Números 20
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Números 20
Spurgeon - A common priest served from thirty to fifty years of age, and then his work was done. Priests of the house of Aaron, who became high priests, held their office through life. Sometimes a high priest would continue in his office, therefore, for a considerable length of time, but in many cases he was cut off as other men are by premature death; hence there was priest after priest of the order of Aaron to go within the veil for the people. Our Lord Jesus is not as Aaron, who had to be stripped of his garments on the top of Mount Hor, and to die in the mount; neither is He like to any of the sons of Aaron who in due time suffered the infirmities of age, and at last bowed their heads to inevitable death. He died once, but death has no more dominion over Him; it is witnessed of Him that He lives. Jesus...continues forever - Here is our comfort: We have only one priest, and He ever lives. He had no predecessor and He will have no successor, because He ever lives personally to exercise the office of high priest on our behalf. My soul reposes in the faith of His one sacrifice, offered once and no more. There is but one presenter of that one sacrifice, and never can there be another, since the One is all-sufficient, and He never dies. Jesus reads my heart, and has always read it since it began to beat: He knows my griefs and has carried my sorrows from of old, and He will bear both them and me when old age shall shrivel up my strength. When I myself shall fall asleep in death He will not die, but will be ready to receive me into His own undying blessedness.
Números 20
Spurgeon - "Here was a great sorrow for Moses. Excepting her one fault in once being jealous of her brother, she was a noble woman—a true princess and prophetess. Moses, no doubt, sorrowed greatly under the bereavement." Irving remarks that "It is significant that the record of the natural death of a prophetess of God should appear after the conclusion of a morbid era of judgment and at the commencement of a new and promising experience for the people of God." (Ibid) Related Resource: Who was Miriam in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Gleason Archer - Did the mission of the twelve spies start from Paran (Num. 13:3) or from Kadesh Barnea (Num. 20:1)? Both statements are true. The Wilderness of Paran extends from the port of Eloth (Eilat) on the Gulf of Aqabah in a north-northeast direction across the the Nahal Paran and Har Ramon (cf. Baly, Bible Geography, p. 34) to include the site of Kadesh Barnea, which lies on the same latitude as Punon (ibid., p. 95). The spies therefore set out from Kadesh, which is located in the Wilderness of Paran (cf. Num. 13:26: “in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh”). (NIEBD) Norman Geisler - —Was Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin or in Paran? - PROBLEM: In this text Kadesh is said to be in the “Wilderness of Zin.” But in Numbers 13:26 it is said to be in the “Wilderness of Paran.” Which was it? SOLUTION: There are several possible explanations, any one of which resolves the problem. First, some believe there were two places named Kadesh, one in each wilderness. Second, the name Kadesh could have been applied to both a city and a region in which the city lay. Third, that the same city was positioned between two wildernesses so as to be appropriately associated with either. (When Critics Ask) Question - What is the significance of Kadesh Barnea in the Bible? Answer: Kadesh Barnea is a region located in the Desert of Zin that is mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament. It was located somewhere along the border of Edom and Israel, southwest of the Dead Sea. Kadesh Barnea, sometimes simply called Kadesh, is connected to many significant events in Israel’s history, specifically in the Pentateuch. The name Kadesh Barnea is thought to mean “the holy place of the desert of wandering.” Kadesh Barnea served as a place of combat in the book of Genesis when Abraham fought the Amalekites there (Genesis 14:7). It is ironic that the very place where Abraham experienced victory over the Amalekites is where the Israelites later failed to believe that God would give them victory in acquiring the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 9:23). The account in Genesis also includes Hagar’s meeting with the Angel of the Lord “between Kadesh and Bered” after she was mistreated by Sarah (Genesis 16:14). Kadesh Barnea seems to have been a regular camping spot for the Israelites throughout their years of desert wandering (Numbers 13:26; 20:1, 14; 33:36). It was at Kadesh that Miriam died and was buried (Numbers 20:1). Two significant events that occurred at Kadesh Barnea were the Israelites’ faithless refusal to possess the Promised Land (Numbers 13:32–33) and their opposition to Moses at not having enough water (Numbers 20:2–5). These two events, marked by unbelief, grumbling, and disobedience, directly affected Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites. The men who had left Kadesh Barnea to scout out the Promised Land, except for Caleb and Joshua, failed to believe that God could give them possession of Canaan (Numbers 14:30; Joshua 14:7). Instead, they insisted that the people of Canaan, who included the Nephilim, were too powerful for them to fight. The ten scouts bringing the evil report persuaded the people that the land would be impossible to acquire (Numbers 13:32–33). Because of their failure to believe, the Israelites had to wander in the desert for another 38 years, waiting until all those who were 20 years and older died, so that the next generation could take possession of the land (Numbers 14:29; Deuteronomy 2:14). Years later, Moses and Aaron were also denied entrance into the Promised Land because of their disobedience to God at Kadesh Barnea. God had instructed Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water for the grumbling Israelites, but he disobeyed by striking the rock twice (Numbers 20:12). Because the Israelites had failed to believe and obey the Lord, their arrival into the land “flowing with milk and honey” was postponed until Joshua led the younger generation out of the wilderness by the command of the Lord. In the desert of wandering, the Israelites experienced plagues, death, and testing. The Israelites failed the tests that took place in Kadesh Barnea, and that remained etched in their memory forever. Their unbelief led to the postponement of entering Canaan and claiming God’s blessings (Psalm 95:8–11; Hebrews 3:7–19). May we not follow the unbelief of those who did not trust God to fulfill His promises. When times of testing come, may we display the faith that Joshua and Caleb had in trusting God at Kadesh Barnea.GotQuestions.org Related Resources: Why was Israel cursed with forty years of wilderness wandering? | GotQuestions.org Numbers 20:2 There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron. no: Ex 15:23-24 Ex 17:1-4 gathered: Nu 11:1-6 Nu 16:3,19,42 21:5 Ex 16:2,7,12 1Co 10:10,11 Numbers 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Exodus 15:23-24 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” Exodus 17:1-4 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me.” ANOTHER "DRY WATER HOLE" It is worth noting that although Israel was in an arid wilderness area for 40 years, there are only three dry water episodes - Exodus 17, Numbers 20:2ff, Numbers 21:5. Exodus 17:1–7 is a close counterpart to Nu 20:11-12, the critical difference of course being that in Ex 17 Moses was told to strike the rock and obeyed (Ex 17:6), but in Numbers 20 he was only to speak to the rock (Nu 20:8) and he disobeyed (Nu 20:11-12). There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron - This was a cause (no water) effect (confrontation) situation which Moses and Aaron had confronted in the past with this rebellious congregation. Against Moses and Aaron - The preposition against ('al) was used in Ex 15:24 :"So the people grumbled at (against - 'al) Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” Similarly in Nu 16:3 (also Nu 16:11, 19) "They assembled together against ('al) Moses and Aaron...." And even after 14,700 were killed "on the next day ll the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against ('al) Moses and Aaron..." (Nu 16:41, cf Nu 16:42) In Numbers 17:5 (cf Nu 17:10) we read that “It will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against ('al) you.” The grumblings against Aaron and Moses may have "lessened" but they clearly did not completely cease as this new no water situation indicates. Irving Jensen comments that "The test of leaders is in the discharge of their duties. Their main duty is the leading of the followers. Followers, then, are the testing grounds of the leaders. This was the case here."
Números 20
Spurgeon - They taunted Moses with the old, worn-out cry that he brought them out to die in the wilderness, and added the new sting—that he had not brought them into the goodly land of promise; though, indeed, it was only their own sin which kept them out of it. Those who want to murmur are never very long without a peg to hang their complaints upon.
Números 20
Spurgeon - These holy men knew where their great strength was, they fell down in prayer and adoration, leaving the matter with the Lord, who was not slow in appearing for them. Steven Cole on the value of "falling on your face" when criticism comes - That’s always a good thing to do when people criticize you or your service for the Lord: Take refuge in the Lord’s presence. Look at His glory as revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Savior was sinless and yet was relentlessly attacked by critics. So why should I, who am far from sinless, expect better treatment? Then, in the Lord’s presence and through His Word, evaluate the criticism. Perhaps it’s totally false and can be dismissed. But perhaps some of the criticism is valid and you need to learn from it. But whenever you’re criticized, you have a choice: You can counter-attack your critics; or, you can allow the criticism to drive you into the Lord’s presence, where you can experience a fresh glimpse of His glory. Moses and Aaron were on target on this first essential. Related Resources: Glory of God Shekinah glory cloud - see Garland's The Abiding Presence of God Numbers 20:7 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Numbers 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Ivan Steeds - CHRIST THE SPIRITUAL ROCK OF REFRESHMENT The redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and His exaltation are typified in the rocks of Exodus 17 and Numbers 20. The Holy Spirit has united these two rocks in several scriptures. Psalm 78:15–16 is noteworthy: ‘He clave the rocks in the wilderness and God gave them drink out of the depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down as rivers’. The first rock is in Exodus, the second in Numbers. In 1 Corinthians 10:4 we read, ‘For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ’. In Exodus, the word for rock is ‘Tsur’ or ‘bedrock’. In Numbers it is ‘Sela’ or ‘high rock’. The types indicate that all spiritual blessings have their source in these two rocks. The rock smitten by the Moses’ rod typifies the smiting of Christ by Jehovah. In Isaiah 53, ‘smitten by God’ provides a reminder of the rock at Horeb and points forward to Christ on the cross. The rod used is the judgement rod. The waters flowed abundantly. The full needs of the thirsty were supplied freely. This is the picture of salvation offered in Revelation 22:17, ‘And whoever will, let him take the water of life freely’. The water of life indicates the salvation of God provided through the smiting of Christ, the bedrock of redemption. The rock scene in Numbers 20 took place the best part of forty years later at Kadesh. The word for rock here is ‘Sela’, the ‘high rock’, which sets forth Christ as exalted. Again, there was no water for the thirsting camp. The Lord acted in great compassion and instructed Moses to speak to the rock and hold the rod that budded in his hand, the symbol of resurrection. The rock smitten once prefigured the death of Christ which was never to be repeated. Moses failed. He did not speak to the rock but struck it. He spoiled the type of God’s exalted Son, from whom flows the water of the Spirit. This is what is meant in John 7:37–39, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink’. Grace abounded, however, from the Lord and the rock gave forth water abundantly. But judgement fell upon Moses. He was forbidden to lead the people into Canaan. (Day by Day) Numbers 20:8 "Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink." the rod: Nu 21:15,18 Ex 4:2,17 Ex 7:20 Ex 14:16 Ex 17:5,9 speak: Ge 18:14 Jos 6:5,20 Ps 33:9 Mt 21:21 Mk 11:22-24 Lu 11:13 Joh 4:10-14 16:24 Ac 1:14 2:1-4 Rev 22:1,17 bring forth: Nu 20:11 Ne 9:15 Ps 78:15,16 105:41 114:8 Isa 41:17,18 43:20 Isa 48:21 Numbers 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SPEAK TO THE ROCK Take the rod - It is interesting that God told Moses to take the rod (or staff = matteh, mattah) except that it was certainly a symbol of Moses authority given to him by God in view of the many times it had been used for supernatural acts (see Ex 4:2,17 Ex 7:20 Ex 14:16 Ex 17:5,9). Some writers however (such as Wenham - TOTC-Nu; Ashley NICOT-Nu) think this was Aaron’s staff, which was kept in front of the Covenant Box in the Tent of Meeting (Nu 17:10), but Keil, MacArthur and Wiersbe think it was Moses' staff. Merrill - The reference to “the staff” (lit., “his staff,” 20:11) favors Moses’s staff (Hirsch 1971:366–367; Levine 1993:489; Milgrom 1989:165; Noth 1968:145). The mention of its being “kept before the LORD” (20:9), however, favor’s Aaron’s staff (Ashley 1993:382; Budd 1984:218; Harrison 1990:264; Noordtzij 1983:176; G. J. Wenham 1981:149). So “his” probably indicates that Moses had Aaron’s staff in his possession for this incident. Since Moses placed Aaron’s rod before the Lord, he could take it up again (Budd 1984:218). (CBC-Nu) And you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes that it may yield its water - "The Hebrew verb for tell (speak) is plural, so God gives this instruction to Moses and Aaron, which may be made clear by beginning this clause with “Both of you must command.… (The other verbs in this verse are in the singular, referring to Moses.)” (UBS Handbook) So here we see Aaron was included which indicates he clearly knew God's command and yet as God says in Nu 20:24 he "rebelled against (Yahweh's) command at the waters of Meribah." And for this reason he was not allowed to entered the promised land. Before their eyes so that God might be glorified in this miraculous provision. Matthew
Números 20
Spurgeon on speak - "To show that the Lord is not tied to any one mode of action, the rock is not to be smitten this time, but only spoken to." You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink - The command was crystal clear and the promise was sure, so there was no excuse for confusion on Moses' part. Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee! Let the water and the blood, From thy riven side which flow’d, Be of sin the double cure, Cleanse me from its guilt and power. F B
