This wasn’t the first time the people of Israel grumbled about not having enough food or water to drink.  And it wasn’t the first time that Moses and Aaron had to fall on their faces before the Lord, praying that He would forgive the people for their impatience and lack of faith.  And it wasn’t the first time that the Lord provided water for His thirsty people.  But because of what happened this time, God told Moses and Aaron that they would not be able to go into the Promised Land.

What did they do that was so bad?  Well, God had told him to speak to the rock (Numbers 20:8), but Moses instead struck the rock twice (Numbers 20:11).  Why was this so bad?  Because of what, or rather Who the rock symbolized.  As Paul says in I Corinthians 10:4, the rock from which the people of Israel drank was Christ.  And Jesus made the same point in John 7:37 – “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”  In a very real sense, Moses took out his anger on God, thus joining the people in their rebellion.

But what if Moses didn’t understand all this symbolism?  Well, look at the question Moses asked the people in Numbers 20:10:  “Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”  Instead of giving God the glory, Moses pointed to the part that he played in performing the miracle.  Again, we see that Moses was joining the rebellion of the people.  Instead of treating God as holy (Numbers 20:12), he put Himself in the place of God.

And isn’t that the essence of all sin?  When we make up the rules for ourselves, or when we defy God’s clear commandments, aren’t we really saying that we know better than God, and that we don’t really need to submit ourselves to His will?  Instead of considering God to be high and lifted up, aren’t we bringing Him down to our level?

No, it really doesn’t matter how inconsequential any particular act of rebellion may seem – all traitors deserve the death penalty.  How much better it is to trust in Christ as our Savior and bow the knee to Him as our Lord.  For He not only promises to satisfy our thirst, but to make our hearts fountains of living water that overflow with blessings for all those around us (John 7:38).

Numbers 20:2-13 (ESV)

² Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. ³ And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! ⁴ Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? ⁵ And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” ⁶ Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them, ⁷ and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁸ “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” ⁹ And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

 ¹⁰ Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” ¹¹ And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. ¹² And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” ¹³ These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy.