Sermon Notes

20 The Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.
2 Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 The people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had died when our kindred died before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? 5 Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” 6 Then Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting; they fell on their faces, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Thus you shall bring water out of the rock for them; thus you shall provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”
9 So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he had commanded him. 10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah,[a] where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and through which he showed himself to be holy.
(New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, NRSVue)
20 In the first month, the entire company of the People of Israel arrived in the Wilderness of Zin. The people stayed in Kadesh.
Miriam died there, and she was buried.
2-5 There was no water there for the community, so they ganged up on Moses and Aaron. They attacked Moses: “We wish we’d died when the rest of our brothers died before God. Why did you haul this congregation of God out here into this wilderness to die, people and cattle alike? And why did you take us out of Egypt in the first place, dragging us into this miserable country? No grain, no figs, no grapevines, no pomegranates—and now not even any water!”
6 Moses and Aaron walked from the assembled congregation to the Tent of Meeting and threw themselves facedown on the ground. And they saw the Glory of God.
7-8 God spoke to Moses: “Take the staff. Assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to that rock that’s right in front of them and it will give water. You will bring water out of the rock for them; congregation and cattle will both drink.”
9-10 Moses took the staff away from God’s presence, as commanded. He and Aaron rounded up the whole congregation in front of the rock. Moses spoke: “Listen, rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?”
11 With that Moses raised his arm and slammed his staff against the rock—once, twice. Water poured out. Congregation and cattle drank.
12 God said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t trust me, didn’t treat me with holy reverence in front of the People of Israel, you two aren’t going to lead this company into the land that I am giving them.”
13 These were the Waters of Meribah (Bickering) where the People of Israel bickered with God, and he revealed himself as holy. (The Message, MSG)

Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and, for many readers, the most tedious and uninspiring books within the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). Genesis explores beginnings—those created by God and humans. Exodus investigates how God liberates people from bondage and unjust systems and structures. Leviticus examines the rituals and instruction that help God’s covenantal people to become holy as God is holy. Deuteronomy recasts the wilderness journey of the people into an inspirational sermon preceding entry into the Promised Land. But Numbers, is concerned with numerical lists—a census of Israel taken at two separate times within the wilderness journey—and appears to offer little narrative or theological value.
However, for the biblical reader concerned with how God works in the difficult places, spaces, and stages of life, Numbers should not be ignored. To reduce Numbers to simple quantitative data overlooks it qualitative value for the Pentateuchal narrative and the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Within the seemingly mundane processes of numbering—counting people, families, clans, and tribes—Numbers reveals the reality of surviving hard times and testifying about the goodness of God. The title of the book in the Masoretic Text—"In the Wilderness” (bemidbar, taken from the fifth word in the first chapter)—also captures the theological essence of Numbers, for it is in the wilderness that the children of Israel are formed into the people of God by trial and tribulation, disobedience and discipline, faithlessness and forgiveness. While the title Numbers (“Arithmoi” in the Greek Septuagint and “Numeri” in the Latin Vulgate) centers on the character and actions of the two generations of the children of Israel who were counted, the title “In the Wilderness” centers on the physical and spiritual geography where counting, teaching, and formation took place.
For the writers of Numbers—priests of the Babylonian exile who were writing, compiling, and editing pre-existing sources from 586-533 BCE—Mosaic leadership frames the narrative. The first verse of Numbers states, “The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt” (Numbers 1:1, NRSVue). Likewise, the last verse of Numbers states, “These are the commandments and the ordinances that the Lord commanded through Moses to the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho” (Numbers 36:13, NRSVue). Clearly, Moses is the prophetic and priestly leader and teacher of law (torah) who leads the children of Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, into the wilderness, and to Kadesh as they journey towards Canaan.
This week’s lesson text (20:1-13), is drawn from a section of Numbers that discusses the wilderness journey of the first generation of the children of Israel. As the people prepare to transition from wilderness wanderings into the land of promise (20:1-21:35), they exhibit faithlessness to the God that delivered them from bondage in Egypt. Because the wilderness is a place of desolation, deprivation, and danger, the people are constantly tested by harsh conditions, homelessness, and their own lack of faith which continually gives rise to rebellion against their leaders (Moses, Miriam, Aaron) and rebellion against the LORD their God. This text is a situation where the children of Israel are tested by a desolate landscape and an apparent lack of water. Although God provides the water they desperately need, the people’s complaining and grumbling negatively affect Moses, causing an incident that changes the trajectory of the remainder of his life.

