Year 7, Day 135: Numbers 20

Theological Commentary: Click Here

In Numbers 20, we have a really neat sequence of stories.  We do encounter the deaths of Miriam and Aaron.  This is our clue that the time of the Exodus is coming to an end.  The leadership of the people are dying.  What we can learn from this is that we are not the be all and end all that we think we are.  God’s plan carries on with us and without us.  He desires to use us, of course!  But when our time has passed, He will still be at work in this world.  This story reminds us to keep our perspective.  We are a part of His plan, not the other way around.

We also hear about the fact that the Hebrew people are denied access to the land of Edom.  They are clearly on their way into the Promised Land, but things are not going well.  In other words, the world will resist the plan of God.  Therefore, we should not give up just because we encounter a little resistance. If we are following the will of God, we should persist even in the path of substantial resistance.

My favorite part of this chapter, however, is the story of the water.  No, I don’t particularly enjoy watching Moses stumble and be told that he has sinned in the presence of God.  His mistake is so simple, even!  He is told to tell the rock to bring forth water and he strikes the rock with the staff instead.  In his arrogance, he stops being humble before the Lord.  This is the kind of mistake that I could see myself making all the time.  It isn’t that Moses wants to be disobedient; he is just a little careless.

What I like about this story, though, is that God is forgiving.  God doesn’t cast Moses off.  He doesn’t toss him to the curb.  God continues to work with Moses.  Yes, there are consequences.  Yes, Moses will have to hand over the leadership of the people to Joshua before entering the Promised Land.  But Moses and God still have relationship.  There is forgiveness and restoration of relationship.  That is the God we serve.

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