Tag: exodus

No More Compromising- Moses’ Plight

Last night’s live focused on the theme ‘No More Compromising- Moses’ Plight.

The focus of last night’s broadcast was taken from Numbers 20:1-13, but I read vs 6-11 last night. The scene was set in Kadesh- Wilderness of Paran. In verse one, we learn that Miriam died and was buried in Kadesh, the Wilderness of Paran. She was the first of Moses’ siblings to die. Miriam’s death was a demonstration of the fulfilment of God’s promise that the generation which refused to enter Canaan would die in the Wilderness- Numbers 14:29-34.

The Context

The people of Israel were thirsty, and they began to murmur to Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron turned from the people and went into the entrance of the Tabernacle (vs 6). In verses 7-8, we see God give Moses clear instructions to speak to the rock and command it to pour out its water.  In verses 9-11, we see Moses and Aaron gathering the people and telling the people, “Hear now ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?”. In verses 7-8, all God told Moses to do was to speak to the rock, he was never told to address the people or their frustrations and unbelief. He was simply instructed to speak to the rock.

Last week, I shared with you all the definition of compromise- “Compromise refers to making concessions or accommodations, often involving a deviation from God’s commands or principles”.

The keyword being focused on here is “deviation”. Moses deviated from the instructions of God. He addressed the people and then did the unthinkable: he struck the rock twice. In God’s mercy, water still came out, but Moses was blocked from entering the Promised Land, both he and his brother.

What are some of the key points that can be taken from this text?

  • In Numbers 20v1, Moses loses his sister- Moses was still grieving for His sister. Further studies show that the grief Moses had for his sister led to the way that Moses responded to God’s instruction.
  • Moses was caught up between the instructions of the Lord and the murmurings of the people vs 9-11.
  • God wanted Moses to speak to the rock- what are you touching right now in your current life that you’re supposed to be speaking to?
  • His assignment was to be the vessel to carry out God’s miracle; instead, he took on an assignment God never asked of him, and that was to rebuke the Israelites.
  • Moses assumed the place of God and Provider.
  • Wherever there is compromise, strife is always present. God called the water poured out of the rock “the water of Meribah” – the Hebrew meaning is strife (Numbers 20v13).
  • Moses became overfamiliar with the instructions of the Lord ( Exodus 17v6).

The same instructions you received in your last season do not always apply in your current season, even if the situation is similar.

Moses missed what God was trying to do here in this moment of scripture. The Old Testament is a type and shadow of Jesus. In the Old Testament, Jesus is concealed, and in the New Testament, Jesus is revealed. God wanted to show the Israelites a picture of Christ and what was to come 1 Corinthians 10:4.

I had the opportunity to study the topic of epigenetics whilst studying my master’s in psychology. Epigenetics is the study of how environmental and behavioural factors can influence how genes are expressed without altering the underlying DNA sequence. It essentially explores the mechanisms by which experiences can affect gene activity, potentially influencing behaviour, mental health, and other aspects of development. Biologically, these epigenetic changes can be passed on from a parent cell to a son or daughter cell during cell division or even from one generation to the next.

Upon further study, I found that Moses’ anger stems from his lineage 10 generations prior in Levi, linked to Genesis 34.  Moses’s great-grandfather Levi, along with his brother Simeon, murdered the man who was responsible for defiling their sister Dinah. In Genesis 49:5-7, in the New Living Translation, the bible describes Simeon and Levi as “men of violence”.  We see generations later in Moses, where he kills the guard in Egypt upon seeing the guard abuse an Israelite (Exodus 2:11-12). Later, this same anger rises in Him and causes him to compromise the Lord’s instructions in Numbers 20, and He misses out on entering the Promised Land.

Prayer Point: Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I thank You, Lord, for this study and for highlighting the areas in my life where I may have compromised Your word. Lord, uproot in me any hidden pattern, behaviour or habit that will cause me to be hindered from accessing my place of promise and destiny. Remove every negative attribute that will hinder me from accessing your perfect will for me. Father, I repent for the spirit of compromise, and I pray release your grace upon me to fulfil your instructions in its entirety in Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

To watch the replay to ‘No More Compromising- Moses’ Plight’- click https://bit.ly/3EV9zOs

Study Source- https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/numbers-20/