Números 20
Spurgeon - Good men usually fail just where they think they are strongest, and where they really are strongest. Noah was a preacher of righteousness, yet did he fail in righteousness when his sons saw him in a state of drunkenness. Moses was exceeding meek, yet did he lose his temper and say, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” (Num. 20:10). Look too, at Job, one who excelled in patience, yet he failed in patience. Psalm 106:32-33+ They also provoked Him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, So that it went hard with Moses on their account; 33 Because they were rebellious against His Spirit, He spoke rashly with his lips. Spurgeon - They angered him also at the waters of strife. Will they never have done? The scene changes, but the sin continues. Aforetime they had mutinied about water when prayer would soon have turned the desert into a standing pool, but now they do it again after their former experience of the divine goodness. This made the sin a double, yea a sevenfold offence, and caused the anger of the Lord to be the more intense. So that it went in with Moses for their sakes. Moses was at last wearied out, and began to grow angry with them and utterly hopeless of their ever improving; can we wonder at it, for he was man and not God? After forty years bearing with them the meek man's temper gave way, and he called them rebels, and showed unhallowed anger; and therefore he was not permitted to enter the land which he desired to inherit. Truly, he had a sight of the goodly country from the top of Pisgah, but entrance was denied him, and thus it went ill with him. It was their sin which angered him, but he had to bear the consequences; however clear it may be that others are more guilty than ourselves, we should always remember that this will not screen us, but every man must bear his own burden. Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. Which seems a small sin compared with that of others, but then it was the sin of Moses, the Lord's chosen servant, who had seen and known so much of the Lord, and therefore it could not be passed by. He did not speak blasphemously, or falsely, but only hastily and without care; but this is a serious fault in a lawgiver, and especially in one who speaks for God. This passage is to our mind one of the most terrible in the Bible. Truly we serve a jealous God. Yet he is not a hard master, or austere; we must not think so, but we must then rather be jealous of ourselves, and watch that we live the more carefully, and speak the more advisedly, because we serve such a Lord. We ought also to be very careful how we treat the ministers of the gospel, lest by provoking their spirit we should drive them into any unseemly behaviour which should bring upon them the chastisement of the Lord. Little do a murmuring, quarrelsome people dream of the perils in which they involve their pastors by their untoward behaviour. James Scudder - Why Read the Instructions? Numbers 20:10-11 When I go to India, I realize in that hot climate just how precious water is. When I get back from one of these trips I find that over the next few months I have a new appreciation for water. The children of Israel were again hot and thirsty. They wanted water, and Moses was instructed to speak to a rock to get water. Instead, Moses struck it with his rod. There might be some who would say, "But this is no big deal. Moses almost did what God said." The key is that Moses didn't do what God said. He disobeyed, and because this was a bad example for the people, Moses was severely punished. He did not lead His people into the land flowing with milk and honey. For forty years, Moses had led the people through the wilderness, but now he didn't get to participate in the blessing and the joy of entering into the Promised Land. An important lesson to learn is that God's way is the only way. Water came from the rock when Moses struck it, but God was angry and punished Moses. Moses needed to obey God to receive His total blessing. The rock shouldn't have been struck for yet another reason. The rock represents Christ, and He was only "struck" once. He only needed to die once. Now we can have perfect fellowship with Him and "speak" to Him in prayer. Decide today that you will obey God completely and fully. Don't deviate from His path. Do what Moses should have done-speak to Him in prayer. Joseph Stowell - DO RIGHT . . .REGARDLESS—1 Peter 1:14–15 Have you ever been tempted to do something wrong, thinking that it really is all right since the results will be good? Like playing the lottery and telling God that you will give Him half if you win big. Or like cheating someone because he has cheated you and he needs to learn a lesson. Or perhaps it’s just a matter of telling one of those “little white lies” to help someone feel better. While the outcomes may seem worthy, we need to know that God is not impressed. He values who we are far more than what we do, and when we erode our integrity He is concerned, regardless of the outcomes. I recall as a boy wanting to go to camp with my friends but having to recite Psalm 100 by heart in order to qualify. The deadline approached, and I hadn’t committed it to memory yet, so I called my teacher on the phone, told him I was ready to recite the psalm, and proceeded to read the passage impeccably. At the end, he complimented me on a job well done but then said, “It sounded like you were reading it. Were you?” I was so embarrassed and have never forgotten the poignant lesson that it is important to do the right things in the right way. God commanded Moses to speak to the rock, but instead