NUMBERS LESSON 26
We will begin this lesson in Numbers 20:1 "Then came the children
of Israel, [even] the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in
the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died
there, and was buried there."
We have mentioned before, the similarity between the march of the
Israelites across the wilderness to their promised land, and the
Christians journey through life on their way to their promised land.
I have said many times before, the most important thing is being able
to enter into the promised land. There are hardships along the way and
death of friends and loved ones, but we must stay steadfast in the
faith. This seems to be an end of a very long journey, here. They are
back at Zin. They had been here 38 years before, and lacking in enough
faith to go into the promised land. The first month of their year is
Abib, or about the same as our April. The people have stopped at
Kadesh. Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died and was buried
here. They, probably, mourned her for a month as was the custom. It
seems, they stayed in this camp three or four months.
Numbers 20:2 "And there was no water for the congregation: and
they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron."
There was no water for the people to drink, and they immediately
blame Moses and Aaron. There was no mention of a shortage of water in
this area, when they were here before, so this is, probably, just a
passing shortage of water.
Numbers 20:3 "And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying,
Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!"
The word "chode" means murmured. This is the same thing their
fathers did every time anything went wrong. On this point, they have
not changed. This wishing they had died earlier has become a habit.
Numbers 20:4 "And why have ye brought up the congregation of the
LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?"
This is almost identical to the complaint their fathers had made.
The few who remained who had known Egypt, were the ones who started
this. It seems one complainer speaks for everyone.
Numbers 20:5 "And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of
Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it [is] no place of seed,
or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither [is] there any
water to drink."
These ungrateful people had been miraculously fed for 40 years,
and yet, they were not satisfied. Moses did not make them come out of
Egypt. They have forgotten the hard bondage they were under, and that
they cried out to God to deliver them. They want delicacies. They have
not done without water for 40 years, why would they have to do without
now?
Numbers 20:6 "And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the
assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they
fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them."
Moses and Aaron are humiliated and horrified at the ingratitude
of the people. They fall on their faces before God. The glory of the
Lord has been with them all this time in a smoke by day, and a fire by
night. The presence of the LORD appears to Moses and Aaron.
Numbers 20:7 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
This message is for Moses.
Numbers 20:8 "Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly
together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock
before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt
bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the
congregation and their beasts drink."
There was a time earlier, when Moses had smote the rock, and the
water gushed forth. The Rock is symbolic of Jesus. He was crucified
for us one time. I Corinthians 10:4 "And did all drink the same
spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed
them: and that Rock was Christ." Exodus 17:6 "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, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel." In this verse
above, God told Moses to speak to the rock. He had already smitten the
Rock at Horeb.
Numbers 20:9 "And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he
commanded him."
This rod was the miracle rod God had given him, to do signs and
wonders with.
Numbers 20:10 "And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation
together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels;
must we fetch you water out of this rock?"
Moses was angry with them. He gathered them to the Rock to see
the water come forth. Psalms 106:32 "They angered [him] also at the
waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:"
Numbers 20:11 "And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he
smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the
congregation drank, and their beasts [also]."
Jesus is that Rock. To smite the Rock, after smiting it at Horeb,
would be like crucifying Jesus all over again.
Numbers 20:12 "And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, 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
which I have given them."
We see from the verse above and the following verses that Moses
and Aaron did not go into the promised land because they did not obey
God at the Rock. Moses smote the Rock the second time, instead of
speaking to It. Deuteronomy 32:49 "Get thee up into this mountain
Abarim, [unto] mount Nebo, which [is] in the land of Moab, that [is]
over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto
the children of Israel for a possession:" Deuteronomy 32:50 "And die
in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people;
as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his
people:" Deuteronomy 32:51 "Because ye trespassed against me among the
children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness
of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of
Israel."
Numbers 20:13 "This [is] the water of Meribah, because the
children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in
them."
The "water of Meribah" is the water of strife. Here, Moses
disobeyed God, when he smote the Rock. God sanctified Himself, when
the water flowed from the Rock {symbolic of Jesus}.
Numbers 20:14 "And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the
king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the
travail that hath befallen us:"
Edom was founded by Esau, the brother of Jacob {Israel}. He is
asking for their assistance, and reminds them they are closely
related.
