February 16, 2010

Today's reading: Numbers 19, 20, 21; Psalm 16, 46, 76, 106, 136; Proverbs 16

Numbers 20:8,11,12; "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. 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. 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."

Psalm 106:32, "They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:"

Today as I was reading I thought of many times I had disobeyed and been punished for it. One particular time I remember being told not to go and play in the water at the baseball diamond across the street from our house. It did not take long and; yes, I was in the water. I remember playing with a piece of wood like it was a surf board. To a little boy the water was deep and I could have easily drowned. I remember my mother and dad being furious with me and rightfully so. I had done what I was told not to do and there were consequences for the act of defiance.

It is the same with the Lord. If we disobey Him there are sometimes severe consequences. God told Moses to speak to the rock and the water would come out. In Moses frustration with the people he ended up striking the rock not once but twice. The rock is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Disobedience cost Moses the joy of entering the promised land with the people. It cost a lot!

Far too often we do not stop and think what effect what we are about to do will have on us and others. I am far too guilty of this. My wife could tell you volumes of times that I have not totally counted the cost and we all paid the price because of my stupidity. Thank God for forgiveness!

In Numbers 21:8-9,"And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." The people had sinned again and were being judged. If they looked at the brass serpent they would live. I remember singing a song in Church as a child called "Look And Live". Brass is a picture of judgment. Again, sin brings judgment.

Is there any sin in my life that is bringing judgment? How about yours?