Moses Sinned
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the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to
sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not
bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”
Here Moses sinned. He became wearied with the continual mur-
murings of the people against him, and at the commandment of the
Lord took the rod, and, instead of speaking to the rock, as God com-
manded him, he smote it with the rod twice, after saying, “Must we
fetch you water out of this rock.” He here spoke unadvisedly with his
lips. He did not say, God will now show you another evidence of his
power, and bring you water out of this rock. He did not ascribe the
power and glory to God for causing water to again flow from the flinty
rock, and therefore did not magnify him before the people. For this
failure on the part of Moses, God would not permit him to lead the
people to the promised land.
The sins of good men, whose general deportment has been worthy
of imitation, are peculiarly offensive to God. They cause Satan to tri-
umph, and to taunt the angels of God with the failings of God’s chosen
instruments, and give the unrighteous occasion to lift themselves up
against God. The Lord had himself led Moses in a special manner, and
had revealed to him his glory, as to no other upon the earth. He was
naturally impatient, but had taken hold firmly of the grace of God, and
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so humbly implored wisdom from Heaven, that he was strengthened
from God, and had overcome his impatience so that he was called of
God the meekest man upon the face of the whole earth.
Aaron died at mount Hor, for the Lord had said he should not enter
the promised land, because with Moses he had sinned, at the time of
bringing water from the rock at Meribah. Moses and the sons of Aaron
buried him in the mount, that the people might not be tempted to make
too great ceremony over his body, and be guilty of the sin of idolatry.
The Canaanites made war with Israel, and took some of them
prisoners, and the host of the Israelites besought the Lord to go with
them to battle against the Canaanites, and deliver them into their hands,
and they would utterly destroy their cities, and would be faithful in
following God. He heard their prayer, and went out with their armies to
battle, and the Israelites overcame their enemies, and utterly destroyed
them and their cities.
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