patriarchs and prophets-第86部分

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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。〃

The　two　brothers　went　on　before　the　multitude；　Moses　with　the　rod　of　God　in
his　hand。　They　were　now　aged　men。　Long　had　they　borne　with　the　rebellion　and
obstinacy　of　Israel；　but　now；　at　last；　even　the　patience　of　Moses　gave　way。
〃Hear　now；　ye　rebels；〃　he　cried；　〃must　we　fetch　you　water　out　of　this　rock？〃
and　instead　of　speaking　to　the　rock；　as　God　had　commanded　him；　he　smote　it
twice　with　the　rod。

The　water　gushed　forth　in　abundance　to　satisfy　the　host。　But　a　great　wrong
had　been　done。　Moses　had　spoken　from　irritated　feeling；　his　words　were　an
expression　of　human　passion　rather　than　of　holy　indignation　because　God　had
been　dishonored。　〃Hear　now；　ye　rebels；〃　he　said。　This　accusation　was　true；
but　even　truth　is　not　to　be　spoken　in　passion　or　impatience。　When　God　had
bidden　Moses　to　charge　upon　Israel　their　rebellion；　the　words　had　been
painful　to　him；　and　hard　for　them　to　bear；　yet　God　had　sustained　him　in
delivering　the　message。　But　when　he　took　it　upon　himself　to　accuse　them；　he
grieved　the　Spirit　of　God　and　wrought　only　harm　to　the　people。　His　lack　of
patience　and　self…control　was　evident。　Thus　the　people　were　given　occasion
to　question　whether　his　past　course　had　been　under　the　direction　of　God；　and
to　excuse　their　own　sins。　Moses；　as　well　as　they；　had　offended　God。　His
course；　they　said；　had　from　the　first　been　open　to　criticism　and　censure。
They　had　now　found　the　pretext　which　they　desired　for　rejecting　all　the
reproofs　that　God　had　sent　them　through　His　servant。

Moses　manifested　distrust　of　God。　〃Shall　we　bring　water？〃　he　questioned；　as
if　the　Lord　would　not　do　what　He　promised。　〃Ye　believed　Me　not；〃　the　Lord
declared　to　the　two　brothers；　〃to　sanctify　Me　in　the　eyes　of　the　children　of
Israel。〃　At　the　time　when　the　water　failed；　their　own　faith　in　the
fulfillment　of　God's　promise　had　been　shaken　by　the　murmuring　and　rebellion
of　the　people。　The　first　generation　had　been　condemned　to　perish

418

in　the　wilderness　because　of　their　unbelief；　yet　the　same　spirit　appeared　in
their　children。　Would　these　also　fail　of　receiving　the　promise？　Wearied　and
disheartened；　Moses　and　Aaron　had　made　no　effort　to　stem　the　current　of
popular　feeling。　Had　they　themselves　manifested　unwavering　faith　in　God；
they　might　have　set　the　matter　before　the　people　in　such　a　light　as　would
have　enabled　them　to　bear　this　test。　By　prompt；　decisive　exercise　of　the
authority　vested　in　them　as　magistrates；　they　might　have　quelled　the
murmuring。　It　was　their　duty　to　put　forth　every　effort　in　their　power　to
bring　about　a　better　state　of　things　before　asking　God　to　do　the　work　for
them。　Had　the　murmuring　at　Kadesh　been　promptly　checked；　what　a　train　of
evil　might　have　been　prevented！

By　his　rash　act　Moses　took　away　the　force　of　the　lesson　that　God　purposed　to
teach。　The　rock；　being　a　symbol　of　Christ；　had　been　once　smitten；　as　Christ
was　to　be　once　offered。　The　second　time　it　was　needful　only　to　speak　to　the
rock；　as　we　have　only　to　ask　for　blessings　in　the　name　of　Jesus。　By　the
second　smiting　of　the　rock　the　significance　of　this　beautiful　figure　of
Christ　was　destroyed。

