Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
The verse describes Moses at the rock when Israel murmured for water, where worn by their continual complaining he let his spirit be provoked into rash, impulsive speech about fetching water himself and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as God had commanded. To speak in that unadvised way was to take to himself the glory that belonged to God, failing to magnify Him before the people as the one who would again bring water from the flinty rock, and thus misrepresenting and dishonoring Him. Though such hasty speech may seem a small fault by human judgment, God treated it seriously, and for this single mar of a forty-year record Moses was not permitted to lead Israel into the promised land. It stands as a warning that even faithful men under severe trial are constantly tempted to speak without thinking under pressure, in self-exaltation, censure, and harsh accusation that misrepresents God, gives Satan advantage, and injures truth and influence. Instead, when provoked by irritation, opposition, or controversy, the spirit must be kept gentle and controlled, wrath and contention laid aside, and every word subdued by the Spirit of God in the meekness and lowliness learned from Christ.
Moses' Failure at Meribah
Psalm 106:33 belongs to Israel's wilderness experience, which stands as a warning for God's people in the last days and should be studied regularly. After forty years of burden-bearing for Israel, this was the single sin that marred Moses' record. Though disappointed and grieved by continual rebellion, he had not sinned against God until he became impatient with the people. His impatience came as he reviewed a labor that seemed almost in vain, for only two of the vast army above twenty years old at the Exodus proved faithful enough to see the promised land, while the rest were sentenced to fall in the wilderness for transgressions rooted in evil hearts of unbelief.
At the rock, when Israel murmured for water and wearied him with continual murmurings, his spirit was provoked and he spoke rashly and impulsively. He asked whether he and Aaron must fetch water from the rock, and instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded he struck it twice with the rod. To speak unadvisedly meant he failed to credit God and magnify Him before the people, taking to himself glory that belonged to God. He did not declare that God would show another evidence of His power, nor ascribe to God the power and glory for causing water to flow again from the flinty rock, and thus he misrepresented and dishonored God before the people. His impulsive words displeased God, gave others a wrong example to follow, and gave Satan an advantage.
Though such rash speech was a common fault and might seem small by human judgment, God treated it seriously. Things went badly for Moses because of the people's actions, for by this failure God would not permit him to lead Israel into the promised land. Nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness without entering Canaan.
Warning Against Rash Speech
Even the faithful are constantly tempted to err by speaking without thinking when under pressure, and under severe trial and temptation even a leader can be provoked to rash, severe and harsh words. Provocation can lead anyone to speak rashly and without due care, and this danger presses especially in controversy. This includes a man who knows Scripture yet sometimes speaks inadvisedly, to the harm of his influence.
Such self-exaltation and censuring of others displeases God, especially in those who carry great responsibility and influence, who must instead cultivate patience and humility. Accusing words against brethren, and the harsh way of speaking them, show that Christ's meekness and lowliness have not yet been learned. They misrepresent God before the people, give others a wrong example to follow, and dishonor Him, giving Satan an advantage and an opportunity to triumph over God's people. Irritation can thus produce unwise words that harm the cause of truth, and careless public speech that may cause misunderstanding harms the speaker's influence.
The failure stands on record as a lesson that ministering brethren must ever heed by not doing as Moses did. Those who act impetuously must submit to God's control rather than their own will. God sees human temperament and knows every danger, and He requires ministers to undergo a most thorough transformation of character and become vessels emptied of self.
Patience and humility must therefore be cultivated, and when provoked by irritation, opposition or controversy the spirit must be kept gentle and controlled without answering with an unwise word. Wrath and a contentious, criticizing spirit must be laid aside, no charges brought against brethren since things are not as bad as they might be, and every word subdued by the Spirit of God in meekness and lowliness learned from Christ. Speech must be clothed with the robe of Christ's righteousness and the feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, so that testimony borne with meekness and humility works in the assembly as good leaven. A gentle spirit under provocation bears witness more powerfully than argument, and care in public speaking avoids positions that may cause misunderstanding. Divine power can keep a person from this error when the opportunity arises.
