The punishment
for the disobedience of Moses seems really harsh. On the surface, it would appear
to be just an instance of a temporary loss of patience with the people. It's
hard to blame him, seeing how rebellious and stubborn they were. But what Moses
did was far worse than that. He ruined what would have been a perfect picture
of Christ. The rock that gave water and life to Israel was a picture of Christ.
Moses was to strike the rock once, and it would bring water. The next time
Moses was to speak to the rock, and it would bring water. This was a picture of
Jesus as He suffered once for our sins, shedding His precious blood. Now, we
come to him by faith and receive from Him. He will never be struck again. Moses
not only struck the rock again, but he hit it twice. He failed to demonstrate
God's true character to the people by letting his emotions act out instead of
doing what God had commanded. Emotions can be great when they lift us up, but
they can really take us south in a hurry if we let them. As a leader, Moses
would be held to a higher standard, and would not be able to lead the people
into the promised land. As believers, we must be diligent to reveal God's true
character to the world, and sometimes that means controlling our emotions. Let's
make it a point to show someone who Jesus really is today!
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