Rebellion - a Bible in 90 days post

I'm well behind on my reading, both because of my desire to not read Deuteronomy and just life in general, but I'm determined to keep chugging along and not to give up.

Duet 1:37, 3:26, 4:21 - But the Lord was angry with me because of you...

I found it really interesting that 3 times Moses told the Israelites this, yet it was his own fault that he wasn't going to get to go into the Promised Land.


Numbers 20:7-11 says and the LORD said to Moses, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”

So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD. Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.

I can't help but feel he struck the rock out of sheer frustration.  How difficult it must have been to know these whiny, ungrateful people were the reason they'd wandered for 40 years, and yet nothing had changed in their hearts. They were still just as whiny and ungrateful 40 years later as they had been the first year! So he struck the rock to get their attention, not realizing how severe the consequence of his action would be.

Deut 9:23b-24 But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God and refused to put your trust in him or obey him. Yes, you have been rebelling against the Lord as long as I have known you.


How often do we, God's children, do the same thing?  How often do we do something when we know God has told us to do otherwise, just because we're frustrated or angry or want to take the easy way out of a tiresome situation?   When we do that, we've just struck the rock, instead of speaking to it. We're being just as disobedient as Moses was and the consequence of our behavior could be severe.


Deut 8:5 Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good.