Let’s compare and contrast these two situations concerning the man Moses.
The Lord said to Moses, “Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on. Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) and Meribah (which means “arguing”) because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord here with us or not?” Exodus 17:5-7
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. 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!” This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them. Numbers 20:7-13 (NLT)
What do you glean as differences in these two scriptures? Certainly, there is a difference in the instructions given to Moses; and what could have happened to Moses in the performance of the instruction given him in the second occasion? The answers lay in Numbers 20:10 and Psalms 106:32-33.
Provocations will come from spouse, from children, from family, from your best friend, your brethren in the church and most expectedly from the world (governments, their officials etc. (Ecclesiastes 3:16; Ecclesiastes 5:8), what should be our reaction to such?
If your reaction impairs your sensitivity to the instructions of the Lord, when your habitual reaction to provocation leads you to unintended disobedience to the Lord as happened to Moses here, the end can be a disastrous waste of all you have laboured to see.
Psalm 106:32-33 (TPT) expressly said—Your people also provoked you to wrath at the stream called Strife. This is where Moses got into serious trouble! Because the people were rebellious against you, Moses exploded in anger and spoke to them out of his bitterness.
How many times have we found ourselves falling just like happened here? Therefore, dearly beloved let us take heed to ourselves and submit daily to God on the matter of reacting to provocation. Selah
Pastor Afolabi Oladele
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