Transfiguration
31
smite the rock, that the children of Israel might have water. Moses
smote the rock in wrath, and took the glory to himself. The continual
waywardness and murmuring of the children of Israel had caused him
the keenest sorrow, and for a little he forgot how much God had borne
with them, and that their murmuring was not against Moses, but against
God. He thought only of himself, how deeply he was wronged, and
how little gratitude they manifested in return, for his deep love for
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them.
As Moses smote the rock, he failed to honor God, and magnify
him before the children of Israel, that they might glorify God. And
the Lord was displeased with Moses, and said that he should not enter
the promised land. It was God’s plan to often prove Israel by bringing
them into strait places, and then in their great necessity exhibit his
power, that he might live in their memory, and they glorify him.
When Moses came down from the mount with the two tables of
stone, and saw Israel worshiping the golden calf, his anger was greatly
kindled, and he threw down the tables of stone, and broke them. I saw
that Moses did not sin in this. He was wroth for God, jealous for his
glory. But when he yielded to the natural feelings of the heart, and
took glory to himself, which was due to God, he sinned, and for that
sin, God would not suffer him to enter the promised land.
Satan had been trying to find something wherewith to accuse Moses
before the angels. Satan triumphed in that he had caused him to
displease God, and he exulted, and told the angels that when the
Saviour of the world should come to redeem man, he could overcome
him. For this transgression Moses came under the power of Satan—the
dominion of death. Had he remained steadfast, and not sinned in taking
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glory to himself, the Lord would have brought him to the promised
land, and then translated him to heaven without seeing death.
I saw that Moses passed through death, but Michael came down
and gave him life before he saw corruption. Satan claimed the body as
his, but Michael resurrected Moses, and took him to heaven. The Devil
tried to hold his body, and railed out bitterly against God, denounced
him as unjust, in taking from him his prey. But Michael did not rebuke
the Devil, although it was through his temptation and power that God’s
servant had fallen. Christ meekly referred him to his Father, saying,
The Lord rebuke thee.