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258
The Beginning of the End
buy water from them for money, that you may drink’” (
Deuteronomy
2:4-6
).
These directions should have been enough to explain why their
supply of water had been cut off—they were about to pass through a
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well-watered, fertile country, in a direct route to the land of Canaan.
When the miraculous flow of water stopped, this should have been a
reason to be happy, a sign that the wilderness wandering was over.
But the people seemed to have given up all hope that God would
bring them into Canaan, and they loudly demanded the blessings of
the wilderness.
The water stopped before they reached Edom. This gave them
the opportunity to walk by faith instead of sight for a little while.
But the first test brought about the same spirit shown by their parents
and grandparents. They forgot God’s hand, that for so many years
had supplied their needs. Instead of turning to God for help, they
complained in desperation, exclaiming, “If only we had died when
our brethren died before the Lord!” (that is, in the rebellion of
Korah).
Moses and Aaron, the leaders, went to the door of the tabernacle
and fell on their faces. Moses was directed, “Take the rod; you and
your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the
rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring
water for them out of the rock.”
The two brothers were now old men. They had put up with the
rebellion of Israel for a long time. But now, Moses finally lost his
patience. “Hear now, you rebels!” he cried. “Must we bring water
for you out of this rock?” Instead of merely speaking to the rock, as
God had commanded him, he struck it twice with the rod.
The water gushed out abundantly, but a great wrong had been
done. Moses had spoken from irritated feelings. “Hear now, you
rebels,” he said. This accusation was true, but even truth is not to be
spoken in anger or impatience. When he took it on himself to accuse
them, he grieved the Spirit of God. His lack of self-control was
evident. This gave the people an opportunity to question whether in
the past he had been following God’s directions. They now found the
excuse they wanted for rejecting the reproofs God had sent through
His servant.