2BC BIBLE STUDY NOTES
Wednesday in the Word
Second Baptist Church
January 29, 2020
Numbers 20:1-21
Verse 1. The book of Numbers skips over the next 37 years of wandering in the wilderness to the beginning of the last year before the Israelites would enter the Promised Land. This is where chapter 20 picks up the story. In verse l, we learn that after wandering for almost 38 years, the Israelites have returned to Kadesh, the region south of the Promised Land where the older generation had refused to enter. The author notes that Miriam, the older sister of Moses and Aaron, dies after their arrival. Miriam’s death is notable because she is not only the most important woman in Israel at that time, but she symbolizes the older generation that was dying off before the younger generation could take possession of Canaan. As the people got closer to the end of their time in the wilderness, the older generation was dying off, and the younger generation was beginning to emerge.
Verses 2-5. The folks who witnessed the punishment 30 plus years earlier repeats the same rebellious pattern (Exodus 17:1-7). They complain that Moses and Aaron have brought them out of Egypt to die, and that there is no water or food for them to eat. It is likely that some of the places they had camped at over the years had some of these foods, but this place lacked the things they longed for. The people complaining are the ones who remember Egypt from 38 years before. It is a terrible thing to long for things that are ridiculously far in the past and really weren’t all that great.
Verses 6-11. God instructs Moses to take the staff of Aaron out of the tabernacle, assemble the leadership of Israel, and speak to a particular rock. Out of the rock water will flow so that the people of Israel and their livestock can drink. Moses grabs the staff, gathers the assembly of Israel in front of the rock, and then disobeys God’s command. Instead of speaking to the rock so that God could cause water to flow out of it, Moses loses his temper, reprimands the assembly, and then strikes the rock twice with the staff. Before Moses used his staff to strike the rock as God commanded, but this time Moses was supposed to just speak to the Rock as he held the holy staff of Aaron in his hand. Moses used the Holy staff of Aaron and hit the rock (Numbers 17:10). Moses hit the rock twice with the Holy Staff undoubtedly damaging the staff that God said would be a sign not to act rebellious. Because of Moses and Aaron’s actions at the rock, God bans them from entering the Promised Land, just like the rest of the older generation. Only Joshua and Caleb, from that generation, would now see the Promised Land. Why did God punish Moses and Aaron for what happened at the rock? Moses and Aaron had been frustrated with the people of Israel before, but this time was different. This time the fullness of Moses’ frustration was manifested before God and the whole assembled congregation. Moses should have grown more patient by now. Moses did not simply call the people rebels, a mere statement of truth (though perhaps out of anger), but he took the Lord’s instructions and used them as a means to justify his anger. The Lord had said that Moses and Aaron would be the agents for the delivery of the water from the rock, but then the prophet’s self-centered attitude erupted as he usurped the words of God for his own glorification, saying, ‘Shall we bring forth from this rock for you water?’ Moses and Aaron speak as though the water would come forth by their power. We can never take any of the glory for ourselves. Moses struck the rock not once but twice as he vented his anger and frustration over this ever-rebellious people. As in previous circumstances of this kind, the rock was a symbol of God’s mercy and benevolence, so striking the rock was in a sense a striking out against God. Moses had fallen into the same trap as the many rebellious people he had complained about to God. Not only did Moses and Aaron disrespect God in front of Israel, they tried to claim that it was through their striking the rock that water would flow. They had acted like pagan magicians performing an incantation instead of acting as the representatives of the one true God of the universe. Because they demonstrated such a poor example of leadership, God had to bring on them the same punishment he gave to the other rebels. The rock was also a picture of Christ (l Corinthians 10:4). Jesus is our rock that gives us living water. We need only ask for the water. We cannot claim the water is ours nor can we demand God give us water. God gives us the water of eternal life to drink by grace not our efforts.
Verse 12. God tells Moses and Aaron why they were being punished. “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” Moses and Aaron did not trust God. They lacked faith, and thus they were punished in the same way that the unbelieving older generation was punished: they would not enter the Promised Land.
Verses 13-21. After this incident, the people of Israel try to make their way directly north to the plains of Moab, directly across the Jordan River from the town of Jericho. This is where they would enter the Promised Land. But, in order to go directly north they would have to go through the land of Edom. Verses 14-21 recount a diplomatic exchange between Israel and Edom, where Israel twice asks for safe passage through Edom using a north-south road called the king’s highway. Edom twice refuses and then sends a large army to meet the Israelites and prevent them from entering Edom’s lands. What is especially sad about this incident is that the people of Edom are descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. Moses appeals to Edom as the brother of Israel (Jacob), and reminds Edom of the trials and tribulations of Israel in Egypt. The descendants of Esau, however, show no mercy. Since the land of Edom was not part of the Promised Land, the Israelites refused to fight, and instead would head south to go around Edom. The final eight verses of chapter 20 close with the death of the first high priest of Israel, Aaron. God reminds Moses and Aaron that they will not enter the Promised Land because of their rebellion. Moses is to climb atop Mount Hor with Aaron and his eldest son, Eleazar. There Moses removed the priestly garments from Aaron and placed them on his son, thus transferring the role of high priest to Eleazar. Aaron died on Mount Hor and the people of Israel mourned his death for 30 days. The death of Aaron was indeed a blow to the nation of Israel. It must have been difficult for his brother and son to bury him.
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