And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” Numbers 20:11-12 ESV
For so many times Moses has to intercede for the people of Israel, for so many times he entreated God on their behalf. Because of their rebellion towards God, there were several instances God wanted to totally annihilate them and start a new nation under Moses, but Moses pleads for the people. Here when Moses did not honor God before the people, the consequences was he won’t be able to bring the people to the land God promised them. Some might think that was too harsh, some might think that was unfair, some might think that was uncharacteristic of a good God. Well in fact, all that is of God is just, fair, good, loving, gracious, merciful. We can not compartmentalize the character traits of God. He does not remove one while exercising the others. And the choices of God are always right. He is sovereign. We need to understand that our concept of God and belief of God must not be based on what is acceptable and not acceptable in our minds (who died and made us God?). It must be based on what was revealed to us by Scripture. There will be times that you and I have to believe something of God even if might be offensive to our minds if it was revealed to us by Scriptures. In the times of Jesus, isn’t a virgin birth offensive? How can a virgin give birth? How can it be acceptable in Joseph's mind that his girlfriend whom he cherished and kept pure morally be pregnant? That was mentally offensive for him, but he believed and accepted it. I am not saying believe the weird and the heretic. What I am saying is accept God’s revelation of himself from Scriptures even when you can not understand it yet.
Going back to the case of Moses. Some readers reading this for the first time might say, God was too harsh or he was too strict with Moses. They were complaining right away, when Moses – who was the one who will not be able to cross the promise land never complained with what God said. Why? Because Moses knew God. I did not even see Moses sulking over God’s decision not to allow him to cross the promise land. Let us keep trusting God. And let us keep honoring God before the people. 15 February
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