The Price Of Disobedience

Numbers 27:12-23

Our Old Testament Scripture passage today from this week’s Lectionary comes at the end of Moses’ life, when he and the people of Israel are positioned on the east side of the Jordan River, at the border of the land of Canaan, the land promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the punishment the Lord gave to the people for believing the negative report of the spies who came back after scouting out the land, is coming to a close. They are ready to take possession of the promised land. Moses is not to enter, though. Let’s see why this is so.

As our passage opens, the Lord God called Moses to the top of a large mountain on the east side of the Jordan River.  From there the Lord tells him to view the land of the Canaanites, the land God promised Abraham centuries earlier, and which the people will shortly go in and take possession of (vs. 12 - 14).  Moses, though, was not allowed to go in to the land. Why not? After leading the people out of Egypt, receiving the Law from God on Mt. Sinai, and guiding them for forty years in the wilderness, why can he not see them into the land? After having to endure all of the people’s abuse and bad behavior these many years, one would think he deserved this reward. It is here that we read what the Lord God reminded Moses of. In verse 14 we read that Moses had failed to obey God at the Wilderness of Zin.  What happened there?

We read of this incident in Numbers 20:1-13.  From the very start, right after the people of Israel had left Egypt, and all throughout this journey to the Promised Land, the people had complained, moaned, and practically fought with Moses over their food and water.  They complained that they didn’t like the type of food the Lord gave them, or their wasn’t enough, there wasn’t enough to drink, no variety, etc. They even frequently said they wished they could go back into Egypt! Moses was frankly quite weary of them and their constant complaining and whining.  They had already refused to go into the land when the spies had brought back a report (Numbers 13-14). Now, in the Wilderness of Zin, they were complaining about the water again. When this had happened before, God had told Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water would come forth. This time, however, God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would come forth.  Moses, though, was so angry and frustrated with the people of Israel, that in a fit of temper and anger he disobeyed the direct command of God and struck the rock with his staff.  In spite of Moses’ disobedience, He brought water out of the rock for the people.

That may not seem like such a big deal - speak to the rock, strike the rock. Either way, water came forth. However, this was a big deal. Once before God had brought water out of a rock when Moses had struck it with the staff.  By speaking to the rock this time, more glory would come upon God.  He would be more sanctified and hallowed in the sight of the rebellious people.  God wants and deserves our total obedience to Him. We need to remember that He is our all-holy God, and we are but His creation.  We obey Him, He doesn’t obey us. We also need to remember to not let outside tensions and stress distract us from following what God says.  Moses let his stress and anger at the rebellious Israelites frustrate him so much that he failed to follow what God had told him to do. It ended up being a costly mistake for him.  Because of this Moses could only view the Holy Land, but not enter in.

Rather than let this anger him against the people, however, Moses prayed to God that He would appoint a good, strong, and godly man to take his place when he died.  Moses knew the people well, and he knew they needed such a leader. At this point in his life Moses could have said, “Who cares?” They would deserve to get trampled when going in to the land.  That was not Moses’ thoughts. He prayed that the Lord give them a good leader, and God appointed Joshua to step in and take Moses’ place (vs. 15 - 23). After all he had gone through with these people, Moses was not angry and bitter at the end.  He was a strong and faithful man of God.