I have noticed that< Pastor Bob> and <His Blood spoke> my name explained out the Key points very well as they indicated that the mistake was that Moses should have not hit the Rock but spoken to the Rock.
I want to explain the overall aspects of this issue and why Moses had to SPEAK to the Rock instead of striking it, and why it was so important that Moses could not go into the Land of Canaan due to this incident.
Water Problem of Israelites in Wilderness.
This appears 3 times in Pentateuch and has very serious meanings for them.
We must note that this is related to our Lord Jesus Christ because Bible says:
(Israelites) did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4)
Jesus Christ Himself was the fountain of the living water (John 4:14, 7:38)
So, we should keep in mind that the Rocks were pointing out Jesus Christ before He came into the world as a human being.
1. Some Misunderstanding about the Number 20:2-13
Someone says Moses failed to enter the Land of Canaan because he struck the Rock twice, instead of once. Some say that Moses was rather angry when he struck the Rock and he didn’t expect the water would come out of the rock but struck, which means that he struck it due to his disbelief. This could be a good interpretation too.
2. Exodus 15:24-
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet:
This symbolizes the First Coming of Jesus unto this world in the human form. Jesus has come into this world as a True Light, and as a Fountain of Living Water.
The tree of life was thrown into the world, which made the water sweet to drink.
3. Exodus 17:2-7
3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
The Rock of Salvation ( Deut 32:15, 18) was struck at the Cross.
This symbolizes the Crucifixion of Jesus who is the Rock of Salvation at the Cross.
4. Numbers 20:2-13
7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. 9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. 13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
Interpretation:
This symbolizes the witnessing after the Crucifixion of Jesus. God commanded Moses “ Speak unto the Rock before their eyes”
God didn’t say that Moses should smite the rock, because He knew that Once the Rock was smitten it was enough.
But Moses smote it twice, which means that he repeated the Crucifixion of Jesus.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is effective Once For All. If anyone denies it, then even the second Cross can be denied, then the third Cross can be denied….
Therefore God declared that “It is finished” ( John 19:30). Heb 9:11 says “ Have obtained the eternal redemption”
“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” ( Heb 10:12)
Therefore what we need to do after the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is to witness what Jesus has done at the Cross. If anyone tries to have Jesus Christ to be crucified again, he must be working as an anti-Christ.
Roman Catholic rehearses the sacrifice of Jesus every week repeatedly, at the Mass.
This is what God abhors, because it is a disbelief of what Jesus has completed Once For All.
This is important because Moses couldn’t enter the Land of Canaan because of this incident.
The Rock was already hit before and now Moses had to speak to the Rock, which symbolize that we believe what Jesus has finished already and then preach the Gospel to the world.
Deuteronomy 3:
25 I( Moses) pray thee( God), let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. 26 But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. 27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
