April 20, 2007
THAT’S NOT FAIR!
Numbers 20
Today we are returning to our series of studies in the Pentateuch, tracing the story of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, from Exodus to Deuteronomy. We have taken a 5 week break from the series while I was away, and then for Good Friday and then last week while the ladies were away on their retreat. But today we are picking up our study again and should finish up by the end of May.
Today we are in Numbers 20. The chapter opens by telling us about the death of Miriam, Moses’ sister. It concludes by narrating for us the death of Aaron, Moses’ brother and the high priest of Israel. We know from parallel passages in Deuteronomy that we are now in the 40th year of wilderness wandering. The members of the older generation have now almost all passed from the scene.
In between these two death announcements however, there is the story we read in the Scripture reading this morning (Numbers 20:2-13). The story starts with an all too familiar scene: the people are gathered together, arguing with Moses and Aaron because they have no water. As they have done so many times before, the two leaders go face down in petition before Yahweh and his tabernacle. As they do so, the glory of Yahweh appears to them. God’s instructions are very clear. “Take the staff and gather the people together in front of the large rock. In their presence, command the rock to pour out water, and it will pour out water in abundance for the whole community.”
So Moses and Aaron take the staff, and they gather the people together in front of the rock. But something happened inside of Moses. We are not sure exactly what, but it’s as if something snapped. All the years of complaining and arguing and questioning by the people – it was just too much. Moses opened his mouth and out rushed the angry, proud words. He would show them just how angry he was, even while he provided them with the water they were begging for. Listen you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock? Then he lifted the staff in his hand and struck the rock hard; not just once but twice! And in another divine miracle of God, the water gushed forth to quench the thirst of the people and their flocks.
It was another miracle of God’s provision, right? It was another triumph to add to the resume of Moses and Aaron, these remarkable leaders. But the story doesn’t end there, does it? It goes on in verse 12: But Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
Are you like me? When you read that story, are you tempted to cry out, “God, that’s not fair!”? After all that Moses has put up with, after all the trials and then the triumphs of Egypt, after the glorious days on the mountain top with God, after 40 years leading and putting up with the people in the desert, after bearing the burden of these stubborn people for all those long years, now, for one momentary failure, it’s all taken away from him? For what? For failing to follow some rather obscure instructions? For striking the rock instead of speaking to it? God that is not fair! There must be more going on in this story than first meets the eye.
Well, let me first say that yes, there is more going on in this passage than may be apparent at a first reading. To capture that, let’s look at some New Testament passages. (Read Luke 24:25-27, 44) When we read these verses, I think it is fair to ask, “Where are the references to the Messiah and his sufferings to be found in the writings of Moses?” The prophets and the psalms I can grasp, with Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 and some similar passages. But in Moses and the Law?
To understand what Scriptures Jesus might have turned to, I think we must explore the use of types and typology in the Old Testament. A type is an event or object or person in the Old Testament that is used as a symbol or picture to foreshadow or foretell some New Testament event or person or reality. The study of types is a fairly specialized one, and an area of Biblical interpretation that is sometimes controversial. But as we have worked our way through the Pentateuch I have tried to point out some of the clearer, more obvious types of Christ in the text. The Passover Lamb, Moses in his role as intercessor, the functions of Aaron as the high priest, and so on. There is a rich supply of types in the Tabernacle and the whole sacrificial system of Israel as well that we have not looked at in our study.
I would suggest that we have witnessed something else as well, and that is God’s swift and harsh judgment against those whose actions have threatened to mar or distort the types or pictures that God is so carefully laying down. For example, take the sudden flaring of divine fire when Nadab and Abihu offer “strange fire” before the Lord. Or consider the fierce judgment of God against Korah and his fellow rebels when they dare to appoint themselves as “priests” before God and challenge the divinely appointed priesthood.
So what is at stake in this passage? Is there a picture or type of Christ that is being laid out before us? Is that why God responds so strictly and firmly? I believe there are not just one but two pictures or foreshadowings of Christ that are threatened by Moses’ disobedience.
