Image by Sven Lachmann from Pixabay
Welcome back to Time in the Word. For the next few weeks, we will be looking at people in the Bible who chose to be disobedient to God. Each person who disobeyed God had some interesting consequences, some of which included death. The price of disobedience usually is not worth the “fun” you thought you had.
Today, we will start with our friends Moses. Moses began his journey with God at the burning bush. It carried him through the Ten Plagues and the Exodus into the wilderness with the Israelites. If you have ever had a leadership/management position, you know how trying people can be.
So help me!
Moses had been patient with the Israelites and obedient to God’s word and direction. I am sure the constant grumbling wore him down. Till one day, he couldn’t stand their attitudes. We begin todays study with Numbers 20:1-13, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+20%3A1-13&version=NIV.
Moses and the Israelites had just arrived to the Desert of Zin. They buried Miriam and water was not to be found. The Israelites turned on Moses and Aaron (can you relate?) They began to quarrel with Moses, blaming him and pointing out everything they would have had, had they stayed in Egypt.
Follow the directions
Moses and Aaron turned to God (the first step), humbled themselves (step two) and presented the issue to God. God told them to take Moses’s staff, gather the people, and speak to the rock. The rock would pour forth water for the people and their animals.
So, Moses and Aaron took the staff, gathered the people before the rock and what happened next was Moses expressing frustrations and disgust with the Israelites:
- He called the Israelites “rebels” – Understandable, but God didn’t ask him to do that.
- Moses said “must we bring you water out of this rock?- Oh boy! God was bringing the water out, NOT MOSES!
- Then Moses STRUCK the rock with his staff twice, and water poured fourth.
Moses received God’s directions. He let his emotions (frustration) with the Israelites over-ride God’s directions, and expressed his frustration by speaking harshly to the Israelites, and then displaying his anger by hitting the rock not once, but twice.
The end results? The Israelites and their cattle got to drink water. However, God spoke to Moses and Aaron and told them both they did not trust God enough. They forgot to honor God and HIS provision of water to be delivered from the rock. They disobeyed and struck the rock twice. Therefore, Moses and Aaron would not be able to enter the Promised Land.
Just one act of disobedience
Friends! Can you imagine the crushing blow, to hear God tell you, you won’t get the reward you were working for because you disobeyed. Think of ALL the talks Moses and God had. The signs of Gods supernatural power through the Ten Plagues. The humbling of Egypt. The walking out of Egypt with the plunder, music, dancing and rejoicing! Now it was all done.
Do you have something in your life you worked for and with one seemingly small act of disobedience, your reward was removed? God demands our obedience even when the situation is trying, exhausting and irritating. God gets all the glory, not us.
Join me next week when we take a look at David and Bathsheba. Thank you for joining me here in Time in the Word.
Michele Bruxvoort is sure to draw you in with her delightful sense of humor and love for living life. She enjoys reading, repurposing, as well as remodeling the family home with her husband. Drawing from her life experience as wife, mom, and follower of Jesus, Michele brings you a very honest and real perspective on life. When you don’t find her writing, you can find her mowing lawns, stocking shelves, taking care of her grandbaby and tackling her latest life adventure.
Wisconsin native and empty-nester, she now makes her home with her husband of 27 years in the South West Prairie plains of Minnesota.
