Numbers 20 - The Measure of Our Trust

When you are in need - real need, where do you turn?  Do you turn toward God or against Him?  Do you try to provide your own solution or do you trust in God enough to apply His commands?  Every challenge is an opportunity to execise our faith and to find God once again faithful. 

In Chapter 20 of Numbers after the death of Miriam we find the Israelites in need - real need. They were in a desert without water, we are not told, but perhaps that is even the cause of Miriam's passing. The need in any case was real. 

Having seen God supply their desires in the past for food and meat you would think they would get down on their knees and plead with God for their provision reminding Him that they were His people and they depended on Him. You would think that they would do anything but whine and complain after seeing God's wrath in prior events,  but that is not the case. They whine and complain because they really don't trust God to give them their request. They are really taking issue with God, but instead gather in opposition to Moses. They would rather have died at the hand if God than to suffer want as they do. They turn on both God and Moses. 

Moses and Aaron go to the Tent of Meeting and prostrate themselves looking to God for their need recognizing that the spirit of the people was surely a great offense to God and He might likely execute judgement rather than mercy. Yet God in His mercy does offer a solution - a miracle that will yet again demonstrate to the people that God can do anything. He can change reality with just a word. The people had seen God miraculously provide for them time and time again. The truth is that a heart hardened against The Lord will not accept any proof to change its beliefs. 

Moses goes before the people, but out of character for Moses, he strikes the rock rather than speaking to it as The Lord commanded. (Num 20:8,11). Somehow Moses chose to do his own thing after receiving counsel from The Lord. In doing this thing, he banished himself from leadership of the people into the Promised Land. God is Holy and we his people should revere Him with our trust and obedience. 

The story gets even sadder. Directly after learning that he would not lead the people to their land he sends messengers to Edom to request passage through. Did Moses think that God would not notice?  Moses behavior is altogether strange. 

Aaron learns that his time has come and that he will die. Aaron seems to accept his fate and obeys God's command. The whole community watched Aaron for the last time. Aaron's days were ended because of his disobedience. God said both Aarin and Moses rebelled against His command at Meribah (Num 20:24). 

Dear child of God, we are prone to finding our own solutions and to listening to the world speak into our ear when we are faced with difficulty, but we must train ourselves to look to God and to use times if difficulty to strengthen our resolve to trust God even when we don't see Him at work and when we feel our situation is impossible. It is in these times of great difficulty that we see God demonstrate His power in amazing ways. No matter what comes, trust God. He created you and He knows your story because He ordained it. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.