Numbers 19:1-20:13

Numbers 19:1-20:13

Finishing up yet another section of laws, Numbers 19 details a series of laws dealing with purification. Still running on the theme of some of the duties of the priests, God gives a few more commands about purity within the tabernacle. He further deals with dead bodies and how to deal with becoming unclean. Although some of these laws are new, the application of these laws is not really a new idea. They follow the same guidelines that God had previously established in Leviticus. They are expected to be obeyed, which will keep the Israelites pure and holy before God.

The sad opening of Numbers 20 sets the tone for the rest of the chapter. It begins by mentioning when Miriam died, during the journey to the Promised Land. She, like so many of the other Israelites, was a part of the generation that God was no longer going to allow to enter the Promised Land. Although she was the sister of the leader of Israel, that did not guarantee her safe passage into the Promised Land. God does not look at what our human status is in life, to Him, we are really all the same. Miriam was just as sinful as the rest of the Israelites. Plus, we have already seen where she led a revolt against Moses, questioning his authority, ultimately questioning God’s authority. Although it is sad to see Miriam die, it shows how God sticks to His word. He did not change His mind about Miriam just because she was Moses’ sister.

After her death, the Israelites once again began speaking out against Moses and Aaron. The problem this time was that they had no water. Once again, they were questioning Moses and God, wishing that they had stayed in Egypt. But what they have already forgotten is that it is not Moses or God’s fault that they are about to die in the wilderness (like Miriam). It is their own fault that they will not see the Promised Land. Moses does not want to see them suffer, however, and he goes to God for help. He understood that God is our provider, and this is just one of multiple occasions in which He goes to God for help for their basic needs. Notice that Moses was not going to God for money or fame. He was not asking for God to meet his desires and wants. He was going to God for his most basic needs. Now although there is nothing wrong with having other “things” in life, we must be careful about how much we think about and pray about those “wants” in our lives. Like Moses, we must learn to go to God for our most basic needs. I think that there are many times in which I forget to ask God for those needs and try to provide them for myself. Like the Israelites, I forget about what He has done for me in the past and neglect to trust Him for my future.

The second lesson we can learn from Moses’ encounter with God is full trust in God. Moses knew that he should go to God when he was in need, and at first this appears to be just another case of Moses’ trust in God and obedience to God. But reading further, this story does not end so well. Whether it is because Moses is prideful or because he is angry at Israel, he decides that rather than speaking to the rock (as God had commanded), He will strike it twice in order to get the water. To show His faithfulness, God allows the rock to spring forth water (for Moses did speak to it). But because of Moses’ disobedience in striking the rock, God also shows His judgment once again. This time the judgment falls on Moses and Aaron for their lack of trust in God. For not following His commands (they followed “part” of His commands), He declared that they too will not inherit the Promised Land. They had been God’s chosen leaders to lead Israel back to Canaan, but now that role would have to be handed down to someone else.

I sometimes feel like the punishment given to Moses here is too harsh. The human side of me wants to defend Moses and say, “but he just hit the rock, what is so bad about that? It was such a small command. Is that really going to be the reason that he will not get to go to the Promised Land?” But it does not matter how “small” we may think the disobedience was, it was still blatant disobedience to God (sin). He was exhibiting his anger at the people, and he was also expressing anger toward God. It really did show a lack of trust. This should serve as a warning to us when we disobey God’s commands (which we do all the time). God does not tolerate sin, and there are consequences from our sin.

Matt