“Speak To That Rock”

(Part 2 of 2)

“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!”

                                                                                                            Numbers 20:5

Forty years later, Israel, once again, is faced with the prospect of having no water. What captured my attention, when I read this passage, was that their complaint was identical to the one they made 40 years earlier. In fact, reading their response, you would not know that it had been 40 years since they left Egypt. Even with 40 years behind them, they were still in bondage, in their hearts and minds.

In Numbers 20:6-8, Moses approaches God again regarding their dilemma:

“Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to the 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.”

Although Moses carried with him the tool by which God used to bring forth water out of the rock the first time, and although the situation was the same, God’s expectation for them, 40 years later was that they “walk by faith” and “not by sight!”

Verses 9-10 tell us that Moses took the staff out of the Lord’s presence, took Aaron, and gathered the people; but when it came time to bring forth water:

“Moses said to them, “Listen you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock? Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.”

Instead of speaking to the rock, as he was commanded, Moses chose to rebuke the people! And in his frustration, took the staff, as he had done before, and struck the rock. Not once! But twice! How many of you have been guilty of operating in disobedience, because you were frustrated?

That single moment of disobedience cost Moses greatly:

“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.”

How much of God’s blessings do we forfeit by assuming what God wants instead of doing what He says? How God moved in your life 20 years ago, in a situation, may not be the way he moves today in that same situation. Why? Because He expects us to grow spiritually! God had Moses use the staff the first time because they were young in their faith. They had just begun their journey with God. However, forty years later, after experiencing God’s tremendous provision and protection…He expected them to have grown to trust His Word! God wanted to display His power and authority to them by having Moses, simply “speak to the rock” and the water come forth. Instead he reverted to what he knew and dishonored God in the process.

Where will you be 40 years from now? Will you still be striking the rock looking for water, because that’s how God did it back then? Or will you have grown to trust the living Word of God?

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