Moses and the Promised Land

Moses and the Promised Land by Dr. D. James Kennedy

“The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’” Numbers 20:12

Moses did not get to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land, yet his whole life’s work was moving in that direction.

Some will say, “Well, it is because Moses smote the rock.” We see in Exodus 17:6 that God said to him, “you shall strike the rock, and there water shall come out of it,” and he did. But later on, in Numbers 20, there is another smiting of another rock, and that time God told him to go and speak to the rock, and the water would come forth. Instead, on that occasion, Moses struck the rock and angered God, who then punished him by not letting Him go to the Promised Land.

Sometimes we have to obey without fully understanding, but we know we can trust God because He has proven Himself fully trustworthy. Jesus is the Rock of Ages, but Moses had no way of knowing that God was in a sense demonstrating Christ’s role and work. Jesus was struck once on the cross, and living water flowed forth. After that, we only need to speak to Jesus Christ, and He gives us the living water. Obedience in small things matters. May we always drink of this water that becomes for us a spring of eternal life.

Moses lived by the law and was judged by the law. Thank God for His mercy and grace in Jesus Christ. Remember, G-R-A-C-E means “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”

God, thank You for Your grace poured out in Jesus Christ. Help us to show our love for You by striving to obey You in all things. Thank You, Jesus, for being struck on Your own body, taking on Yourself the penalty of our wrong-doings.

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE EXPERIENCE HIS UNMERITED FAVOR IN CHRIST.