“What a difference a day makes, twenty-four little hours . . .” are lyrics to a song that speaks romantically of decisions that set the course of our lives. Some decisions can be changed; others are irrevocable.

And some decisions, such as those that demonstrate errors in judgment, have repercussions. So it was with Moses and Aaron, who made a decision that resulted in their deaths as the penalty for dishonoring God.

Moses was educated by his stepmother as a prince of Egypt, and by his birth mother in the faith of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was selected by the great “I Am” to lead Israel to freedom in the land promised to Abraham. But a rash act altered the destinies of Moses and Aaron.

A STORY OF DESPERATION
Numbers 20:1-13 is a story of desperation. A crowd of thirsty people cry out angrily to these two leaders:

 “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why then have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here? Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink” (Numbers 20:3-5, New American Standard Bible).

Israel’s agony and anger drove Moses and Aaron to God! Falling on their faces at the doorway of the tent of meeting, they sought an answer from God, who spoke to Moses:

“Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink.” . . .

Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank (Numbers 20:8, 10, 11).

God brought forth the water, but he was displeased at being dishonored before Israel by Moses and Aaron. God said, “Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them” (Numbers 20:12). Aaron was the first brother to die before Israel, on the top of Mount Hor. He was stripped of his robes of office, which were transferred to his son Eleazer (see Numbers 20:23-29).

Moses led Israel faithfully after Aaron’s death while knowing he would have to die without entering the promised land as a result of his rash behavior. At the age of 120, Moses finished writing the Law and gave it to the Levites to place in the ark. He then ascended Mount Nebo, at God’s command, to look into the promised land and die, “because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh . . . because you did not treat Me as holy . . .” (Deuteronomy 32:51).

AN ISSUE OF OBEDIENCE
The issue in Numbers 20:1-13 is one of obedience. God said, “Do this and there will be water.” But Moses and Aaron went beyond God’s will, and allowed their emotions to influence them to act in a way that publicly dishonored God. Scholars disagree on what Moses and Aaron did to dishonor God: use the plural “we,” striking the rock twice rather than speaking to it? No matter. They did it. The brothers went beyond God’s will by inserting their own. Today we must be sure not to go beyond the Lord’s wishes in our enthusiasm to build his kingdom.

Our decisions do make a difference. Moses and Aaron faced death imposed by God for their momentary rash act. Moses and Aaron did not lose out on being in the presence of God, just on the blessings of entering the promised land. We must learn from their mistake, do not dishonor God in carrying out his will.