Moses was on his way to the promised land with God Almighty as his constant companion, guide and provider!

But the people he was trying to help get there, grumbled, complained and rebelled. None of them ever seemed grateful for anything he did. Because of them, he would not see the promised land for another forty years. His sister, Miriam, dies and seemingly before her body had time to grow cold, the ungrateful, contentious ‘mob’ comes at him again.

They did not come with a concern, or a request, but a complaint; a complaint in which they again accuse Moses and God of trying to destroy them, Numbers 20:1-5.

I have tried to imagine what my attitude would be like if I had been in Moses’ place. How would I have responded at this point to these for whom I’d given up so much? What would you have done?

Moses allowed, if even for only a moment, all of these external circumstances outside of his control, to cloud his perspective and therefore his judgment. I don’t say this to be critical, but rather to understand what really happened. One more ‘little incident’ seemed to rob him of the big picture.

Moses lost sight of the fact that God Himself had ‘hand-picked’ him for this special work and was suffering along with him and making all things possible through him as he led this nation of freed slaves. God made Himself Moses’ coworker, and spoke to Moses like He spoke to no other, ‘mouth to mouth‘ as the He put it, Numbers 12:6-8.

Moses lost sight of the personal relationship he had with God and of the hope that such a relationship meant for his future. God remained longsuffering with the people in their complaint. Moses, however, lost his patience.

God told Moses to speak to a rock in order to bring forth water from it to quench the thirst of the Hebrews and their stock. Instead, and more out of reaction to the people than out of response to God, Moses struck the rock. God explained that in doing so, Moses had failed to treat Him as holy in the eyes of the people, Numbers 20:8-12.

As we learn from God’s great servant, Moses, what not to do, we must also see in Jesus a perfect picture of a servant of God. Hebrews says, ‘Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered‘ Hebrews 5:8.

Why was He so willing to suffer (even more than Moses)? Why did He not lose patience? Hebrews also says of Him, ‘…who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame…’, Hebrews 12:2.

The joy He held on to was that He would save us. Never losing sight of that, He kept His hope… and shows us how to keep ours.
Marty Kessler