The Encourager
“Moses' Sin - Jeff Curtis”
Moses’ Sin
by Jeff Curtis
After reading about Moses’ problems during the years during the years of wandering in the wilderness, we may share in his great sense of loss when God didn’t allow him to enter the Promised Land. Even more, we might be disillusioned by the fact that this great humble man of God sinned. Thinking about Moses’ failure shouldn’t cause us to worry, but it does call our attention to four important warnings.
- Obey God exactly. When God said to “speak to the rock” and Moses struck
it instead, he disobeyed. We night think that Moses’ failure was a small thing, but God didn’t think so. Of His word requires us to do something, we shouldn’t even consider anything else. For example, God requires baptism, or immersion, for people today to be saved. We cannot expect to substitute anything else for that requirement and still receive the gift of salvation that God provides to the obedient (Hebrews 5:8,9).
- Honor God in everything. We should give God the glory for all that is good
in our lives. We cannot take credit ourselves for what God does through us and receive God’s approval. Rather than saying, as Moses did, “See what I can do,” we must instead say, “Look at what God is doing or has done” (Acts 14:27). We can, as Christians, “do all things” – but only through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). We should give God the glory in everything we do.
- Be compassionate like God. In trying to be God’s people, we should learn to
be compassionate as He is. Perhaps God rejected Moses because of his impatience with His people. Moses was angry with the Israelites when he should have endured their mistakes. The New Testament requires us to share God’s love for the lost and forgive others as He forgives us (Luke 15). Just as Moses seemed to be too hard and impatient with the people, we can also be too critical and judgmental (Matthew 7:1-5). We can’t take judgment into our own hands.
- Realize that even good people can sin and suffer the consequences of sin. If
Moses believed that the years he had served God made him immune from sinning, he was mistaken. If he thought his close relationship with God guaranteed that he could never be the subject of God’s displeasure, he was wrong.
God could and did forgive Moses for his sin. We can be sure of that because Moses is in heaven (Matthew 17:1-5). However, Moses still had to experience the consequences for his sin. That is why he was taken up on the mountain to look into the Promised Land, rather than entering into it.
We can sin also, no matter how close we have been to God, no matter how much we have done for Him, no matter how long we have served Him in His kingdom. Paul warned Christians, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1Corinthians 10:12). God can and will forgive our sins, just as He forgave Moses’ sin (1John 1:9). Nevertheless, we want to be careful so that the consequences of sin will not hurt us or bring pain to others.
Numbers 20 paints a gloomy picture of sin, death, and defeat, but the next several chapters tell of Israel’s victories over the nations to the east of Canaan. Eventually, the people would enter the Promised Land. Their story reminds us that, no matter how dark the night, there will be “a shout of joy… in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Christians must hold on to hope, no matter how bad the circumstances seem to be at the present time. Even if we were to be disappointed in everything we try on this earth, “there’s a land that is fairer than day, and by faith we can see it afar” (Sweet By and By; Songs of the Church). We should be looking forward to entering the land, our Promised Land.