he struck it in anger and suffered the consequence (Numbers 20:2–12). Saul sacrificed to God, yet did it in the wrong spirit and in violation of the prophet’s instruction. Samuel’s response was classic, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22; see also Proverbs 21:3; Mark 12:32–33). If we do what is right in wrong ways, we teach our hearts to value performance over character. And we deceive ourselves into thinking that our good works validate our standing before God when actually nothing could be further from the truth. It is important to remember that while “man looks at the outward appearance . . . the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Commit yourself to doing all you do under the guidance of the values of truth, integrity, justice, fairness, love, and purity. Don’t ever fudge, regardless of how compelling the outcomes appear to be. Danger: Explosives "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression." Proverbs 19:11 A man from Michigan had an idea for removing a tree stump from the yard of a friend. He decided to use some dynamite he had stored away in his house. It did the trick. The explosion turned the stump into an airborne missile that traveled 163 feet downrange before crashing through a neighbor's roof. The stump opened a 3-foot hole in the roof, split the rafters, and pushed through the ceiling of the dining room. If we are honest, we can see ourselves in the actions of the dynamite user. We have used explosive words and actions to try to solve problems, which only made things worse. We get action, but we leave much damage in our wake. We are not the first to let anger make trouble for us. It happened to people in the Bible too. Moses, for instance, became extremely frustrated with his murmuring followers (Numbers 20:10). So, instead of speaking to the rock to get water, as the Lord had instructed him, he angrily struck it twice (Numbers 20:11). He did get water from the rock, but there was a problem—Moses had disobeyed God. Because of this, God told him he could not enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12). Angry words take just one moment And bring forth a flood of tears, But the wounds they have created Linger on for months and years. —Stairs When a person's temper gets the best of him, it reveals the worst of him. Henry Blackaby - Fix Your Eyes on God—Numbers 20:10 It is easy to see why Moses became frustrated with the Hebrew people. They were so hard-hearted and weak in their faith that Moses lost his patience and became angry with them. Yet every time Moses shifted his focus away from God, it cost him. When he sought to help his people by taking matters into his own hands, he spent the next forty years herding sheep in the wilderness (Exod. 2:11–15). This time his impetuous behavior cost him the opportunity to enter the Promised Land (Num. 20:12). In his frustration at the peoples' irreverence, Moses committed the very same sin, blatantly disobeying God's instructions. How did this happen? Moses allowed his attention to shift to the behavior of others rather than focusing on the activity of God. This could happen to you as well. God has put people around you who need your ministry to them. You will never be able to properly help them, however, unless your primary focus is on God. If you concentrate on people, their weaknesses, their disobedience, their lack of faith, and their stubbornness will quickly frustrate you. You may, like Moses, commit the very sins you are condemning. If, however, your eyes are fixed on holy God, you will become more like Him—gracious, forgiving, long-suffering, and righteous. When a friend's behavior disappoints you, go immediately to the Lord. Seek to discern what God is wanting to do in your friend's life rather than concentrating on your friend's sin. Then you will have the strength, wisdom, and patience you need to help your friend in the way God desires. Numbers 20:11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. smote: Nu 20:8 Lev 10:1 1Sa 15:13,14,19,24 1Ki 13:21-24 1Ch 13:9,10 1Ch 15:2,13 Mt 28:20 Jas 1:20 water: Ex 17:6 De 8:15 Ho 13:5 1Co 10:4 Numbers 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES' GREAT SIN STRIKING THE ROCK Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod - This was literally a sin with an "high hand," a rod lifted up in Moses' hand. When he struck the rock at the beginning of the Exodus journey, he only had to strike it once, but now, out of anger and frustration, he did it twice. His action demonstrated his anger and as James says "This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-20+) Rod Mattoon - He smote the rock twice which was a no no. By doing this, Moses directs the focus of the people and glory upon himself instead of the Lord. He also does not follow God's directions and commands. God wants His directions obeyed. Moses failed in his strongest area.... meekness. Other men have done the same thing. Paul issued a warning that we should heed. 1 Corinthians 10:12—Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. We are to be on guard in areas where we are strong and confident. and water came forth abundantly - NLT says “and water gushed out” At first Moses probably felt vindicated. Did they deserve the water? Of course not. This pure water was purely grace! And notice it was not just a trickle but abundantly! Another foreshadowing of God's great grace upon grace (John 1:15+), which believers experience today in Christ (sometimes even have they have "struck the rock"). (cf Eph 3:20+). Steven
Números 20
Spurgeon - This was one of the most memorable of Israel’s sins, because it was a repetition of an old crime, in the face of former mercies and judgments. May the Lord save us from repeating our sins, lest we be made bitterly to smart for them! Keep us, dear Saviour, that we rebel not against thee. Steven