More　than　this；　Moses　and　Aaron　had　assumed　power　that　belongs　only　to　God。
The　necessity　for　divine　interposition　made　the　occasion　one　of　great
solemnity；　and　the　leaders　of　Israel　should　have　improved　it　to　impress　the
people　with　reverence　for　God　and　to　strengthen　their　faith　in　His　power　and
goodness。　When　they　angrily　cried；　〃Must　we　fetch　you　water　out　of　this
rock？〃　they　put　themselves　in　God's　place；　as　though　the　power　lay　with
themselves；　men　possessing　human　frailties　and　passions。　Wearied　with　the
continual　murmuring　and　rebellion　of　the　people；　Moses　had　lost　sight　of　his
Almighty　Helper；　and　without　the　divine　strength　he　had　been　left　to　mar　his
record　by　an　exhibition　of　human　weakness。　The　man　who　might　have　stood
pure；　firm；　and　unselfish　to　the　close　of　his　work　had　been　overcome　at
last。　God　had　been　dishonored　before　the　congregation　of　Israel；　when　He
should　have　been　magnified　and　exalted。

God　did　not　on　this　occasion　pronounce　judgments　upon　those　whose　wicked
course　had　so　provoked　Moses　and　Aaron。　All　the　reproof　fell　upon　the
leaders。　Those　who　stood　as　God's　representatives　had　not　honored　Him。　Moses
and　Aaron　had　felt　themselves　aggrieved；　losing　sight　of　the　fact　that　the
murmuring　of　the　people　was　not　against　them　but　against　God。　It　was　by

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looking　to　themselves；　appealing　to　their　own　sympathies；　that　they
unconsciously　fell　into　sin；　and　failed　to　set　before　the　people　their　great
guilt　before　God。

Bitter　and　deeply　humiliating　was　the　judgment　immediately　pronounced。　〃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。〃　With　rebellious　Israel
they　must　die　before　the　crossing　of　the　Jordan。　Had　Moses　and　Aaron　been
cherishing　self…esteem　or　indulging　a　passionate　spirit　in　the　face　of
divine　warning　and　reproof；　their　guilt　would　have　been　far　greater。　But
they　were　not　chargeable　with　willful　or　deliberate　sin；　they　had　been
overcome　by　a　sudden　temptation；　and　their　contrition　was　immediate　and
heartfelt。　The　Lord　accepted　their　repentance；　though　because　of　the　harm
their　sin　might　do　among　the　people；　He　could　not　remit　its　punishment。

Moses　did　not　conceal　his　sentence；　but　told　the　people　that　since　he　had
failed　to　ascribe　glory　to　God；　he　could　not　lead　them　into　the　Promised
Land。　He　bade　them　mark　the　severe　punishment　visited　upon　him；　and　then
consider　how　God　must　regard　their　murmurings　in　charging　upon　a　mere　man
the　judgments　which　they　had　by　their　sins　brought　upon　themselves。　He　told
them　how　he　had　pleaded　with　God　for　a　remission　of　the　sentence；　and　had
been　refused。　〃The　Lord　was　wroth　with　me　for　your　sakes；〃　he　said；　〃and
would　not　hear　me。〃　Deuteronomy　3：26。

On　every　occasion　of　difficulty　or　trial　the　Israelites　had　been　ready　to
charge　Moses　with　having　led　them　from　Egypt；　as　though　God　had　had　no
agency　in　the　matter。　Throughout　their　journeyings；　as　they　had　complained
of　the　difficulties　in　the　way；　and　murmured　against　their　leaders；　Moses
had　told　them；　〃Your　murmurings　are　against　God。　It　is　not　I；　but　God；　who
has　wrought　in　your　deliverance。〃　But　his　hasty　words　before　the　rock；
〃shall　we　bring　water？〃　were　a　virtual　admission　of　their　charge；　and　would
thus　confirm　them　in　their　unbelief　and　justify　their　murmurings。　The　Lord
would　remove　this　impression　forever　from　their　minds；　by　forbidding　Moses
to　enter　the　Promised　Land。　Here　was　unmistakable　evidence　that　their　leader
was　not　Moses；　but　the　mighty　Angel　of　whom　the　Lord　had　said；　〃Behold；　I
send　an　Angel　before　thee；　to　keep　thee　in　the　way；　and　to　bring　thee　into
the　place　which　I　have　prepared。　Beware　of　Him；　and　obey　His　voice：　。　。　。
for　My　name　is　in　Him。〃　Exodus　23：20；　21。

