challenge

What great wrong did Moses commit to forbid his entry into the promised land? What does that mean to you as a Christian?

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Moses was not perfect, he was a man, like any man, he had his flaws and moments of weakness. During one of those moments of weakness the Israelite people cried and whined to Moses about not having any water. Moses being a true man of God sought His guidance in resolving the problem. Moses prayed to God for a resolution and God gave him one. Unfortunately Moses was impatient and angered and did not follow the plan to the letter. Moses also failed to give God the credit for this miracle.

Because of this transgression, Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Deut. 32:48-52). Moses was told to speak to a rock to get water from it, but instead he struck the rock repeatedly with a rod, showing improper anger and a lack of faith (Num. 20:7-13).

Numbers 20

7   The LORD said to Moses,
8   "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."
9   So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him.
10   He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?"
11   Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12   But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
13   These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them.

Deuteronomy 32

48   On that same day the LORD told Moses,
49   "Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession.
50   There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.
51   This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.
52   Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel."

What does this mean to you as a Christian? This should have taught you when God gives you a very simple direction, follow it. Have faith, God is faithful. It should have taught you anger clouds good judgment. Anger is the greatest weapon of the Devil and the one most frequently used. It should have taught you that failing to give the glory, that belongs to God, to God is not good and is not forgiven. When we fail to give Him, His glory, we start to believe we have done this alone, we can do nothing alone.