The first is the rock itself. Now this type is not as clear as some of the others in the Old Testament. In fact, I don’t think we would pick it up as a type at all if it were not for a New Testament reference. Turn to I Corinthians 10:1-4. (Read) Did you see that in verse 4? That rock was Christ. I think the image of spiritual drink and “drinking from a rock” can only refer to these two stories from Exodus and Numbers in which water gushed forth from the rock. And Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, identifies the rock as a type or foreshadowing of Christ.
Follow me closely here. As we said, there are two stories of water coming from the rock. In the first story, God specifically told Moses to “strike the rock”. I believe this is a picture of Christ’s first coming, and a foreshadowing of his death. He was “stricken, smitten by God and afflicted” according to Isaiah 53:4. Now turn over to Hebrews 9:28: So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Two comings or “appearings” of Christ are described. The first time to be sacrificed and to bear our sin, the second time to “bring salvation” to those who are waiting. These two comings were to be foreshadowed by the two appearances of the “rock” in the Old Testament record. The first time the rock was struck. But the second time, it did not require striking. It only required a word, a command. That was the picture that God was constructing of the two comings of Christ. But Moses made a mess of it! In a fit of temper and pride, he disobeyed God and he struck the rock again, just like he had the first time. The divine picture was marred.
What was the second picture of Christ in this passage? I think it is Moses himself. He is the “first Moses”. The Scripture foretells the coming of another prophet “like Moses” who will be the “Messiah” or “anointed One.” In many facets of his life and ministry, Moses foreshadowed the coming Christ. But one particular characteristic stands out. That is in his faithful and implicit obedience to the will of God. (Read Hebrews 3:1-5)
We see the important role that Moses carried, both in foreshadowing Christ’s character and foretelling, both in his words and actions, the life and ministry of Jesus the Messiah. But that role depended on specific and implicit faithfulness to God’s commands. And he was faithful and he was obedient “in all God’s house” and in all the careful details of the tabernacle and the giving of the Law. But on this one occasion he stood before the entire nation of Israel. As the angry words spilled from his lips his hand brought the staff down against the rock in defiance of God’s command. The picture of the obedient servant was spoiled.
So, yes, there is more going on in this passage than first meets the eye. There are matters of great impact, of eternal consequence being played out, and Moses’ failure had consequences far beyond anything he could foresee and imagine. The instructions God gave to Moses on this occasion were anything but an arbitrary detail.
Well, maybe at this point you are willing to concede some of what I’ve been saying about the big picture stuff and its significance. But maybe there is still a part of you that’s saying, deep down, “But I still think God was unfair to Moses.” I confess that I wrestle with those same feelings. So I tried to analyze them. I found my feelings of unfairness could be articulated and attributed to four lines of thought.
First, he was provoked. He didn’t just blow up one day for no reason. He was provoked and this incident came on top of over 40 years of similar incidents of complaining and quarreling and arguing. No wonder Moses got angry! Who could blame him?
Second, it was just a small disobedience or deviation from God’s instructions. Striking versus speaking? Just a small discrepancy.
Third, Moses has done so much so right for so long, surely he might be excused this one failure.
Fourth, where is God’s grace in this story? After all, he has forgiven the Israelites again and again. Why doesn’t he extend the same grace to his faithful servant Moses?
As I thought about those four roots to my feelings that God was unfair to Moses, it really struck me how commonly I use these four lines of reasoning to attempt to excuse my own failures or lapses. Listen to them and see if they are not part of your thought processes as well. I was provoked. It was just a small disobedience. I have been so good for so long, I’ve earned the right to let down my guard for a little while. God is a God of grace. He’ll overlook this. Do you ever think that way? I do! And I think that is why God’s response to Moses in this chapter shocks me and makes me uncomfortable.
But as I thought through these matters in light of this chapter and other Scriptures, I came to see that God has a different perspective and viewpoint on these things. He doesn’t see them the same way I do. Let’s take our thoughts and compare them with God’s thoughts.
We will take them in the order I have mentioned them.
Objection # 1
Human perspective: He was provoked.
