It is thought that there was a period of thirty-seven years between chapters 19:22 and 20:1.
This chapter makes some sad reading because of the events in it. It commences with the death of Miriam at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin. They had passed through there in chapter 13 when they rejected God’s offer regarding the Promised Land after the spies had returned. Because of their disobedience they had been wondering around in the wilderness.
Miriam’s death was an important demonstration of God’s promise (14:29-34), when He told them that the generation which refused to enter Canaan would die in the wilderness, and the new generation would enter. God had said that only Caleb and Joshua and a new generation (notice that it did not include Moses, Aaron and Miriam, there were no special privileges) who had left Egypt would enter. Even Miriam who, had in a way saved Moses from death when he was placed in the bulrushes, and for her leading Israel in praise in Exodus 15, was excluded because of her disobedience in Numbers 12. It reminds us that we must come God’s way through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot come any other way.
The people ran short of water (v2-6) so they blamed Moses and Aaron using the same old argument that if they had never left Egypt, even died there, they wouldn’t be in this predicament. They showed a total mistrust in God’s promises. Of course there was no grain, figs or vines or pomegranates and no water, it was a wilderness. Not only that, but they were also there because they had disobeyed God.
Moses and Aaron did what they should have done and went to the door of the tabernacle, fell on their faces before the Lord and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord answered them (v7,8) and said to Moses, “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock…. and it will yield its water……. And give drink to the congregation and their animals.” Whilst Moses was to take his rod, he was specifically told to speak to the rock. The rod was his sign of authority from God, but he wasn’t to strike the rock.
At Mount Sinai Moses was told to strike the rock (Exodus 17:6) and water would come out, but on this occasion, he was told to speak to it.
Moses took the rod as he was commanded and spoke to the assembled people. I can imagine how he felt, and it seems clear from the way he addressed them – “Hear now, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock?” He raised his hand and struck the rock twice and water gushed out. (v9-11) He was not told to speak to the people, but his anger and frustration were evident. One commentator suggests that when Moses said, “Must we….” that he could have been saying that God couldn’t do it alone and that he had to do it, or it was a joint effort between him and God. Moses quite clearly disobeyed, but God, in His love and care, still provided the water.
It was clear that God’s name had been brought into disrepute by Moses because God then spoke to him (v12,13). By being angry, he was making God out to be the same. It is apparent that God considered that Moses did not believe Him when He said, “Speak to the rock….”.
This was serious, and it may seem a harsh punishment that because of this one thing he would not go into the Promised Land. Even though Moses was the leader he was not exempt from God’s discipline, in fact, he was there to set an example. James writes (3:1) that teachers and leaders were to be judged by a higher standard. Great leader that he was, Moses was required to obey God’s laws and commands just like everyone else.
God was seen as holy, thus He hallowed Himself through his justice in dealing with Moses. God will always get the glory.
There were five stages of their journey from Egypt to Canaan.
1. Egypt to Mount Sinai (Exodus 12:31 to 18:27).
2. They stayed for a time at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1 to Numbers 10:10).
3. From Mount Sinai they made their first journey to the Promised Land, but their unbelief at Kadesh led to their wandering in the wilderness. (Numbers 10:11 to 14:45).
4. 38 years of wandering in the wilderness until the unbelieving generation had died (Numbers 15:1 to Numbers 20:13).
5. Now back at Kadesh, it brings us to the second and final approach to the Promised Land (Numbers 20:14 to Joshua 2:24).
They wanted to pass through Edom from Kadesh and Moses sent messengers (v14-17), “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us, how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers. When we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice and sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’”
Let me remind you that Edom was where Esau settled. Esau was Jacob’s brother, hence the message begins with “your brother”, Jacob being one of the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, their founding fathers.
All Moses asked for was to pass through, but they refused permission. It wasn’t as though they wanted provisions, they were trusting God to provide. Even if their livestock drank any of the water, Moses offered to pay for it. They simply asked to go through on the highway (v18-21). Edom threatened them with the sword if they passed through. This would have brought them nearer to the promised land than they had ever been and was direct route, but Edom refused. It meant that Israel had to skirt around the land and make a longer journey (see ch.21). Edom even came out against them with a show of force. Israel could have reacted and fought them, but they didn’t. They simply turned away. Perhaps this is a lesson for us to leave it to God to deal with those who offend us.
The Children of Israel left Kadesh and went to Mount Hor and there the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron (v 22-29). What He said was bad news for Aaron, “Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor; and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.”
Mount Hor was by the border of Edom and this, the end of thirty-eight years wandering in the wilderness because Numbers 33:38 tells us that Aaron died in the fortieth year after leaving Egypt. So near and yet so far! All that journey but getting almost nowhere! It is suggested that it accomplished very little and was probably waiting for the generation to die, including one of its prominent leaders, Aaron. As I said at the beginning of this chapter, it is thought that there was a period of thirty-seven years between chapters 19:22 and 20:1.
How much time do we waste? Do we as churches or as individuals continue to go round in circles and getting nowhere. Thankfully, God does give us opportunities to get out of the never-ending circle and start afresh, but sometimes we will need to get rid of things which hold us down and throw ourselves on the mercy of God. Things that have caused us to disobey and fail to trust in and obey Almighty God will have to go.
Moses did as he was commanded and in the presence of the people. He took Aaron’s garments from him and put them on Eleazar, and Aaron died on the top of the mountain. The people mourned for Aaron thirty days. He was a prominent figure, the first high priest yet he was still subject to the Lord’s commands and suffered punishment. Lesson for those in authority that we must set an example of obedience. He did wrong things (remember the golden calf?) and yet his position was still worthy of respect, which is another lesson for us.
One commentator has made the observation that Moses represented the law, Miriam, the prophets, Aaron the priests, but none of them could lead them into the Promised Land; only Joshua (Jesus) could lead them into the land of God’s promise. Jesus, our high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16) is the one we depend upon for our relationship with God and the only way to heaven.
