by jimwalton » Fri Oct 02, 2015 11:11 am
Numbers 20.12 shows that he disobeyed God and had a lack of trust. Ps. 106.33 adds that Moses spoke rashly with his lips. And Numbers 20.24 says that Moses and Aaron rebelled against the Lord's command.
From the very beginning, Moses was lacking faith (Ex. 3-4). In Exodus 5 Moses disobeys God no less than 3 times:
v. 1: He doesn't bring the elders with him as he had been instructed in 3.18.
v. 3: He doesn't do the wonders God had commanded him to do in 4.8-9, 21.
v. 3: He doesn't deliver the threat against Pharaoh's firstborn that God had commanded him to do in 4.22-23.
The comments in Numbers 20 indicate that, in general, Moses was guilty (at least to some extent) of the same rebellious attitude against God that characterized all the people who were not permitted to enter the Promised Land. In 20.10, he accuses the people of being rebellious, but then hypocritically, he acts as a rebel himself by striking the rock. He is motivated by anger and frustration (the complaint motif) just like the people are. He fails to bring glory to God, just like the people. He doesn't show full trust in God, just like the people. He fails to display humility, just like the people. Etc. Etc.
Dt. 32.50-51 tells us that Moses didn't uphold the Lord's holiness in front of the people.
Dt. 4.21 hints that God was angry at Moses because of the people. It could be inferred that he allowed some idolatry in the camp.
Dt. 1.37 hints that possibly Moses was also complicit in not wanting to enter the Promised Land after the report of the spies.
In essence, sadly, Moses becomes somewhat the archetype of the rebellious generation, and his act of striking the rock is the straw that defined it (just as Adam and Eve eating the fruit was theirs). His sin by striking the rock was a glaring example of all that was wrong with the "sinful generation" that was not allowed to enter the Promised Land, and therefore Moses was not allowed to enter either.
Numbers 20.12 shows that he disobeyed God and had a lack of trust. Ps. 106.33 adds that Moses spoke rashly with his lips. And Numbers 20.24 says that Moses and Aaron rebelled against the Lord's command.
From the very beginning, Moses was lacking faith (Ex. 3-4). In Exodus 5 Moses disobeys God no less than 3 times:
v. 1: He doesn't bring the elders with him as he had been instructed in 3.18.
v. 3: He doesn't do the wonders God had commanded him to do in 4.8-9, 21.
v. 3: He doesn't deliver the threat against Pharaoh's firstborn that God had commanded him to do in 4.22-23.
The comments in Numbers 20 indicate that, in general, Moses was guilty (at least to some extent) of the same rebellious attitude against God that characterized all the people who were not permitted to enter the Promised Land. In 20.10, he accuses the people of being rebellious, but then hypocritically, he acts as a rebel himself by striking the rock. He is motivated by anger and frustration (the complaint motif) just like the people are. He fails to bring glory to God, just like the people. He doesn't show full trust in God, just like the people. He fails to display humility, just like the people. Etc. Etc.
Dt. 32.50-51 tells us that Moses didn't uphold the Lord's holiness in front of the people.
Dt. 4.21 hints that God was angry at Moses because of the people. It could be inferred that he allowed some idolatry in the camp.
Dt. 1.37 hints that possibly Moses was also complicit in not wanting to enter the Promised Land after the report of the spies.
In essence, sadly, Moses becomes somewhat the archetype of the rebellious generation, and his act of striking the rock is the straw that defined it (just as Adam and Eve eating the fruit was theirs). His sin by striking the rock was a glaring example of all that was wrong with the "sinful generation" that was not allowed to enter the Promised Land, and therefore Moses was not allowed to enter either.