In Exodus 17 and Numbers 20 we have two accounts of water drawn from a rock. Both are miraculous, and both reflect God's care for His people in their need. But after the fact there was a sort of closed door meeting with the players. Apparently Moses was furious. Apparently God was furious. Why? Both were furious with the people. Both understood that the people were taxing their patience and were doubters in their faith even in the face of recent miraculous intervention. But it also turned out that God was angry with Moses and forbade entry to the promised land because Moses and Aaron didn't treat Him as holy in the second occasion of striking the rock. Does God still feel that way towards His people and His leaders? Yikes! Let's talk tomorrow at Southside..
All through the old Testament, I am continually amazed at the steps of faith that God demands from His chosen people. Who - in their "right mind" - does these sorts of things? Picking up snakes by their tails, taking off your sandals in the desert, hitting a rock and believing that water will come out... it's complete and utter foolishness to us. And yet - God asks Moses to do each of these things without question. I believe that this is God asking His people for complete and utter trust in His unfathomable grace and providence... asking them to be His people and trust in Him completely. I know I my own life how incredibly difficult this is...
ReplyDeleteI have to think that in this second incident of striking the rock, Moses already assumed that water would come out - and that's where things go sideways. There is no step of faith here, no miracle, no providence of God. Yes - water does come out, because God is true to His promises. But in his anger, Moses has placed himself on God's level and has taken ownership of the miracle... and in doing so, diminished God's authority.
I don't want to know how often I do this on a daily basis... ignore the steps of faith that God calls me to and assume that God and I speak on the same level. And every day I praise God that His grace is bigger than I can comprehend.
great observations Christy!
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