Explore the Bible: October 5

Lack of Trust • Numbers 20:2-13

By Rick Henson

The Children of Israel came into the Wilderness of Zin where there was no water. Once again, they grumbled and fussed at Moses about this problem, though it was only a few months before that God fed them with manna. As before, they believed this problem was too big for God. God told Moses to go with Aaron his brother and speak to a particular rock. 

Moses disobeyed the Lord by striking the rock twice, instead of speaking to it. He also took credit for the miracle. God is sovereign and accomplished His will even though Moses disobeyed Him. The event leads to many honest questions about serving the Lord.

If we disobey the Lord, are we still usable by the Lord to accomplish His will? I once resigned as pastor of a church to enter full-time evangelism. I convinced myself it was God’s will, though I knew it was my will. The results were not good. I did repent and the Lord continued to bless my ministry from 1988 until today. Yet, I wonder what it could have been had I been obedient and sought God’s will rather than mine. 

God immediately told Moses and Aaron that, as a result of their disobedience, the two brothers would not lead the children of Israel into the Promise Land. God was not through with Moses, yet he did pay a price for his sin of disobedience. Deuteronomy 34:10-12 states there was not nor ever would be prophet like Moses who knew the Lord face to face. God used him mightily, even after this sin. 

From this we learn that disobedience does not make us unusable to God. It does change our lives, as it did for Moses. He could see the Promised Land from Mt. Nebo, but could not enter it (Deuteronomy 34:4 KJV). God’s grace to his believers extends even beyond sin. Romans 8:39 teaches that nothing, “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (KJV).

Many have asked the significance of Moses striking the rock the second time rather than talking to it. The text does not tell us, other than being disobedient. One idea states this is a picture, a type of salvation. Psalm 95:1 declares, O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation (KJV). 

1 Corinthians 10:4 further reveals, And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (KJV). 

If the Rock was Christ, then it need only be struck once, referring to the death of Jesus on the cross. Hebrews 6:4-6 teaches that Jesus need only die once, and that if one could fall from His salvation, it would be necessary for Jesus to die again for them to be saved again. That is an irrefutable argument for the permanence of God’s salvation. 

So, Moses had previously struck a rock and brought forth the living water in the dessert (Numbers 17:1-6 KJV). God commanded him to speak to the rock, since it need not be struck again. Remember, this is an interpretation of these texts together. When we discovered in 2 Corinthians that Jesus, the Living Water Himself was the rock in the dessert, this disobedience makes sense. 

God’s grace extends beyond the results of sin, though we do suffer the consequences of sin. May we trust and obey. 

Henson is pastor of Hopewell Church, Lake.