We learn much about human nature by following the Israelites across the desert wilderness.  We learn how to grumble consistently and continually when they feel fear or loss of their basic needs. Here is what we have learned:

• At the first hint of trouble; Grumble first then Blame the leader. 
• When things of life are not going our way; Grumble firsts then Blame the leader.
• When life’s circumstances become challenging and too hard for us; Grumble louder then Blame the leader.

How to Grumble until God hears it, too:

• Assume the leader does not know how unhappy we are.
• Allow anger over the situation to give you the arrogant fury to point out to the leader all the ways you are unhappy.
• Do not offer a solution. (Because we don’t have a plan!) That’s the leader’s job to take care of us and all our problems with solutions that will make us happy again.
• Point out all the leader’s inadequacies and failures as the final blow for attention to our needs.

We use these grumbling fine-tuned and practiced often techniques to get what we want like a crying infant who doesn’t know what they really need.  We don’t care about the leader much less care about what the leader wants; we want our needs met now!  All Godly given gifts are laid aside.  Leaders lose their minds over the grumbling as they are human, too!  Sin wins when we grumble, complain, and demand our own way. 

But God knows.  He always knows what is truly in our hearts.  Our grumblings and dissatisfactions are heard and seen.  We have God’s attention and focus on the situation but not in the way that will be good for us.  God will intervene but not in the way we assumed He would or should.  Our leaders who follow God become merely collateral damage to our desires and demands.  Our human sin nature is harsh and full of hate.  God is love—the opposite of hate.

Numbers 20

Water From the Rock

In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

² Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. ³ They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! ⁴ Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? ⁵ Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” ¹¹ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “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.”

¹³ These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.

Edom Denies Israel Passage

¹⁴ Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying:

“This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come on us. ¹⁵ Our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors, ¹⁶ but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.

“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. ¹⁷ Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

¹⁸ But Edom answered:

“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”

¹⁹ The Israelites replied:

“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”

²⁰ Again they answered:

“You may not pass through.”

Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army. ²¹ Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.

The Death of Aaron

²² The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. ²³ At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴ “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵ Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. ²⁶ Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, ²⁹ and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Upon reading our passage slowing and prayerfully, we realize that in the midst of leading God’s people; Moses’ dear sister Miriam as died. Moses and Aaron are probably mourning her loss as the Israelites come at them with angry grumbling over the water situation. Moses goes to God.  God intervenes and tells Moses exactly what to do to get water for the people.  But, although being a great leader for God, Moses is also an imperfect human.  Moses claims the glory for the water, with a bit of bitterness thrown it for the grumblers—just for good measure.  “You want water—you got water!”

We can easily sit here and judge Moses over this incident and gloat over the consequences of his sinful act of arrogance against God—or we can learn from it.  If we pause to reflect, we might vividly remember our own responses when we were pushed into a corner. Did we emerge from being pushed around in a godly manner?  Did we come out fighting from places of hurt, despair, and the agony over loss?  Did we retaliate with; “People, you don’t know what I’m going through right now, leave me alone!”  Or did we fall on our faces before God seeking His wisdom; doing exactly what He said without our personal editorials?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!”  (Romans 3:23) We must believe and repent of our sins. 

God’s verdict was swift and probably the ultimate blow to Moses’ temporary burst of arrogance and anger, behaviors not normal for Moses being the “most humbled man on the earth.”  But it happened; this was God’s response:  Moses’ generation will not set foot in the Promised Land.  Aaron will pass on his God given leadership to his son. 

God continued to be in control as he led his people, even to the extent of denying the leaders, Moses and Aaron, entrance into the promised land. When the people entered the land without these great men, God showed that his power does not depend on any dynamic leader. Every step of faith depends on God alone.

May we learn to lovingly, willingly, obediently respond to God with;

• I trust you, Lord.  I trust you with my life because you are Life.
• You are not only my Savior but you are my Lord! 
• I believe and accept Your Lordship.
• Forgive me of my sins as I forgive others who sinned against me.
• I believe that nothing comes to me that hasn’t passed through you.
• I am grateful for all you have done, are doing, and will do in and through my life!
• Truly this glimpse into the past generates strength for the future.
• Jesus, you are my hope. Remain in me and I will remain in you.
• Thank you for never changes in your love and care for me/us.
• Thank you for always being with us, guiding each step we take.

Prayer like Jesus taught us before doing anything else;

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:9-13)

In Jesus Name, for our good and God’s glory, Amen