Beginning of the End

Moses Distrusted God

Moses showed distrust of God. “Shall we bring water?” he questioned, as if the Lord would not do what He promised. “You did not believe Me,” the Lord declared to the two brothers, “to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel.” When the water failed, their own faith in God’s promise had been shaken by the rebellion of the people. The first generation had been condemned to die in the wilderness because of their unbelief. Would the next generation also fail? BOE 204.5

Exhausted and discouraged, Moses and Aaron did not try to resist the flow of popular feeling. They might have explained the situation to the people in such a way that would help them to bear this test. They might have stopped the complaining before asking God to do the work for them. What a series of evil events might have been prevented! BOE 204.6

The rock, a symbol of Christ, had been struck once, as Christ was to be offered once. Now, Moses needed only to speak to the rock, as we have only to ask for blessings in the name of Jesus. By hitting the rock a second time, Moses destroyed the meaning of this beautiful symbol of Christ. More than this, Moses and Aaron assumed power that belongs only to God. The leaders of Israel should have used this experience to impress the people with reverence for God and to strengthen their faith in His power and goodness. When they angrily cried, “Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” they put themselves in God’s place, as though the power was within themselves. Moses had lost sight of his Almighty Helper, and left to himself, had marred his record by human weakness. The man who might have stood firm and unselfish to the close of his work had been overcome at last. BOE 204.7

This time God did not pronounce judgments on those who had so provoked Moses and Aaron—all the reproof fell on the leaders. Moses and Aaron had felt that the wrong was against them, losing sight of the fact that the complaining was not against them but against God. Looking to themselves, they unconsciously fell into sin, and failed to lead the people to see their guilt before God. BOE 205.1

“The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’” They must die before the crossing of the Jordan. They had not sinned willfully or deliberately—they had been overcome by a sudden temptation, and their repentance was immediate and heartfelt. The Lord accepted their repentance, but because of the harm their sin might do among the people, He could not cancel its punishment. BOE 205.2

Moses told the people that because he had failed to give the glory to God, he could not lead them into the Promised Land. He asked them to notice the severe punishment given to him, and then consider how God must regard their complaints in blaming a mere man for the judgments that they had brought on themselves. He told them how he had pleaded with God to cancel the sentence and had been refused. BOE 205.3

Throughout their journeys as they had complained of the difficulties along the way, Moses had told them, “Your murmurings are against God. It is not I, but God, who has worked to deliver you.” But his hasty words, “Shall we bring water?” were virtually admitting their charge was right. His mistake would then confirm them in their unbelief and justify their complaints. The Lord would remove this impression from their minds forever by forbidding Moses to enter the Promised Land. Here was unmistakable evidence that their leader was not Moses but the mighty Angel of whom the Lord had said, “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; ... for My name is in Him” Exodus 23:20, 21. BOE 205.4