fell on their faces, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. God then directed Moses to take the rod of God from before the Lord and with Aaron his brother gather the assembly. He was to speak to the rock before their eyes so it would give water for the congregation, their beasts, and their animals to drink.
Moses taking the rod from before the Lord was itself obedience to God's command. He took the rod of God in his hand as commanded and went with his brother before the multitude as aged men who had long borne Israel's rebellion and obstinacy. The offense at Kadesh was not the taking of the rod but the failure to complete the command to speak to the rock so it would give water.
Disobedience and Judgment
Moses did not speak to the rock as commanded but in anger struck it twice with the rod, though God had given no command to strike but only to speak so that water would come forth. The taking of the rod itself was obedience, but he failed to complete the command to speak to the rock before the eyes of the assembly for the congregation and their animals to drink. In asking whether he and Aaron must bring water from the rock and in calling the people rebels, he spoke as if he could provide the water and took the glory to himself. He failed to honor God, to ascribe to Him the power and glory for causing water to flow again from the flinty rock, to tell the people God would show another evidence of His power, and to magnify and sanctify Him before Israel.
Wearied and provoked by continual complaining, waywardness, and unreasonable faultfinding, Moses took the murmurings as a great personal trial and dishonor to himself. He thought only of how deeply he was wronged and how little gratitude was shown for his deep love, and for a time forgot how much the Lord had borne with them. He forgot that their murmuring was not against him as a man appointed to carry out God's purpose but against God, insulting their best friend and murmuring at His providence by charging their calamities upon their leaders. In that moment of greatest weakness his strength failed, his will weakened, and his faith let go its hold upon infinite power and ceased to repose in God, so that even the meekest man forgot himself. Satan, whose policy is to overcome even the faithful when faith loosens and confidence is shaken, had stirred the people to murmur until Moses lost command of himself.
By yielding Moses transgressed God's law, placed himself on Satan's side and under Satan's dominion and power, and became subject to death, though the sin was not premeditated but he was surprised into it. The blow of a human hand could not provide the water, for only God's power could do so, so striking instead of speaking showed distrust and unbelief. As God's representatives Moses and Aaron lost a golden opportunity at a time when God would mercifully display His glory to soften and subdue hearts, lead them to repentance, and show His long-suffering and tender pity. The people in fact sinned against Christ their invisible leader, who was the one they offended and who suffered most intensely.
For failing to sanctify God in the eyes of Israel, Moses and Aaron were judged not to bring the congregation into the given land or lead them into the promised land, but to die with rebellious Israel before crossing the Jordan. Though Moses pleaded and begged to go over, God would not reverse the judgment because pardoning the public transgression would make His word of little account. Though Moses later confessed the one transgression that marred his record in humility and faith and sought pardon, their disobedience marred lives that might have been illustrious to the close and cost them the privilege of entering Canaan. This shows God does not excuse sin in those in exalted position any sooner than in the humble.
Warning for Later Generations
God often brings His people into strait places and then in their necessity delivers them by His power, that they may realize His love and care for them and thus be led to serve and honor Him. Israel was answered with water when they accused their leaders of bringing them out to kill them and their children, yet their unbelief brought punishment, for they had to cross the desert again and drink from the miraculous spring they would no longer have needed if they had trusted Him. Their murmuring at Kadesh over lack of water led to that punishment and to the journey around Edom, which became a further trial for them.
God's word is precious and must be followed exactly to the letter by every soul, without thinking deviation will come out just as well or excusing disobedience as inconvenient. It does not pay to forget or become careless in any of God's requirements, for even the meekest man forgot when provoked by unreasonable faultfinding and continual murmuring. This includes keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath and not substituting the first day of the week.
When self is exalted God's work is neglected and He is dishonored, while God works counter to those who work counter to Him and His name alone is to be magnified. As leader, teacher, and example on the borders of the promised land, Moses' mistake in taking prominence to himself instead of believing and sanctifying God before Israel dishonored God. It is a solemn lesson to those in responsibility, especially in schools and to presidents.
The sin of a man favored of God and entrusted with great responsibility is faithfully narrated with stern facts not glossed over, as evidence of divine wisdom and justice. The record is given for the benefit and warning of God's people in all following generations, that unbelief may be avoided and wrath escaped. Seeing where he struggled and fell, desponding hearts are encouraged not to despair but to press on, knowing that through God's grace fresh vigor can be gained to rise above evil nature and renew the conflict.
Moses taking the rod from before the Lord was itself obedience to God's command, for after he and Aaron fell on their faces at the door of the tabernacle God directed them to take the rod, gather the assembly, and speak to the rock before their eyes so it would give water for the people and their animals.
The command came in a final test on the borders of the promised land after forty years of wandering, when the living stream ceased in order to prove whether Israel would trust God's promise and providence instead of murmuring as their fathers had done.
The offense was not in taking the rod but in failing to complete the command, for Moses in anger struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as God had said.
In calling the people rebels and asking whether he and Aaron must bring water, he took the glory to himself, failed to sanctify God before Israel, and showed distrust at the very moment God would have displayed His power to soften hearts and lead to repentance.
For that public failure to honor God, Moses and Aaron were judged not to lead the congregation into the land but to die before crossing the Jordan, a solemn warning that God's word must be followed exactly to the letter and that He does not excuse sin in the exalted any sooner than in the humble.
