Security with God: When we fail or sin God does not reject us - there may be correction but not rejection! Lets consider the life and ministry of Moses. He outshines even David and Elijah. The events of Moses' life are too many to even cover. Moses interacts with God and angels in such a way that he leads a slave nation (Israelites) out of Egypt, confronts Pharaoh, executes the 12 plagues on Egypt (Nile water to blood, plague of frogs, hail mixed with fire, angel of death ... etc ), he parts the red sea, provides water from a rock twice and on it goes! Moses' ministry was nothing short of spectacular and transcends every other prophet's work's. However, Moses had struggles too.
The worst of which seems to be his failure to trust God while procuring water from a rock the second time. (Numbers 20. The first time he asked God to bring water from a rock was Exodus 17). The first time God tells Moses to take his staff and strike the rock. Water then comes out for the Israelites to drink. The second time God tells Moses to take his staff, but to only speak to the rock and water will come out. However when Moses arrived before the grumbling and angry Israelites perhaps his anger or frustration gets the best of him? Moses addresses the whole community as rebels and then hits the rock with his staff twice! I don't understand everything that is occurring here. However, Moses and Aaron have rebelled against the Lord. Somehow they have failed to trust God and 'honor [Him] as holy':
"Listen you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 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." (Num 20:10-12)
"... because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah." Numbers 20:24b
"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. Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel." Deuteronomy 32:51
The upshot of this is that Moses does not get to lead the Israelites into the long awaited promised land. Some how he has radically failed to honor God or trust God in front of the watching eyes of the Israelite community. The discipline for this is intense. However, let's quickly realize that Moses was not rejected personally by God. He lost his public ministry but His relationship with God was still intact. When we fail or sin we may be disqualified from particular arenas of public ministry and prominence but we still have our greatest treasure ... we are still sons and daughters of God! We still have relationship with Him!
Now let's conclude with something very intriguing. Consider Jesus' earthly ministry. At one point Jesus climbs a mountain with Peter, James and John. All of Jewish history is culminating at the arrival of God Himself in human form. The Messiah has finally come. 2,000 years of prophesy are being fulfilled. While the 3 disciples are with Jesus He is transformed into His true appearance. His face shines like the sun! His clothes become dazzling white! The radiance, glory and power are truly eternal and overwhelming! Right in the middle of this Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus! Wow, what is happening here? I am not sure that I know, but isn't it absolutely wonderful that Moses and Elijah who have had such intense and disappointing failures and sin are the ones chosen to appear and talk with Jesus? How God has honored them, not only in their own time, but more than 1,000 years later!
Conclusion
Isn't it incredibly wonderful to know that you can fail in tremendous ways and that God still wants us to partner with Him and work with Him? Isn't is great to know that we don't loose relationship with Him? There may be correction but not rejection!
Isn't it incredibly wonderful to know that you can fail in tremendous ways and that God still wants us to partner with Him and work with Him? Isn't is great to know that we don't loose relationship with Him? There may be correction but not rejection!
By Chris Sarris