A Staff That Listens
Blue v1-13 Ch 20 Numv7-8 The LORD said to Moses, "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."
Father God patiently, mercifully, decided to use the staff to bless them instead of use the rod to correct them, even though they were still complaining 14:3-4, 20:3-5. The day to reap what words were being sown had yet to arrive, the power of life and death is still in the tongue (proverbs 18:21).
v9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's Presence, just as He commanded him.
HAND TO MOUTHWhy did Moses strike the rock when God only said here to speak to it?
v11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
Can't use the staff to bless like the rod to correct when God only said that He wanted to bless them in this moment. God said to take the staff but He didn't say to do anything with it yet so Moses had jumped the gun. This compromised Moses, causing both blessing and cursing to be in operation. Blessing because God said the water would be there, cursing because God never said to do it this way, so Moses added... maybe that's why Deuteronomy became the next book in the Bible
, in his living epistle life he was learning chapter 28 out from personal experience.) Deu 4:2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD God which I command you.
As a Result for Disobedience
V12 ...the LORD said to Moses... you did not trust in Me enough to honor Me... you will not bring this community into the land... Pro 30:6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
The Good News Is:
Moses did get to lead them out of the land of bondage. He may have disobeyed but Father God's unfailing love did not take back the personal relationship, the ability to keep talking to Him, the fact of still getting to go to heaven, still getting to lead in a leadership position, getting to write more books in the Bible such as Deuteronomy, and getting to interact with Father Face to face. Nothing is ever hopeless or so bad that God can't turn the bad around for Good!
Moses did not get to "see" people enter the Promiseland while he walked the earth, but how many do you think he gets to "see" enter it now? Knowing the first 5 books of the Bible that he participated in writing with Father God have been used to help get them in? Moses from heaven gets to praise His Faithful Promiseland God! Eternity lasts much longer so if you have to screw up and pick from an "either" "or" situation, who wouldn't much rather do it from the balconies of heaven.
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