For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there. So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel. [Deuteronomy 32:51-52 (NLT)]
The Israelites had been away from Israel for less than two months when they arrived at Rephidim. With no water to drink, the people complained, questioned whether the Lord was with them, criticized Moses, and then threatened him. Fearing for his life, Moses asked God what to do. Instructing him to strike a rock with his staff, God promised that water would come gushing out and, as promised, it did. The miracle was memorialized by the name given to this location, Massah (meaning testing) and Meribah (meaning quarreling.) Unfortunately, that was not the last time the Israelites tested the Lord and quarreled with Moses.
While still at Rephidim, Israel was attacked by Amalekites. Joshua led the men against their foes and Moses, Aaron, and Hur watched from a hill while holding that same staff high for Israel to see. Israel was victorious that day. In acknowledgement that their victory actually belonged to God because He was the source of their strength and courage, Moses built an altar and named it Yahweh-Nissi, meaning the Lord is my banner.
Nearly forty years later, a new generation of Israelites arrived in the wilderness of Zin to camp at Kadesh. As happened at Rephidim, there was no water. Apparently forgetting that their 38 extra years of wandering were because of their and their parents’ testing and quarreling, the people rebelled against Moses and Aaron. The brothers wisely took the problem to God who again gave them specific instructions. This time, however, Moses was to take the staff, speak to the rock, and watch as the water poured out. Rather than follow God’s directions, however, Moses angrily spoke to the people, “Must we bring you water from this rock?” and then struck the rock twice with his staff. Despite his disobedience, God graciously provided water and the people drank their fill. But, because Israel quarreled again with the Lord, this place also became known as the waters of Meribah.
Because Moses and Aaron had defied a direct command from God, they were punished and neither man was allowed to enter the Promised Land. Granted, Moses was tired, frustrated, and annoyed. He’d spent a third of his life leading over two million of these “stiff-necked people” and now, with the end in sight, they again complained, protested his leadership, and doubted the Lord. Perhaps it was his frustration and anger that led him to disobey God.
On the other hand, perhaps it was his pride. Nearly forty years had passed since bringing forth water from the rock at Rephidim and Moses may have forgotten whose power brought about that miracle as well as their victory over the Amalekites. In those decades of leading the people through the wilderness, had Moses forgotten who actually provided forty years’ worth of guidance and miracles? Had he mistakenly come to think that he and his staff held the power? By saying that he and Aaron would bring the people water, Moses appears to have thought the miracle would come from him rather than God! Once in sight of the finish line, the men showed too much faith in themselves and too little faith in God.
God is quite direct when telling us what to do and how to do it. He expects us to do it His way and we break faith with Him whenever we disobey. We also break faith with Him when we fail to acknowledge His presence and power. “To God be the glory,” are not to be empty words. God told Isaiah, “I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.” [42:8] He’s certainly not about to share it with mere mortals either!
Although Moses saw Canaan from a distance, he and Aaron missed the blessing for which they had waited forty years. We don’t want just to view the Promised Land; like Moses, we want to enter it! Let’s never forget who actually provides us with the guidance, wisdom, strength, and ability to attain whatever success we have on our journey through life. Like Moses’ staff, we are merely God’s instruments; both the power and glory belong to Him.
The closest thing we have to a pet is one of those robot vacuums. Nearly as entertaining as a puppy, it needs far less care. As I watch it zip around the house, its movements appear to be entirely random. Sometimes, it starts by spiraling outward in a circle and, other times, it heads directly for the perimeter of the room. When it hits an obstacle, it seems to bounce off in another direction. Nevertheless, my robotic janitor usually knows enough to stop and beep for rescue when it gets into a jam. Unlike it, when I get into predicaments, I usually try to get out of them on my own. Life would be easier if I called on the Lord as readily as that gizmo beeps for me.
I recently met Esha while walking and we occasionally stop to chat. Although the bindi (mark) on her forehead told me she is a Hindu and the cross I wear told her I am Christian, our different faiths have not prevented us from talking about God and our beliefs. My younger son’s marriage brought many Hindus into our extended family and I try to understand this complicated religion.
While walking in the Botanical Gardens, I left my husband on a bench by the lake while I went back to get a few more photos of the plumeria. After getting my last shot, I returned to find him gazing out at the water. When I disturbed his reverie with a touch on the shoulder, he looked up and said, “I was just enjoying Him!” I knew exactly who he meant.
The Apostle Peter tells us that true prophecy isn’t a product of the prophet—prophets only speak God’s revelation. Directed by the Spirit, their words communicate the message the Lord wants sent. Sometimes, however, prophecy is difficult to understand and interpretations of Revelation go from one extreme to the other. Some, like that priest in Monday’s devotion, dismiss it as completely symbolic. To them, Revelation is an allegory about the conflict between good and evil with good winning in the end. On the other extreme, we find obscure theories, convoluted correlations, and implausible explanations of every symbol and metaphor along with sensationalism and unchecked speculation connecting Revelation to current events.
Our fast-paced world is ever-changing and once ordinary items like slide rules, cassette tapes, boom boxes, floppy discs, dial phones, film, and VCRs are relics. My kids don’t use maps, write checks, or have a land line and my grands have never used a library card catalogue, set of encyclopedias, dictionary, carbon paper, or typewriter. We no longer need to get up to change channels, turn the lights on or off, or see who’s at the door. Our camera, maps, calculator, credit cards, compass, note pad, address book, plane tickets, and Bible all fit into our cell phones and everything on our phones (along with a fitness tracker and heart monitor) fits into a watch!
Devotions of the Heart 