1 In the first month, the entire company of the People of Israel arrived in the Wilderness of Zin. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and she was buried.
The first verse of the lesson text is an itinerary notice detailing how the people entered into the wilderness of Zin and camped in Kadesh. This reference to the “entire company” or “whole congregation” (kol-ha-eda in Hebrew) is specific to the Priestly writer’s view that the people arrived in Kadesh at the end of their forty-year wilderness journey’s as opposed to at its beginning. (Other biblical writers assert the people arrived in Kadesh in the second year of the forty-year wilderness journey.) Kadesh is the place where several negative incidents occurred with the people of Israel.
First, ten of the twelve spies bring back a negative report which causes the people to rebel and lose the gift of land in Kadesh (Numbers 13-14). Korah, Dathan and Abiram challenge Moses leadership in Kadesh (Numbers 16), and Miriam—the prophetic leader who saved her brother Moses’ life on the Nile, led the people out of Egypt with Moses and Aaron, and led the women in the victory song at the Red Sea—died and was buried in Kadesh. Parenthetically speaking, according to Hebrew Bible scholar Wilda Gafney, the relationship between Miriam’s death and the impending lack of water is significant. “In the biblical text her death is juxtaposed with the lack of water, which dried up when she died, nurturing the tradition that one of Miriam’s prophetic gifts was the ability to provide water for her people. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan records Miriam’s death thusly:
Numbers 20:1 The women-men-and-children-of-Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin on the tenth day of the month of Nisan. And Miriam died and was buried there. 2 Now, on account of the merit of Miriam a well was given. When she lay-down-in-death, the well was hidden. So there was no water for the congregation, and the congregation gathered against Moshe and against Aharon.
While Numbers 20 in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament does not say that Miriam’s death was in any way related to the lack of water, it is interesting to note the placement of this information in the biblical text.
2-5 There was no water there for the community, so they ganged up on Moses and Aaron. They attacked Moses: “We wish we’d died when the rest of our brothers died before God. Why did you haul this congregation of God out here into this wilderness to die, people and cattle alike? And why did you take us out of Egypt in the first place, dragging us into this miserable country? No grain, no figs, no grapevines, no pomegranates—and now not even any water!”
Verses 2-5, describe a situation of deprivation—a lack of water—that introduces Moses and Aaron’s disobedience which then causes them to lose the blessing of land like the first generation of the children of Israel. Up until this point, Moses has been characterized as the quintessential leader. He intercedes on behalf of the people even though they have continually rebelled against his leadership, rebelled against God, committed idolatry, and violated their covenantal relationship with the LORD.
However, the people’s complaining pushed Moses to the edge. In similar fashion to previous murmuring stories, the people not only say that Moses drug them out into the wilderness to die, but they also mischaracterize their previous life in Egypt. They question the wisdom of leaving Egypt, intimating that although they were slaves, at least in Egypt they had grain, figs, fruit, wine, pomegranates and water. Exhibiting utter disregard for what God has done for them, and disdain for Moses’ leadership under the authority and unction of God, they attack Moses for making decisions that were divine answers to their prayers—remember God tells Moses he heard the cries of the people in Exodus 3. The people say they wish they had died when their other brothers died before God.
Now—an astute critical reader of the text ought to ask the question, what time are they talking about, when their other brothers died? Was it death under the slave master’s whip in Egypt? Was it the death that occurred during the rebellion after the golden calf incident? Was it the death that occurred when the ten spies lied and stirred up the people to grumble against God and died by plague? Regardless of which incident of death they are opining for, the people’s complaints are rooted in rebellion not only against Moses and Aaron, but against God.
6 Moses and Aaron walked from the assembled congregation to the Tent of Meeting and threw themselves facedown on the ground. And they saw the Glory of God. 7-8 God spoke to Moses: “Take the staff. Assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to that rock that’s right in front of them and it will give water. You will bring water out of the rock for them; congregation and cattle will both drink.” 9-10 Moses took the staff away from God’s presence, as commanded. He and Aaron rounded up the whole congregation in front of the rock. Moses spoke: “Listen, rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?” 11 With that Moses raised his arm and slammed his staff against the rock—once, twice. Water poured out. Congregation and cattle drank.
