Journal Through the Bible: Week 23 Friday

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Numbers chapter 20

In this chapter the Children of Israel say good-bye to Miriam and Aaron, the two siblings of Moses, and Moses himself signs his own death warrant. They also encounter more troubles from within and without the congregation. As always, the peoples' biggest obstacles are those that come as a result of their grumbling.

Aside from the rebellion at the waters of Meribah, there was trouble with Edom. The descendants of Esau continued their long feud with the descendants of Jacob by refusing to allow the people to pass through their land while traveling along the well-traveled trade route between Syria and Egypt, the King's Highway.

Does God issue any commands?

• When the people grumbled because they had no water in the wilderness, they included the age-old sentiment that they should never have left Egypt and also added that it would have been better if they had died in one of the previous rebellions. As a result, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the tabernacle and the glory of God came down to meet them there. God instructed Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock and that it would gush with enough water to meet the needs of the congregation and the flocks. 
• God commanded Aaron, the high priest, to be stripped of his garments before dying on Mount Hor. This was because Aaron had been part of the striking of the rock at Meribah. Aaron's son, Eleazar, was to be the new high priest.

Does God make any promises in this chapter?

• This promise was in the form of a curse. Because Moses and Aaron did not believe that God would give water to the people at Meribah as He said He would if they spoke to the rock but instead disobeyed and hit the rock twice, God promised that they would not lead the people into the Promised Land. (Remember that Moses had hit the rock on Mount Horeb when commanded to do so - see Exodus 17:6.)

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• Scripture tells us that Jesus is the Rock, the foundation stone that the builder rejected and He is the Living Water that quenches the thirst of our souls. He was punished for sin ONLY ONCE, meaning He was given in sacrifice on Golgotha and there is no crucifixion over and over again for sins. We cannot re-crucify Christ and it is wrong to do so. Moses marred the picture of the gift of living water from the rock when he disobeyed God. He had been told to strike the rock on Mount Horeb so that the people could have water, but at Meribah he was told to speak to the rock. This is a picture of salvation and sanctification. Once an individual receives the Living Water from the Rock, who is Jesus, and is saved, he needs only to ask for refreshing from his thirst as he is continually growing and sanctified by his faith. This thirst is quenched by reading the Bible, the written word that tells of the Living Word, Jesus. This is how a Christian grows in faith.
• The rock as a type of Christ also pictures forgiveness and fellowship. First the Rock (Jesus) is wounded for our transgressions. The person who repents of his sins and trusts this Rock is cleansed. After that, whenever the Christian sins he can confess it (in other words, speak to the Rock) and fellowship is restored. Jesus taught this also when He washed the disciples' feet and told them that they did not need a complete bath but only to have their dusty feet rinsed.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• None that I identified.