Setting and Command
The verse belongs to a test just before Israel was permitted to enter Canaan, on the borders of the promised land after forty years of wandering, near Kadesh and before reaching Edom. Israel was brought again into the wilderness to the very place where God had proved them soon after leaving Egypt, and the rock there that had brought forth water had continued to flow until just before they came again to the rock. The murmuring at Kadesh over the lack of water led to punishment and to the journey around Edom, which became a further trial for them.
The living stream that had sustained Israel for years ceased to flow, and the Lord caused it to cease to prove His people again. The cessation was appointed to prove whether they would believe God's promise, trust His providence, endure the trial of faith, and walk by faith instead of by sight. The shortage tested whether they would trust God, but instead they doubted His promise.
Instead of turning to God for help they showed the same turbulent, unthankful spirit manifested by their fathers. As soon as the cry for water arose they forgot the hand that had supplied their wants for many years. They murmured against Moses and Aaron for water for themselves, their children, their cattle, their beasts and their animals to drink. They complained that they had been brought out of Egypt into an evil wilderness place with no seed, figs, vines, pomegranates, and no water. They wished they had died when their brethren died before the Lord in the rebellion of Korah, and they accused their leaders of bringing them out to kill them and charged their calamities upon them.
When the people murmured, Moses and Aaron left the assembly for the door of the tabernacle and fell on their faces, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. God then directed Moses to take the rod of God from before the Lord and with Aaron his brother gather the assembly. He was to speak to the rock before their eyes so it would give water for the congregation, their beasts, and their animals to drink.
Moses taking the rod from before the Lord was itself obedience to God's command. He took the rod of God in his hand as commanded and went with his brother before the multitude as aged men who had long borne Israel's rebellion and obstinacy. The offense at Kadesh was not the taking of the rod but the failure to complete the command to speak to the rock so it would give water.
Disobedience and Judgment
Moses did not speak to the rock as commanded but in anger struck it twice with the rod, though God had given no command to strike but only to speak so that water would come forth. The taking of the rod itself was obedience, but he failed to complete the command to speak to the rock before the eyes of the assembly for the congregation and their animals to drink. In asking whether he and Aaron must bring water from the rock and in calling the people rebels, he spoke as if he could provide the water and took the glory to himself. He failed to honor God, to ascribe to Him the power and glory for causing water to flow again from the flinty rock, to tell the people God would show another evidence of His power, and to magnify and sanctify Him before Israel.
Wearied and provoked by continual complaining, waywardness, and unreasonable faultfinding, Moses took the murmurings as a great personal trial and dishonor to himself. He thought only of how deeply he was wronged and how little gratitude was shown for his deep love, and for a time forgot how much the Lord had borne with them. He forgot that their murmuring was not against him as a man appointed to carry out God's purpose but against God, insulting their best friend and murmuring at His providence by charging their calamities upon their leaders. In that moment of greatest weakness his strength failed, his will weakened, and his faith let go its hold upon infinite power and ceased to repose in God, so that even the meekest man forgot himself. Satan, whose policy is to overcome even the faithful when faith loosens and confidence is shaken, had stirred the people to murmur until Moses lost command of himself.
By yielding Moses transgressed God's law, placed himself on Satan's side and under Satan's dominion and power, and became subject to death, though the sin was not premeditated but he was surprised into it. The blow of a human hand could not provide the water, for only God's power could do so, so striking instead of speaking showed distrust and unbelief. As God's representatives Moses and Aaron lost a golden opportunity at a time when God would mercifully display His glory to soften and subdue hearts, lead them to repentance, and show His long-suffering and tender pity. The people in fact sinned against Christ their invisible leader, who was the one they offended and who suffered most intensely.
For failing to sanctify God in the eyes of Israel, Moses and Aaron were judged not to bring the congregation into the given land or lead them into the promised land, but to die with rebellious Israel before crossing the Jordan. Though Moses pleaded and begged to go over, God would not reverse the judgment because pardoning the public transgression would make His word of little account. Though Moses later confessed the one transgression that marred his record in humility and faith and sought pardon, their disobedience marred lives that might have been illustrious to the close and cost them the privilege of entering Canaan. This shows God does not excuse sin in those in exalted position any sooner than in the humble.
Warning for Later Generations
God often brings His people into strait places and then in their necessity delivers them by His power, that they may realize His love and care for them and thus be led to serve and honor Him. Israel was answered with water when they accused their leaders of bringing them out to kill them and their children, yet their unbelief brought punishment, for they had to cross the desert again and drink from the miraculous spring they would no longer have needed if they had trusted Him. Their murmuring at Kadesh over lack of water led to that punishment and to the journey around Edom, which became a further trial for them.
God's word is precious and must be followed exactly to the letter by every soul, without thinking deviation will come out just as well or excusing disobedience as inconvenient. It does not pay to forget or become careless in any of God's requirements, for even the meekest man forgot when provoked by unreasonable faultfinding and continual murmuring. This includes keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath and not substituting the first day of the week.
When self is exalted God's work is neglected and He is dishonored, while God works counter to those who work counter to Him and His name alone is to be magnified. As leader, teacher, and example on the borders of the promised land, Moses' mistake in taking prominence to himself instead of believing and sanctifying God before Israel dishonored God. It is a solemn lesson to those in responsibility, especially in schools and to presidents.
The sin of a man favored of God and entrusted with great responsibility is faithfully narrated with stern facts not glossed over, as evidence of divine wisdom and justice. The record is given for the benefit and warning of God's people in all following generations, that unbelief may be avoided and wrath escaped. Seeing where he struggled and fell, desponding hearts are encouraged not to despair but to press on, knowing that through God's grace fresh vigor can be gained to rise above evil nature and renew the conflict.