(Number 20:10)
Moses did not follow divine instructions here in any sense whatever. True, he and Aaron assembled the people and Moses took "his rod" (this indicates that our preferred interpretation above is correct). After all, if was not Aaron's rod which budded, that was used, but the rod of Moses. It is astounding that, beginning with the old international critical commentary in 1903 the allegations has been advanced and supported by many current scholar that "concerning the unbelief and rebellion of Moses and Aaron, neither is in the usual blinding in the critical school that reality cannot see anything in the bible except their discrepancies and various Sourced! Did Moses actually disobey God in this events? God commanded Moses to speak to the Rock. Instead he addressed in rebuke to the people! See any difference?
God commanded Moses to speak to the rock. Instead he omitted this altogether and struck the rock twice. Any difference here?
God had most carefully instructed Moses in all the prior forty years that God alone actually did any of the wonders mentioned, but in this passage Moses ascribed the source of the miracle as being from him and Aaron. "shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? Where does God's honor appear in a public announcement like this? Lets go back again there's so much here to dive into. We won't dive into it all in light of just the short time, but the whole picture, herr is Moses just disobeyed God in a way that would lead him to forfeit the opportunity to go into the promised land. This was a massive moment in Moses life, in the history of God's people. God had said not stike tge rock, but to speak to the rock. God said to do this in a way that would reflect his character. What happens, though, is Moses takes this his own hands. He strike the rock out of anger, much like he has done before, but you can hear it. "you rebels, shall we do this for you? He didn't honor the Lord as holy before the people. That's what verse 12 says. Like Moses, there is a temptation for us not to do God's work God's way.
There are many today, just like Moses in this incidents, who think that God's word is not to be strictly followed at all, but that they may improvise in any manner that appear to be appropriate in their own eyes. Moses actions were sinful, and so are the actions of people today who suppose that when God commanded "singing" in his worship that they may bring in a whole orchestra or the Swiss bell ringers in addition, or that when God commanded all people everywhere to be "immersed" that a few drop of water sprinkled or poured will do just as good! And, of course, scholar who have such view find all kinds of excuses for Moses. Whitelaw the Bcp said.
After all, God had told Moses to takes the rod, and he might naturally think that he has to use it as before.. Also had not God told Moses that he should bring water forth to the people?..He struck the rock twice instead of once, but we could hardly have attached any serious character to the act if it had stood alone (v.9). Of course, we can supply many other excuses after all, God had not commanded him not to strike the rock. God really doesn't care about any legalistic compliance with his word. God could bring water out of the Rock even if Moses had struck it twenty times. Sure Moses left God's name out of sight when ascribing the source of the wonder, but he said, "We," and maybe he included God in That! Just like the unbeliever who close their prayers, not "in the name of Jesus Christ as commanded, but with blunt" Amen!
"sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel..
(Number 20:12). Failure to do this was one of Moses sins, and yet, in (verse 13). It is recorded that Jehovah was sanctified" in the event here reported. Alhough Moses Aaron had indeed not sanctified the Lord in the implied taking of wonders as their own instead of God, nevertheless, by the condemnation if the leaders who had thus disregarded their duty the Lord indeed was was sanctified."
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