Digging In Video 3/18

God’s Holiness

Good morning and welcome to another of our Digging In video devotionals

Today I’m going to talk about Moses, the Great Leader of Israel, who wasn’t allowed to enter into the Promised Land.

First I want to talk about Moses and how he was a Jesus like character in the Old Testament.

Moses was called by God to represent God in the flesh, to be the physical representative of God, this was his high and holy calling.

Moses would meet with God, sometimes for days on end, and when Moses would return to the people, his face would radiate the glory of God.

Moses would speak on God’s behalf, communicating the very words of God to the people.

Moses was sent by God first to God’s people, but also to the pagan nations, first for the Jew and then for the Gentile.

It was through Moses that God would perform miracles and plagues, Moses would announce what God was going to do.

It was through Moses that God challenged Pharoah, through Moses the people were given the Passover, through Moses that God redeemed, delivered and led His people to freedom.

It was through Moses that God provided water and food for the people, and through Moses that God revealed His holiness, and holy standards by which they were to live.

It was by Moses that God shepherded His flock, His people for 40 years in the desert or wilderness.

But Moses also represented the people to God, they would grumble and complain time and again against God, and Moses would stand in the gap and plead for God’s mercy for the people.

On a few occasions, when the people frustrated and angered God by their complaints or their desire to leave Him and the wilderness and return to Egypt, God would threaten to destroy them, and Moses would intervene.

Terry talked last week about how crazy it would be to return to Egypt, the conditions in Egypt for Israel were terrible.

The brutal slavery and demands, But we also can’t forget how brutal the conditions in the desert must have been. Think about it, they were on a 40 year camping trip in the desert.

Not by some beautiful lake with jet ski’s and stuff, and they were eating the same thing day after day in a dry and barren land, can you imagine that?

How would we act after only a couple of days of this?? What would our kids be acting like??

So when we look at the incident in Numbers chapter 20, and see Moses frustration and Him striking the rock, we can kind of empathize with him. I’m sure as a dad, I would have blown my top at my kids way sooner than Moses.

Then we see Moses punishment, he can’t enter the Promised Land and we think WHAT?!?! That’s way too severe.

But there’s more going on here than meets the eye. It reads that the people complain and rebel against Moses and Aaron, and blame them for this situation, their complaint is against Moses, not God, this is his fault in the communities eyes.

Moses and Aaron go to the tabernacle, the place of God’s presence, and fall face down before the Lord. They don’t even speak, but God does.

All He says is take the staff that represents God’s faithful provision to the people, and Moses you speak to the rock and water will pour out. God is clearly not angry with the people.

New Living Translation Chapter 20

9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD. 10 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?” 11 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.

It’s funny how it says Moses did as he was told. He took the staff and summoned the people, but that’s it. It’s here that Moses goes off script.

He yells at the people, calls the rebels, and then says something that is quite shocking if we understand it.

“Must we bring you water from this rock?” Now there were only two people the standing by that rock, only 2 people that the community was complaining about.

Moses is elevating himself as if it’s him that’s doing this for the people. Moses is personally offended by them, Moses is frustrated, and Moses is angry.

Unfortunately for Moses, that is not ok. Why? Because Moses’ high and holy calling is to represent God, in word and deed.

So we read what is written next,

New Living Translation Chapter 20

12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”

Moses didn’t trust God enough to just speak to the rock, the old way of striking it brought forth water.

But Moses also didn’t trust God’s response to the people, His not being offended, not getting frustrated and angry, His showing them mercy.

So from a self-elevated place, Moses speaks angrily to the people, and doesn’t talk to the rock.

He doesn’t step aside and let God work, he performs to bring forth the water.

The ESV reads like this.

English Standard Version Chapter 20

12 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

To uphold me as holy, as unique, utterly different, as special, set apart, as merciful, gracious, loving, long suffering, patient, etc.

Because you, Moses misrepresented me to the people, you will not be allowed to enter.

Moses called the people rebels, but listen to what God said to Moses in Numbers 27:14

English Standard Version Chapter 27

14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.”

But it was also necessary for the people for Moses to be removed.

They looked to him, believed it was him who did these things for them.

Even in the gospel of John chapter 6 when Jesus feeds the 5k they credit Moses with giving them the manna.

The people were looking to Moses and not God.

Moses represents the Law and it will never be the law that gets us to the Promised Land, it will only ever be Jesus.

So for Israel, Moses would not lead the people to the Promised Land, it would be Joshua, the O.T. Hebrew name that becomes Jesus in the N.T. It’s the name Yehoshua, God is salvation, only Yehoshua can bring us to the Promised Land.

English Standard Version Chapter 27

15 Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, 16 “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” 18 So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

What caught my attention in this weeks readings and caused me to think through this was two passages in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 1:37-39 and 3:23-28 As Moses is recounting Israels history to them, and their rebellion and refusal to enter the Promised Land the first time, he says this;

37 Even with me the Lord was angry on your account and said, ‘You also shall not go in there. 38 Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. 39

Moses is blaming the people for the fact that he’s not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

In Deuteronomy 3:23-26

English Standard Version Chapter 3

23 “And I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying, 24 ‘O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? 25 Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ 26 But the LORD was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the LORD said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan. 28 But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.’

Again, Moses is blaming the people for his misrepresenting God, their complaining made Moses do it.

Remember back in Exodus 34, Moses wanted to know God, and this is who God says He is

English Standard Version Chapter 34

6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty,

N.T.

Jesus as the perfect representation of God, displayed these characteristics of God.

His whole ministry was rooted in mercy and compassion and love and faithfulness

He heals, frees people from demon oppression, feeds people, allows the disciples to see Him in His glory, Peter James and John.

But it’s so easy for them, for us to forget who we are and misunderstand Jesus, and misrepresent Him.

Luke 9 tells a story of the Transfiguration, Peter James and John see Jesus in His glory, along with Moses and Elijah

Just a few passages later, when refused hospitality in a Samaritan village, it’s James and John who want to call down fire from heaven, Jesus rebukes them, they don’t get this mercy thing.

So later Jesus tells a parable, about a man who’s mugged and left for dead. The religious in Israel won’t help this man, but a Samaritan does. A hated Samaritan is the hero of Jesus’ story. When asked who was a good neighbor to the beaten man, the answer was the one who showed him mercy.

If we are followers of Jesus, if we are His ambassadors as we are called in 2 Cor. 5:2, then we are to perfectly represent Him as He perfectly represented His Father.

How can we do this?

If we live by our flesh, by our selfishness, by our pride, we will be personally offended and respond like Moses, like James and John and misrepresent Jesus.

But if we live by the Spirit, allow the Spirit to live through us, then it’s Jesus living through us, and He perfectly represents the Father.

Some questions to think about

Am I easily angered or frustrated, and why?

So what is keeping me from properly representing the Father and Jesus?

What inside of me needs to change or be given over to God in order to do so?