Numbers 20:1 says, Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. After years of wandering in the wilderness instead of being in the Promised Land, Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses, died. Matthew Henry points out that she was a prophetess and had done much good for Israel, but that didn't get her into the Promised Land. Our actions will likewise never get us into heaven. Verse two states, And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. The people of Isreal found themselves without water, and instead of praying to God by faith, they complained against Moses and Aaron. If we find ourselves in need today as followers of Christ, we need to pray to God about it instead of complaining about anyone we may feel is responsible. Verse three adds, And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! Once again, the people told Moses that they would be better off dead than relying on God to provide for them. We need to learn to rejoice in the Lord no matter what instead of murmuring and complaining when life seems to be too hard if we truly are living by faith. Verse four continues, And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? The people of Israel put the responsibility for their being in the wilderness on Moses and not on their own lack of faith. Yet, they still did not put their faith in God. We may try to blame others for our not being willing to live by faith, but the responsibility is all ours even if we do so. Verse five concludes, And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. They then once again blamed Moses for their being in such a desolate place after Moses brought them out of Egypt. It wasn't Moses who brought them out, but God Who had, and they weren't in the land God had promised them because of their own disobedience. Ultimately, even if we try to blame others, we are responsible for our own sins. Verse six declares, And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. Moses and Aaron moved away from those assembled there and went to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and fell on their faces before God. Sometimes, we may need to just get away from those who are complaing about God and fall on our face before Him. When they did, the glory of the LORD appeared to them. Verse seven adds, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Verse eight continues, 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. God told Moses take his rod and to gather the people together before a rock, then speak to the rock and it would bring forth enough water for the people and their flocks. The God Who can produce that much water from a rock can certainly meet all our needs today, if we put our faith in Him. Verse nine concludes, And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. Moses took his rod and did as God commanded Him to do, just as we must do whatever God commands us to do today as Christians if we are to successfully reach the lost people of the world with the gospel. If we are always complaining and murmuring against God, they may see no reason to follow Him.
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