The death of Miriam must have affected Moses and Aaron deeply. It was Miriam whom the Lord used to save Moses’ life when he was a baby, and she even arranged for their own mother to raise Moses and be paid for it (Ex. 2). She had led the praises of the women at the Red Sea (Ex. 15) and had endured the wilderness trials with her brothers. The only blemish on the record is her criticism of Moses (Num. 12), but is there any servant of God who has a spotless page?
An old problem (vv. 1–5). It was a conditioned reflex: whenever the Israelites faced a difficulty, they complained about it to Moses and Aaron and wept because they hadn’t stayed in Egypt. Difficulties either bring out the best in people or the worst; they either mature us or make us more childish (James 1:2–8). Israel’s words and attitudes revealed clearly that their hearts were still in Egypt. What a picture of the professed Christian who still loves the world (1 John 2:15–17) and turns to the world for help whenever there’s a problem!
A divine solution (vv. 6–9). It was the people who should have been on their faces, confessing their sins and seeking God’s forgiveness, but once again, Moses and Aaron fell before the Lord and sought His wisdom and help (14:5; 16:4, 22, 45; 22:31). Spiritual leaders pay a price as they seek to serve God’s people, but the people usually don’t appreciate it. The same people repeat the same sins and refuse to trust God and obey Him.
The rod was the same one Moses had used to do wonders in Egypt, especially to open the Red Sea. The Hebrew word for “rock” means a high cliff, a place for a fortress, and not a boulder. God is able to solve our problems no matter what the circumstances are, provided we trust Him and do His will.
An impulsive sin (vv. 10–11). Provoked in his spirit, instead of speaking to the rock, Moses smote it twice. He also spoke angrily to the people, calling them “rebels,” and he gave the impression that he and Aaron had supplied the water. It was a sad demonstration of hostility by the meekest man on the earth (12:3), showing that we can fail in our strengths as well as our weaknesses.
Moses was human, just as we are, and was no doubt weary as he drew near to the end of the wilderness march, during which he’d seen nothing but unbelief and heard nothing but complaining. Psalm 106:32–33 states that it was the people who provoked Moses to anger, and that isn’t hard to believe. Perhaps he was emotionally drained because of the death of his sister. He may have been upset because, when the people complained, the Lord didn’t reveal His glory and judgment as He had done before.
But no matter what mitigating causes we might produce, the fact still remains that Moses didn’t honor the Lord or obey His orders. By striking the rock, he ruined a type of the Messiah who gives living water to His people (Ex. 17:1–7; John 7:37–39). Our Lord gave Himself for us on the cross only once and doesn’t have to be crucified (smitten) again (Heb. 9:26–28). Now all that believers need do is ask, and God gives His Spirit to them.
The remarkable thing is that God gave the water, even though Moses’ attitudes and actions were all wrong! “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103: nkjv). “If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” (130: nkjv) God in His grace met the needs of His people because He is a God of compassion and infinite goodness, but He did not overlook Moses’ sins.
A painful discipline (vv. 12–13). The people were helped but Moses was disciplined, and in a most painful way: He wasn’t permitted to enter the Promised Land (Luke 12:48). He had glorified himself instead of glorifying God. Once again, an important Old Testament type is involved, for the law (Moses) cannot give us our inheritance (Gal. 3:18). Joshua is a type of Jesus Christ the conqueror, and only he could lead the people into their promised inheritance (Heb. 4:1–11). Had Moses entered the land with the people, he would have ruined the message of the book of Hebrews!
The first time God provided water for Israel, Moses called the place “Massah and Meribah” which means “testing and quarreling.” On this second occasion, Moses called the place “Meribah” (“quarreling”), but it was he who had been tested, and he failed the test. At one point, Moses begged God to let him go over the Jordan, but the Lord refused his request (Deut. 3:23–29). Moses revealed his meekness by submitting to God’s discipline and continuing to lead the people.