CENTRAL THOUGHT
God requires absolute obedience to His instructions.
HYMN: “I am Thine, O Lord…”.
TEXT: Numbers 20:1-13
INTRODUCTION:
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 not a 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 suited His purpose. God found Moses a man good enough to discuss face to face with. However, this 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 cannot 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:
a. Identify the core quality of Moses and the costly mistake he made.
b. Identify and examine the challenge/ obstacle faced by the children of Israel in their journey to the promised land.
c. Understand God’s expectation of anyone who works in his vineyard.
d. Identify the lessons derivable from the error or Aaron and Moses.
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1) DISCUSS MOSES’ REACTION TO THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS IN THE WILDERNESS:
A. WHEN THE ISRAELITES FACE OBSTACLES.
There were several occasions when the children of Israel were faced with obstacles in the wilderness. In Ex. 14:10-14 they were faced with imminent destruction at the hand of the Egyptian army. Moses’ reacted to the situation by crying unto God and encouraging them, not to be afraid but to stand still, assuring them that the Egyptians they were seeing that day, they would see no more forever, that God would fight for them and they would hold their peace. Ex. 15:22-25. They were confronted with a 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. Ex. 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.
Ex. 32:11-14, 30-33; Num. 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 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.
EX. 18:17-24; 36:1-6; 39:42-43; 40:16; NUM. 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 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 3A.) IDENTIFY THE CHALLENGE THAT CONFRONTED ISRAEL AT KADESH.
NUM. 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 3B.) 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 3C.) WHAT WAS THE REACTION OF MOSES AND AARON TO THE CHALLENGE?
Num. 20:6
Moses and Aaron left the people and went to the entrance of the tabernacle of the 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 4A.) WHAT WAS GOD’S INSTRUCTION TO MOSES AND AARON?
NUM. 20:7-8
God instructed Moses to take his rod and 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 and their animals to drink.
QUESTION 4B.) HOW DID MOSES AND AARON CARRY OUT THE INSTRUCTION FROM GOD? NUM. 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 5A.) WHAT LED TO THEIR COMPROMISED ACTION?
PS. 106:32-33; EX. 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 situations 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 5B.) EXPLAIN THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTION.
NUM. 20:12; DEUT. 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 5C.) WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DERIVE FROM THE COMPROMISING ACTIONS 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 to 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 brings to the fore, some important truth 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 suit the purpose for which He called him (Num. 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 to take the glory and hold God in reverence always (Isa. 42:8).
MEMORY VERSE:
Rom. 2:11
“For there is no respect of persons with God”
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
MONDAY: MOSES’ ENCOUNTER WITH GOD.
Ex. 3:1-7, 10-14; 4:1-4, 10-11
TUESDAY: WITH GOD, NOTHING IS POSSIBLE.
Ex. 14:21-22; 10:3-4, 11-14
WEDNESDAY: THE EVIL OF JEALOUSY.
Num. 12:1-9
THURSDAY: MOSES, HUMBLE AND SELFLESS. Num. 12:3; 11:26-29; Ex. 32:30-32
FRIDAY: MOSES’ ERROR.
Num. 20:7-11
SATURDAY: NO RESPECT OF PERSONS WITH GOD. Num. 20:12-13, 23-28