The Sin of Moses

All throughout the scriptures, Moses is owned and honored by God. He is spoken of as a mighty prophet and a man of faith. God used a servant Moses in incredible ways, but the man Moses was still a man after all and one who grievously sinned against God and thus forfeiting the blessings of God in physically entering into the land of Canaan.

Where did this sin of Moses occur and how did it occur will be your focus today friends and hopefully this page from the life of Moses will act as a warning to us today to walk softly before our God and not in the flesh. The title of my message today friends is the sin of Moses and my text can be found in the book of numbers in chapter 20. You can turn your bibles there now friends we will be in verses 1 through 12.

In the first six verses we see the children of Israel gripe and complain to Moses because they have no water and they accuse Moses of some pretty bad things, personal things, hurtful things and their hateful words get under his skin and it's molded there inside of this man Moses. An oily rag in a hot garage is a bad combination that can break out in spontaneous combustion and burn everything around it. Moses lets his anger smolder and it broke out upon him and everyone around him much to his hurt and regret.

I will read us verses five through eight at this time and comment upon them. Here now is the word of God and may the spirit of the Lord be pleased to attend the reading of his holy word. And where for have ye made us to come up out of Egypt to bring us into this evil place? It is no place of seed or of figs or of vines or of pomegrates neither is there any water to drink and Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly onto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and they fell upon their faces and the glory the Lord appeared unto them and the Lord spake unto Moses saying take the rod and gather thou the assembly together thou and Aaron thy brother and speak ye unto the rock.

Let me pause here friends back in Exodus chapter 17 when the people first complained about being thirsty God instructed Moses then to smite the rock which is a picture of the death of Christ. The apostle Paul in first Corinthians 10 writes for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. There was no need for Moses to strike the rock again he'd already done it in the first incident now all that was needed was for him to speak to the rock.

The rock is a picture of Christ for Christ died once for the sins of the world Christ does not have to be crucified again but Moses doesn't follow God's command here but rather follows the smoldering emotions of his flesh and instead of speaking to the rock Moses lashes out at the people as seen in verses 10 and 11 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 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. Years ago I was sitting in a sanctuary listening to a big baptist pastor who just took over a big baptist church and this man let his temper control him this particular Sunday morning as he put a photo of Bernie Madoff on the two big screens which hung above the sanctuary and this pastor blasted his congregation while he pounded his fists on the pulpit and chided them and berated them for not giving more money to his church and he said we were all worse than Bernie Madoff that's what the old boss said with his face as red as a beet. I was there and saw the whole sad spectacle before I got up and walked out of there.

True leaders should not attack their people but lead them by example. Moses led with his temper and we all know what happens when a person does that. Spiritual leaders have a greater accountability than others to be a godly example to others.

I don't believe yelling at your congregation that they're worse than Bernie Madoff is a bright idea and I don't think Moses was proud of his actions after his temper cooled down. Moses disobeyed the commands of God and acted in his flesh and he lived to regret it. In verse 12 we read the sad result of the sin of Moses and the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe 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. Our words and our actions speak volumes to those around us. Let each of us friends take this passage of scripture as a warning to walk softly before our God and to lay ourselves on Christ our Savior.

Let us pray.