God’s perspective: Being provoked may be a reason for sin. It may even be the cause of our sin. But it is never an excuse for sin. Yes, Moses was angry. We can even empathize with his anger. But the word of God is clear on this subject. Ephesians 4:26 says, In your anger do not sin. The Bible teaches us that we are responsible for our reactions. No matter what the provocation may be, we are the ones who choose how we will respond. We are especially prone to sin when we are angry. As the book of Proverb says, “An angry man does foolish things.” But that truth should lead us to being extra vigilant at those times, rather than using our anger as an excuse for our sin.
Objection # 2
Human perspective: It was just a small disobedience.
God’s perspective: To see God’s perspective, let’s refer to Numbers 20:12. “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.
That puts a different slant on things, doesn’t it? Because obedience is an issue of trust and disobedience is a violation of God’s holiness, there is no such thing as a “small disobedience.” Any act of disobedience is a challenge to God and his wisdom and his character and his holiness. Moses thought he had a better plan, a better way to conduct himself that would produce a better outcome than God’s way. Look at the language God used to describe his actions in Numbers 20:24: because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. Their “small disobedience” was an act of rebellion.
Objection # 3
Human perspective: I have done so much right for so long. I should be excused this momentary lapse on the basis of past good behavior. We expect God to operate on some kind of credit system in which our good deeds should somehow offset our failures.
God’s perspective: With great faithfulness and obedience comes greater privilege and greater responsibility. Yes, Moses had been very faithful over a very long period of time. As a result of that great faithfulness he has enjoyed great privileges. He has talked face to face with God. He has seen the glory of God. He has experienced the power of God flowing through him. These are huge privileges, but with those privileges also comes greater responsibility. If anyone should have known the importance of implicit obedience to God’s commands, it should have been Moses. If Moses, the Lawgiver, does not obey the commands of God, who will? If God excuses Moses for his disobedience, what is he saying to the rest of the nation about the importance of obedience?
Objection # 4
Human perspective: Where is God’s grace in this story? Shouldn’t God show his grace to Moses after all that has happened between them?
God’s perspective: God’s grace is not incompatible with his discipline. There is no shortage of God’s grace in this story. After all, the water still gushed forth from the rock to quench the thirst of the people. Moses continued to lead the people and provide them spiritual guidance in their final days in the desert. God continued to honor Moses as his leader and pay tribute to him almost every time his name appears in subsequent Scriptures. Moses was one of two Old Testament saints to appear with Christ on the Mt. of Transfiguration. Moses is in the Lord’s presence today and will be for all eternity. Yes, there is grace here in plenty.
But there is also discipline. For his act of disobedience, God took this one privilege away – he never entered the Promised Land here on earth. And that hurt! And discipline does hurt. But it is not a denial of God’s grace, but rather an evidence of God’s love. (Read Hebrews 12:5-11)
Not only did Moses’ discipline have the effect of producing righteousness in him. He also used it as an object lesson to teach the Israelites. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses preaches his final messages to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, and his constant refrain is “Obey all God’s commands.” And guess where he goes for one of his object lessons? (Read Deuteronomy 4:21-24)
Moses had an opportunity to stand forth as a type of Christ. And for much of his life and ministry he did just that. But on this one occasion he failed. And he became instead an object lesson for the people of God of the importance of obedience and the price of disobedience.
Just a quick wrap up. What is at stake in your life and mine as Christ’s followers? We looked at the “big picture” in Moses’ life and his calling to be a type of Christ. What is the “big picture” in our lives? In some ways it’s not that different, although on a somewhat smaller scale and smaller stage. Turn to II Corinthians 3:18: And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Do you see it? God is creating a picture, an image in your life. An image or likeness of whom? It is the image of Christ. We are called to be a picture of Christ to those around us. That image will be produced in our lives as we respond in obedience to the leading of the Spirit who indwells us. The accuracy of that image will depend on our specific and implicit obedience to the Spirit. That is our calling. And it is no small or insignificant one. Your life may be the only image of Christ that some people will ever see. Will it be an accurate one?
Will you be a picture of Christ to your world, just as Moses was for the Israelites throughout so much of his long and faithful life? Or will you become an object lesson of the cost of disobedience, as Moses did on this one sad occasion?