Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-25
Moses that brought severe penalty
upon the great leader.

Moses that brought a severe penalty
upon the great leader.
Directions, Disobedience, Doom.
One must study this section very care
fully to grasp the sin Of Moses and
Aaron. II we turn to it's inspired record
it will teach us how II Is possible TOR
men to go forth from the presence OF
God and fail. One act and the life labors
of a lifetime are blighted. Moses was
careful to carry out all the directions
until the last, when he used the rod to
smite the rock instead of speaking to the
same as commanded. In this the COM
mand differed from the former exper-
fence in the early days at Meribah. Then
he was called upon TO strike While az
Kadish-Barnea the command was "
speak, yet Moses failed.
The sin was aggravated by the person.
atty of Moses. his position, privilege ana
power He represented the spirit ana
authority Of God. He misrepresented the
patience and pardoning spirit OF jehovah
by his attitude toward the people. he
allowed his own feelings rather than
those of God to guide his speech when
he called them rebels He that thinketh
fail, as did Moses, for he by allowing
his own will and opinion to take the place
OF Jehovah's.
II was a small step to the second mis-
take made by Moses when he took ior
himself the glory that belonged to God
by his question Shall we b. Ing you fortn
water out of this rock?" He was ar
rogating to himself at least II not ALSO
to Aaron the power of Jehovah when ne
was only an instrument In the hands or
God to relieve the distress of the people
This is the point where many nopie
man and woman have broken down. be-
cause they fail to recognize that God IL
the worker working through them Ills
will. While they are only INSTRUMENTS IN
their egotism they take and demand
honor for themselves. when II belongs
only to God. st
In both of these steps the psalmist
gives us the key by telling Us that he
spoke unadvisediy with his lips" When
we recall the mistakes Of Noses We ought
to pray with the psalmist: Let the
words OF my mouth and the meditation
of my heart be acceptable In thy sight:
O. Jehovah, my rock and my redeemer.
The most serious thing was Moses dis
obedience of the divine command, Whcn
the lesson tells US was due to ms unpe-
lief. for he sn1ote the rock twice Wnen
he had been ordered TO speak to II IL
seems strange to think Of Moses failing
In faith. but we always fall at our strong
est point, We get overc0nffdent and as
a result fail. Moses suffered punishmenc
because the future required that ne
should be disciplined for his errors TO
show Israel that God IL no respecter OF
persons. Hence the Judgment that was
SO severe a penalty upon Moses and
Aaron. I'VE shall not bring this assembly
into the land which have given them"
There were many extenuating circuui-
stances, but the people who stand out
as the representatives OF Jehovah are
called upon to reveal to the world the
spirit or Christ. so that the world may
understand that we have been with Him
and learned OF Him the love Of the
Father for His own. While we are
called upon to make no comprom Sc with
sin, we must not allow our attitude to-
ward the sinner to be such that II
speaks of sin rather than OF Christ
Wrong is never the divine agent to make
the world right, since sin has no service
in the work of building up the kingdom
of God among men.
There was a deeper reason for Moses
not lead ng the children OF Israel into
the promised land, for he represented
the law. Then we must not forget how
that the type was spoiled because Christ,
who is our rock. was sinitten only once
Besides as the hour OF Moses depar-
ture drew near, God wanted 10 teach
Israel the larger lesson of faith TO
speak TO tho rock where was Jesus
Christ, and look for lti,n to answering
the spirit of faith. If We VIII form
the habit of always looking TO Him and
following implicitly His commands we
will prove our love and faith. May God
lead us all into the largest possible
victories through Christ Jesus, our risen
Lord and Savior. $500 -