Chapter 21 — THE SIN OF MOSES

The Lord brought the Israelites to the same place in the wilderness where they had been tested soon after leaving Egypt. At this place the Lord had brought water out of a rock. This water had continued to flow until just before the Israelites again came to the rock. The Lord then caused that never-failing stream to stop giving water. God wanted to test His people once more. Would they trust God or would they again complain against Him?SRme 1.701

The people were thirsty. They became impatient because they could not find water. They did not remember God's power that had, nearly forty years before, brought water from the rock. Instead of trusting God, they complained to Moses and Aaron, saying, "It would have been better if we had died in front of the sanctuary along with our fellow Israelites!" They wished they had been among the people destroyed by the plague in the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.SRme 1.702

With great anger they asked, "'Why have you brought us out into this wilderness? Just so that we can die here with our animals? Why did you bring us out of Egypt into this miserable place where nothing will grow? There's no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates. There is not even any water to drink!'SRme 1.703

"Moses and Aaron moved away from the people and stood at the entrance of the Tent [sanctuary]. They bowed down with their faces to the ground, and the dazzling light of the Lord's presence appeared to them.SRme 1.704

"The Lord said to Moses, 'Take the stick that is in front of the Covenant Box [the ark], and then you and Aaron assemble the whole community. There in front of them all speak to the rock over there, and water will gush out of it. In this way you will bring water out of the rock for the people, for them and their animals to drink. Moses went and got the stick, as the Lord had commanded" (Num. 20:4-8).SRme 1.705