WHY DID GOD TELL MOSES TO SPEAK TO THE ROCK?
Most people know Moses was kept out of the Promised Land because he struck the rock when God told him to speak to it.
What gets missed is why that mattered so much.
The first time Israel needed water, God told Moses to strike the rock.
“Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it.”
Exodus 17:6 KJV
Moses obeyed. He struck the rock, and water came out.
Years la... moreWHY DID GOD TELL MOSES TO SPEAK TO THE ROCK?
Most people know Moses was kept out of the Promised Land because he struck the rock when God told him to speak to it.
What gets missed is why that mattered so much.
The first time Israel needed water, God told Moses to strike the rock.
“Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it.”
Exodus 17:6 KJV
Moses obeyed. He struck the rock, and water came out.
Years later, Israel needed water again. This time God changed the command.
“Speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water.”
Numbers 20:8 KJV
Moses was angry.
“Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?”
Numbers 20:10 KJV
Then he struck the rock twice.
Water still came out, but God immediately told Moses what he had done wrong.
“Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land.”
Numbers 20:12 KJV
Moses was supposed to show Israel that God's word was enough. God said speak. Moses chose to strike.
Then Paul gives us another piece of the picture.
“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
1 Corinthians 10:4 KJV
The Rock was Christ.
The first time, the rock was struck.
Christ would also be struck for us.
“He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.”
Isaiah 53:5 KJV
But Christ was offered once.
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.”
Hebrews 9:28 KJV
Now Numbers 20 makes even more sense.
The rock had already been struck. Moses was not told to strike it again. He was told to speak to it.
Christ does not need to be sacrificed again every time we need mercy, forgiveness, or grace. The sacrifice has already been made.
We come to Him.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16 KJV
Moses knew exactly what God had said. In front of the entire nation, he chose anger over obedience and represented God in a way God had not commanded.
That is why the moment carried so much weight.
I can relate to that more than I would like to admit. Anger can get ahead of you fast, and before you know it, you've reacted instead of listening to God. Moses knew better, and most of us usually do too. The problem wasn't simply that Moses got angry. He let his anger decide what he did next.
That's something worth remembering the next time we're mad enough to pick up the staff.
⚔️✝️✠ KLT John Scivoletti ✠✝️📖⚔️
⚔️✝️✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠✝️📖⚔️
⚔️✝️✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠✝️📖⚔️