Numbers 20:15 "How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have
dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our
fathers:"
Moses explains the hardships of the people in Egypt.
Numbers 20:16 "And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our
voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and,
behold, we [are] in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:"
Truly God, Himself, had obtained their release, after 10 plagues
on Pharaoh and his people. The LORD led them through the desert in a
smoke by day, and a fire by night. Now, they are waiting near Edom in
Kadesh.
Numbers 20:17 "Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we
will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither
will we drink [of] the water of the wells: we will go by the king's
[high] way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until
we have passed thy borders."
They were asking to go through Edom into their promised land.
They will not eat their crops, nor drink from their wells. They will
just pass through on their highway, if it is permissible.
Numbers 20:18 "And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me,
lest I come out against thee with the sword."
They could have done no harm to the land, so this has to be
hatred of Edom for Israel. Their answer was, they would fight them, if
they came through. God never forgave Edom for this act against Israel.
Numbers 20:19 "And the children of Israel said unto him, We will
go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I
will pay for it: I will only, without [doing] any thing [else], go
through on my feet."
This makes no sense to Israel, so they offer to pay for anything
they might use going through the land.
Numbers 20:20 "And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom
came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand."
Edom had always been jealous of Israel, since Esau lost his
birthright to Jacob. They will not let them come through their
country. They enforce their refusal with an army ready to fight, if
they try to cross.
Numbers 20:21 "Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through
his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him."
Israel did not fight. They chose another route.
Numbers 20:22 "And the children of Israel, [even] the whole
congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor."
This congregation is speaking of the near three million people.
It appears, they went to the end of Edom, and then turned back toward
their promised land.
Numbers 20:23 "And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount
Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,"
Mount Hor was on the frontier of Edom. God speaks to Aaron and
Moses here.
Numbers 20:24 "Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he
shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of
Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah."
Moses and Aaron disobeyed God, and smote the Rock {Jesus Christ}
the second time. This was like crucifying Jesus twice. It was as if,
they were saying the sacrifice Jesus made at Calvary was not enough.
Hebrews 6:6 "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put [him] to an open shame."
Numbers 20:25 "Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up
unto mount Hor:"
Eleazer was next in line to be high priest in the tabernacle, if
his dad died. Moses was to bring them both to the mount.
Numbers 20:26 "And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon
Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered [unto his people], and
shall die there."
Moses was to take Aaron's priestly garments, and put them on his
son, Eleazer. This is like passing of the mantle down to the next
minister. Aaron dies on the mountain.
Numbers 20:27 "And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went
up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation."
This is speaking of the request the LORD had made being carried
out by all three of them.
Numbers 20:28 "And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put
them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the
mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount."
On the trip up the mountain, Eleazer had been a priest. Coming
down the mountain , he was high priest in the place of his father.
This was the transferring of the authority to Eleazer.
Numbers 20:29 "And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was
dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, [even] all the house of
Israel."
Egyptians mourned their dead for over twice the amount of time
as the Israelites. Thirty days, the entire congregation mourned the
death of Aaron.
Numbers 26 Questions
1. Where did Miriam die?
2. What does the author relate their journey across the wilderness
to?
3. When had this same group been here before?
4. There was no _________ for the congregation.
5. What does the word "chode" mean?
6. What was almost identical to the complaint their fathers had made?
7. They had been miraculously fed for ______ years, and they are
still complaining.
8. What effect did their complaining have on Moses and Aaron?
9. What did God tell Moses to do, to get water out of the Rock?
10. The Rock is symbolic of ____________.
11. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4.
12. Where had Moses struck the Rock before, and it brought forth
water?
13. Which rod was this rod?
14. Quote Psalms chapter 106 verse 32.
15. What did Moses do to the Rock?
16. What was this like?
17. What was Moses' punishment for not obeying God?
18. Where will Moses die?
19. What were these waters named?
20. What does it mean?
21. Who did Moses send messengers to?
22. What did he ask them?
23. What was their reply?
24. Why did Edom not let them pass?
25. How long had Edom been jealous of Israel?
26. Where did the LORD lead the people to, away from here?
27. Who dies at mount Hor?
28. Why would God not let Aaron enter the promised land?
29. Who took Aaron's place as high priest?
30. Why did Moses take Aaron and Eleazer to the mountain top?
31. They mourned for Aaron ________ days.
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