In these verses is important to note that there is a geographical and spiritual shift that occurs. In verses 2-5, the people attack Moses and Aaron in the midst of the gathered congregation. However in verse 6, Moses and Aaron leave the gathered congregation—the parking lot meeting—and move into the presence of God at the Tent of Meeting which is the dwelling place of the LORD. The people have been saying all of this mess and assuming that God can’t hear them. But, now Moses and Aaron reorient this conversation in full visible view of the Tent of Meeting so they people will be reminded that everything they do or say is before the face of God. Once Moses and Aaron prostrate themselves before God, they see God’s glory. (There is no better place to be than in the presence of the Lord when dealing with difficult folks and hellacious circumstances. When times are tough, we need to see the Glory of God!)
Then, Moses and Aaron receive three imperatives from the Lord. Take the staff, gather the people, speak to the rock. These simple commands represent how God will deliver God’s people from their place of lack through the leaders, but by God’s hand. This is key! Moses and Aaron were never supposed to deliver the people—that was above their pay grade. They were supposed to be the vessels or conduits through which God would produce water so the people and animals could drink and be saved. (Who needs to hear that word tonight? It is easy for leaders to assume the super-hero stance and try to solve everything on their own. However, we need to take the superhero cape. That ain’t your assignment. Leaders must understand that effective and anointed leadership requires that we move as God says move. Leaders can have the best of intentions, but mess up when we forget that God is responsible for deliverance not us.)
Moses complies with God’s command, partially. He takes the staff from the LORD’s presence, and he and Moses gather the people. However, he fails with the third imperative. He speaks to the people—not the rock—saying, “do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?” God never told him to speak to the people because that gave space for his anger to be quickened and grow to the point that he would “go off” on the people. Moses has every right to be angry. He may even have had the right to “go off” on the people. But, he did not have the right to disobey God. Instead of obeying God, Moses speaks to people and he strikes the rock in direct opposition to the command of the Lord.
12 God said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t trust me, didn’t treat me with holy reverence in front of the People of Israel, you two aren’t going to lead this company into the land that I am giving them.” 13 These were the Waters of Meribah (Bickering) where the People of Israel bickered with God, and he revealed himself as holy.
In the final verses of the lesson text, the LORD disciplines Moses and Aaron because they failed to do as God commanded. These actions provide two leadership lessons that we should take seriously.
First, Moses and Aaron failed to trust God because they let their anger get the best of them. Instead of doing what God said do, they took matters into their own hands. Remember, Moses said, “do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?” And the text does not say that Aaron said, hold it Moses, you’ve overstepped your role. No doubt, Aaron was tired of these people too. He like Moses had been dealing with these stiff-necked folks for forty years. He was likely also angry. But, he still had to obey the word of the Lord. It behooves all persons who are in religious leadership to remember that we are but one part of the puzzle. God is responsible for the big picture and we must obediently play our part lest we get the big head, or think that God needs us to accomplish Divine will. God chooses to work in us, through us, with us. But, we can never forget that God is God all by God’s self. God can handle any and every situation.
Second, Aaron and Moses failed to sanctify God’s name in front of the people, deferring to God’s authority to judge the people’s actions. When we step back from this situation, we have to read it against all of the other incidents of the people murmuring in Numbers. This is the only time that the people’s complaining is not met with Divine anger and retribution. God does not respond with judgement, but mercy which indicates that while the people are being difficult, they are doing so out of a genuine concern for dying due to thirst and dying because they inappropriately approach the LORD’s holiness.
Instead, of acquiescing to God’s command, Moses chooses to pass a sentence on the people. He calls them rebels. Their behavior was disrespectful, ungrateful, and appeared rebellious. But Moses missed the point that while the people’s actions were aimed toward he and Aaron, it was ultimately directed at God. And, God as sovereign would decide how to respond. God was the only One qualified to judge the actions of the people. Moses forgot that he had to trust God—especially as the leader—to deal with these stiff-necked people. Moses has the personal responsibility to model absolute obedience to God and to demonstrate God’s character as loving, kind, gracious, longsuffering, and forgiving. Because Moses and Aaron fail in this situation, they lose the blessing of land, and will die in the wilderness with the first generation. This reminds contemporary Christians that leadership is privilege; its power should be appropriately wielded under God’s unction and command, not our own.

i. Thomas Dozeman, “The Book of Numbers,” in The New Interpreter’s Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes, Volume II (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998) 10-13.
ii. Wilda Gafney. Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, Kindle Edition) 212-213.
iii. Dozeman, “The Books of Numbers,” 159-161.