dark waters

These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy.

Numbers 20:13

After facing so much crisis and pushback from the people that he led, it is sad to see Moses react so selfishly at this late stage in his leadership. But the fighting waters of Meribah became the place where Moses lost it and deliberately chose to put himself ahead of a holy God. Just how did it get this bad?

The nation of Israel journeyed to a place called Kadesh. There Miriam, the leading lady of the Exodus story, a prophetess and Moses sister, died. But it was also significant as a place where the nation was strategically staged to change. Kadesh was moving them out of decades of wilderness wandering to a place to cross into the Promised Land. But there was no water there, and that fact led the nation to complain to Moses. Moses and Aaron respond to this complaint with a correct first step. They went to the tent of meeting, fell on their faces, and brought the problem to the Lord. God instructed Moses specifically to take the staff, go to the rock in the camp, and to speak to the rock to bring forth water (Numbers 20:6-8).

Their obedience drifted away when it came to the moment. Yes, Moses took the staff. Yes, he and Aaron went to the rock in the gathered assembly of the people. But then Moses went into a totally self-driven agenda: “Here now, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock? (Numbers 20:10)” Moses chose to be Israel’s judge (calling them rebels). He chose to take credit for their deliverance (shall we bring water for you). Both of those were the exclusive roles reserved for only a holy God.

Moses struck the rock... twice... and then surprisingly, God still brought a spring of water from it. But because Moses dared to take God’s role, he was judged by God. Moses and Aaron were forbidden from entering Canaan (Numbers 20:12). They too would die in the wilderness with the generation of disobedient people. Their actions were faithless and disregarded a holy God. 

How easily our agendas can rise above the plan of a holy God. Sin leads us to do that every time we chose to disobey God, His Word, and His Spirit’s work in us! And there are always consequences for dismissing God’s holiness.