Daily Thoughts from Numbers: Holy Symbols (20:1-13)

And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.

   Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them, and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.”  And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

   Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy.  (Numbers 20:1-13 ESV)

Israel is brought to the place where they first staged to invade Canaan and refused to believe God.  This began their 40 year countdown for that generation to die off so the next one could take Canaan.  Miriam, Moses’ sister, is the most important woman in Israel and she dies.

When the people once again complain of lack of water and safety, Moses again goes before Yahweh to see what to do.  But instead of speaking to the rock that provides water he strikes it twice, obviously put out by the people and claiming that he will provide water.  For his unbelief he is prohibited by Yahweh from entering Canaan.

The rock was a holy object and, we are told by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10, the rock was the Son of God following them as provider of water and life.  From God’s perspective the striking of the rock on the first occasion (Exodus 17) symbolized Jesus’ death for our salvation.  Speaking to the rock was to indicate his next coming as conquering king.  Moses, by disobeying God, violated the imagery He was developing.  The consequence was that he would not enter Canaan.

For violating he imagery of the Lord’s Supper Paul tells the congregation in Corinth that this is why some of them were sick and some had died.  God’s sacred symbols must be kept holy.