Beating a Rock--Breaking a Blessing

Rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper, and paper beats rock, but did you know if you strike a rock with a stick instead of speaking to it, then you may not see the Promised Land?

Whiners. That’s the word that keeps coming to mind as I read about the wandering Israelites. Miracle after miracle God has performed for them and yet the find something else to complain and whine about every single turn of the page. 

They can’t see past their circumstances to see that God has provided every single step of the way.

Whiners. 

Today as I read the beginning of Numbers 20 and read their whining about water, grain, and fruit, I was angered a bit as God gave in to Moses and Aaron’s pleas. God told them to take His staff, gather the community to watch, speak to the rock and it would give forth enough water to accommodate all the people and the livestock.

I’ve read these scriptures before, but it didn’t stop my anger towards these people. How much more are they going to test God?

Apparently I’m not alone in my anger.

Moses had apparently reached his limit on patience with these people too. Instead of following God’s instructions and demonstrating God’s power and grace, Moses showed his own anger by calling the crowd names and lecturing them.

Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. Numbers 20:10-11

Moses anger boil over from lecture into action. He struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Twice.

Disobedience comes easily when our emotions take over. It becomes “natural” for us to respond and defend our actions based on how we felt instead of what God wanted us to do.

Did you catch what Moses said before he struck the rock?

…Must WE bring you water from this rock? Numbers 20:10

All of the sudden the miracle of water from a rock isn’t about God providing water, but about Moses and God providing water.

Moses had elevated his own importance in carrying out God’s will. God didn’t need Moses to speak to that rock to get water from it. 

How often do we get God’s ability and our ability confused? 

God’s will needs our willingness. Nothing more and nothing less. Just trust Him and do what He says.

Instead, Moses relied on what he had seen in the past. Striking a rock would bring water. So he did. Twice.

Moses took the Israelites lack of trust personal. Instead of realizing they weren’t trusting God, he took their mistrust personal against himself. Therefore, he became hurt and upset.

How often do we take other’s rejection of Christ personal? It isn’t about me. They aren’t rejecting me. They’re rejecting Him.

Moses disobedience, anger, and pride lead him right out of the very promised land he was leading the Israelites to.

“But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” 

Numbers 20:12

The Lord still provided water from the rock. The people needed the water. However, He removed the blessing of seeing the promised land from the two men who had been the spiritual leaders of the Israelites because they didn’t carry out His instructions.

You might get water from beating a rock, but the same action could rob you of a blessing.

Being in God’s will is way more important than getting a job done. 

photo credit: mikebaird via photopin cc

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