420


〃The　Lord　was　wroth　with　me　for　your　sakes；〃　said　Moses。　The　eyes　of　all
Israel　were　upon　Moses；　and　his　sin　cast　a　reflection　upon　God；　who　had
chosen　him　as　the　leader　of　His　people。　The　transgression　was　known　to　the
whole　congregation；　and　had　it　been　passed　by　lightly；　the　impression　would
have　been　given　that　unbelief　and　impatience　under　great　provocation　might
be　excused　in　those　in　responsible　positions。　But　when　it　was　declared　that
because　of　that　one　sin　Moses　and　Aaron　were　not　to　enter　Canaan；　the　people
knew　that　God　is　no　respecter　of　persons；　and　that　He　will　surely　punish　the
transgressor。

The　history　of　Israel　was　to　be　placed　on　record　for　the　instruction　and
warning　of　coming　generations。　Men　of　all　future　time　must　see　the　God　of
heaven　as　an　impartial　ruler；　in　no　case　justifying　sin。　But　few　realize　the
exceeding　sinfulness　of　sin。　Men　flatter　themselves　that　God　is　too　good　to
punish　the　transgressor。　But　in　the　light　of　Bible　history　it　is　evident
that　God's　goodness　and　His　love　engage　Him　to　deal　with　sin　as　an　evil
fatal　to　the　peace　and　happiness　of　the　universe。

Not　even　the　integrity　and　faithfulness　of　Moses　could　avert　the　retribution
of　his　fault。　God　had　forgiven　the　people　greater　transgressions；　but　He
could　not　deal　with　sin　in　the　leaders　as　in　those　who　were　led。　He　had
honored　Moses　above　every　other　man　upon　the　earth。　He　had　revealed　to　him
His　glory；　and　through　him　He　had　communicated　His　statutes　to　Israel。　The
fact　that　Moses　had　enjoyed　so　great　light　and　knowledge　made　his　sin　more
grievous。　Past　faithfulness　will　not　atone　for　one　wrong　act。　The　greater
the　light　and　privileges　granted　to　man；　the　greater　is　his　responsibility；
the　more　aggravated　his　failure；　and　the　heavier　his　punishment。

Moses　was　not　guilty　of　a　great　crime；　as　men　would　view　the　matter；　his　sin
was　one　of　common　occurrence。　The　psalmist　says　that　〃he　spake　unadvisedly
with　his　lips。〃　Psalm　106：33。　To　human　judgment　this　may　seem　a　light　thing；
but　if　God　dealt　so　severely　with　this　sin　in　His　most　faithful　and　honored
servant；　He　will　not　excuse　it　in　others。　The　spirit　of　self…exaltation；　the
disposition　to　censure　our　brethren；　is　displeasing　to　God。　Those　who
indulge　in　these　evils　cast　doubt　upon　the　work　of　God；　and　give　the
skeptical　an　excuse　for　their　unbelief。　The　more　important　one's　position；
and　the　greater　his　influence；　the　greater　is　the　necessity　that　he　should
cultivate　patience　and　humility。

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If　the　children　of　God；　especially　those　who　stand　in　positions　of
responsibility；　can　be　led　to　take　to　themselves　the　glory　that　is　due　to
God；　Satan　exults。　He　has　gained　a　victory。　It　was　thus　that　he　fell。　Thus
he　is　most　successful　in　tempting　others　to　ruin。　It　is　to　place　us　on　our
guard　against　his　devices　that　God　has　given　in　His　word　so　many　lessons
teaching　the　danger　of　sel