The verse describes Moses at the rock when Israel murmured for water, where worn by their continual complaining he let his spirit be provoked into rash, impulsive speech about fetching water himself and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as God had commanded. To speak in that unadvised way was to take to himself the glory that belonged to God, failing to magnify Him before the people as the one who would again bring water from the flinty rock, and thus misrepresenting and dishonoring Him. Though such hasty speech may seem a small fault by human judgment, God treated it seriously, and for this single mar of a forty-year record Moses was not permitted to lead Israel into the promised land. It stands as a warning that even faithful men under severe trial are constantly tempted to speak without thinking under pressure, in self-exaltation, censure, and harsh accusation that misrepresents God, gives Satan advantage, and injures truth and influence. Instead, when provoked by irritation, opposition, or controversy, the spirit must be kept gentle and controlled, wrath and contention laid aside, and every word subdued by the Spirit of God in the meekness and lowliness learned from Christ.
Moses' Failure at Meribah
Psalm 106:33 belongs to Israel's wilderness experience, which stands as a warning for God's people in the last days and should be studied regularly. After forty years of burden-bearing for Israel, this was the single sin that marred Moses' record. Though disappointed and grieved by continual rebellion, he had not sinned against God until he became impatient with the people. His impatience came as he reviewed a labor that seemed almost in vain, for only two of the vast army above twenty years old at the Exodus proved faithful enough to see the promised land, while the rest were sentenced to fall in the wilderness for transgressions rooted in evil hearts of unbelief.
At the rock, when Israel murmured for water and wearied him with continual murmurings, his spirit was provoked and he spoke rashly and impulsively. He asked whether he and Aaron must fetch water from the rock, and instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded he struck it twice with the rod. To speak unadvisedly meant he failed to credit God and magnify Him before the people, taking to himself glory that belonged to God. He did not declare that God would show another evidence of His power, nor ascribe to God the power and glory for causing water to flow again from the flinty rock, and thus he misrepresented and dishonored God before the people. His impulsive words displeased God, gave others a wrong example to follow, and gave Satan an advantage.
Though such rash speech was a common fault and might seem small by human judgment, God treated it seriously. Things went badly for Moses because of the people's actions, for by this failure God would not permit him to lead Israel into the promised land. Nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness without entering Canaan.
Warning Against Rash Speech
Even the faithful are constantly tempted to err by speaking without thinking when under pressure, and under severe trial and temptation even a leader can be provoked to rash, severe and harsh words. Provocation can lead anyone to speak rashly and without due care, and this danger presses especially in controversy. This includes a man who knows Scripture yet sometimes speaks inadvisedly, to the harm of his influence.
Such self-exaltation and censuring of others displeases God, especially in those who carry great responsibility and influence, who must instead cultivate patience and humility. Accusing words against brethren, and the harsh way of speaking them, show that Christ's meekness and lowliness have not yet been learned. They misrepresent God before the people, give others a wrong example to follow, and dishonor Him, giving Satan an advantage and an opportunity to triumph over God's people. Irritation can thus produce unwise words that harm the cause of truth, and careless public speech that may cause misunderstanding harms the speaker's influence.
The failure stands on record as a lesson that ministering brethren must ever heed by not doing as Moses did. Those who act impetuously must submit to God's control rather than their own will. God sees human temperament and knows every danger, and He requires ministers to undergo a most thorough transformation of character and become vessels emptied of self.
Patience and humility must therefore be cultivated, and when provoked by irritation, opposition or controversy the spirit must be kept gentle and controlled without answering with an unwise word. Wrath and a contentious, criticizing spirit must be laid aside, no charges brought against brethren since things are not as bad as they might be, and every word subdued by the Spirit of God in meekness and lowliness learned from Christ. Speech must be clothed with the robe of Christ's righteousness and the feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, so that testimony borne with meekness and humility works in the assembly as good leaven. A gentle spirit under provocation bears witness more powerfully than argument, and care in public speaking avoids positions that may cause misunderstanding. Divine power can keep a person from this error when the opportunity arises.