Central thought: God requires absolute obedience to His instructions.
Hymn: “I am Thine, O Lord”
TEXT: Numbers 20:1-3
In Moses, we see a man described as the meekest man on earth, who in the course of his walk with God, manifested his weak point at a time when God expected greater commitment from him.
Moses was a not perfect man and God did not change who Moses was (i.e. a man slow of speech), He did not give Moses new abilities and strength. Rather, He took Moses’ characteristics and remolded them until they were suited to His purpose. God found in him, a man good enough to discuss with face to face. However that did not stop God from unfolding His anger when Moses faltered. So we should not take God for granted or feel that we have become too familiar with God that we can undermine His instructions. As we conclude our series of study on the life of Moses, a great servant of God, we shall focus on his strength and weakness demonstrated in the course of his walk with God.
Lesson objectives:
This study aims at helping us-
- Identify the core quality of Moses and the costly mistake he made.
- Identify and examine the challenge/obstacle faced by the children of Israel in their journey to the promised land.
- To understand God’s expectation of anyone who works in His vineyard.
- To identify the lessons derivable from the error of Moses and Aaron.
Question 1.) Discuss Moses’ reaction to the following situations in the wilderness.
a.) When the Israelites faced obstacles.
There were several occasions when the children of Israel were faced with obstacles in the wilderness. In Exodus 14: 10-14 they were faced with imminent destruction in the hand of the Egyptian army. Moses reacted to the situation by crying unto God and encouraging them not to be afraid but stand still, assuring them that the Egyptians they were seeing that day, they would see no more for ever- that God would fight for them and they would hold their peace. Exodus 15:22-25: They were confronted with lack of drinking water. It was so severe that they complained bitterly against Moses. Again Moses cried to the Lord for help and the Lord provided them with drinking water. Exodus 17:1-4. At Rephidim, as the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed towards the promised land, they were again faced with shortage of drinking water and as usual they complained and accused Moses of bringing them to die in the wilderness. On this occasion Moses reacted by accusing them of tempting God, he then in turn complained to God that the people were about to stone him. God told him what to do to provide water for the people.
b.) When they sinned against God.
Exodus 32:1-14, 30-33, Numbers 11:1-2, 14, 10-20.
When Moses delayed in his journey to the mountain where he received the ten-commandments, the children of Israel made themselves a god of calf, built an altar and worshipped it and sinned against their God. In His anger, God said He would destroy the entire congregation and raise another generation through Moses. Moses’ initial reaction to this act of the people, was a demonstration of a righteous anger, by breaking the two tablets of stone containing the ten-commandments. Next, he went up to God and pleaded with Him to forgive their sin, he reminded God of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give their descendants the land of Canaan. He was ready to atone for their sin with his life and told God to blot out his name from His (God) book of record, rather than destroy them.
Question 2.) Read the following scriptures and identify some qualities in the life of Moses.
Exodus 18:17-24, 36:1-6, 39:42-43, 40:16, Numbers 11:24-29, 12:3, 7, 10-13,27:15-23
Reading through the above scriptures, we discover that Moses was indeed a servant of God. He was a man who listened and accepted counsel from others. He was a man of honesty and integrity. He was honest enough to declare to the congregation that their offerings for the work of the tabernacle was more than enough so, they should stop bringing more offerings. Moses was a man with a heart of appreciation and gratitude as demonstrated after the inspection of the completed work of the tabernacle by Bezalel and his workers. He appreciated them and blessed them. He was obedient to God’s instructions through the deliverance from Egypt to the wilderness. He was not selfish. He accepted that God should take of the Spirit in him and share to others and wished that every leader in Israel had the Spirit and prophesied. Moses was so humble that God described him as the meekest man on earth. God found him faithful. Moses had a heart of forgiveness. He forgave Miriam and Aaron when they spoke against him and God punished Miriam with leprosy. He prayed for Miriam so God healed her. He was compassionate. When God told him that he would not lead the Israelites into the promised-land, he was concerned about the welfare of the people, so he pleaded with God to appoint them a leader who would lead them into the land, rather than leave them as sheep without a shepherd.
Question 3.a) Identify the challenges that confronted Israel at Kadesh.
Numbers 20:1-2
After the children of Israel left the wilderness of Zin, they camped at Kadesh. There, they faced another challenge of lack of drinking water, and this appeared to be a common occurrence with their wilderness journey.
Question 3.b) What was the reaction of the children of Israel?
As was common with the people, they contended with Moses and complained bitterly, questioning why he should bring the congregation of God’s people to die in the wilderness with their livestock. A land they considered barren- having no grain, no figs, no grapes nor pomegranates and no water to drink.
Question 3.c) What was the reaction of Moses and Aaron to the challenge?
Numbers 20:6
Moses and Aaron left the people and went to the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting and fell with their faces on the ground before the Lord. The glory of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord instructed them on what to do. This is a good lesson for all believers today, especially the Leaders.
Question 4.a) What was God’s instruction to Moses and Aaron?
Numbers 20:7-8
God instructed Moses to take his rod with his brother Aaron and gather the whole congregation together and speak to the rock in their presence so it will pour out water for the people to drink and their animals.
Question 4.b) How did Moses and Aaron carry out the instruction from God?
Numbers 20:9-11
Instead of speaking to the rock as directed by God, Moses struck the rock with the rod two times. Doing this he disobeyed God. God did the miracle all the same, but Moses failed to honor God before His people.
Question 5.a) What led to their compromised action?
Psalm 106: 32-33, Exodus 17:1-7
The unbelieving attitude and continued pressure from the children of Israel led to the compromised action of Moses and Aaron. The previous experiences on related situation was enough for the children of Israel to have approached the issue differently. However, having known the people so well as stubborn people, and how God had always intervened in such issues, Moses and Aaron should have exercised some measure of self-control. It is something we have to observe and learn from.
Question 5.b) Explain the consequences of their action.
Numbers 20:12, Deuteronomy 32: 48-52
The action of Moses and Aaron was considered a “trespass” and failure to “hallow” God among the children of Israel. Consequently they were denied the privilege of leading the congregation of Israelites into the promised land.
Question 5.c) What lessons can we derive from the compromising action of Moses and Aaron?
There are two major lessons we can derive from the compromising action of Moses and Aaron.
Self Control: If Moses and Aaron were able to control their emotions, they could not have acted the way they did. We should therefore learn to be patient to allow the Holy Spirit help us control our emotions in the face of provocations and pressures.
We should always remember that God does not give his glory to anyone. No matter the level of success we think we may have attained in our calling, let us learn to give the glory to God, for it is not by our efforts, wisdom or knowledge, but by His grace.
Daily Living Application:
The study of the life of Moses and his walk with God vividly bring to the fore some important truths that we need to consider. Moses’ excuses of his inability to carry out God’s assignment was not a problem to God. God is able to remodel anyone He calls to suite the purpose for which He called him. Numbers 12:6-9. God does not look at the physical condition of anyone He wants to use, His grace qualifies such a person for the work. So no matter the level of attainment of such a one in his/her area of service, he/she should be careful to allow God take the glory and hold God in reverence always (Isaiah 42:8).
Memory Verse:
Romans 2:11
“For there is no respect of persons with God”