It is important to believe sinning is inexcusable and completely avoidable. We must not assume sinning is normal and unavoidable. Unbroken obedience is possible in Christ. "When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. {DA 668.3}

"Let a living faith run like threads of gold through the performance of even the smallest duties. Then all the daily work will promote Christian growth. There will be a continual looking unto Jesus. Love for Him will give vital force to everything that is undertaken. Thus through the right use of our talents, we may link ourselves by a golden chain to the higher world. This is true sanctification; for sanctification consists in the cheerful performance of daily duties in perfect obedience to the will of God. {COL 360.2}

"Genuine faith will be manifested in good works; for good works are the fruits of faith. As God works in the heart, and man surrenders his will to God, and cooperates with God, he works out in the life what God works in by the Holy Spirit, and there is harmony between the purpose of the heart and the practice of the life. Every sin must be renounced as the hateful thing that crucified the Lord of life and glory, and the believer must have a progressive experience by continually doing the works of Christ. It is by continual surrender of the will, by continual obedience, that the blessing of justification is retained. {NL 28.1}

This study shows that after 40 more years of wandering in the wilderness when "the water ceased to flow at Israel’s encampment at Kadesh-Barnea, a grand opportunity presented itself for Israel to look to God for help. He always had provided for them in the past, so why should it be any different now? However, they quickly forgot the past and turned on Moses and Aaron with their old complaints."

Read Numbers 20:1-13 and then answer the following question from Sunday's section:

What did the Lord command Moses to do, and what did he do instead?

The living stream which flowed from the smitten rock in Horeb, had followed them in all their journeyings; but just before the Hebrew host reached Kadesh, the Lord caused the waters to cease. It was his purpose again to test his people. He would prove whether they would humbly trust his providence, or imitate their fathers' unbelief and murmuring. {ST, September 30, 1880 par. 1}

There are some interesting points to note here:

1) God caused the waters to cease; it was a test.

2) "The water stream had followed them in all their journeyings." I had wondered how this was possible. Does this mean that at every place they encamped water spontaneously began to flow from a rock? It seems so:

From the smitten rock in Horeb first flowed the living stream that refreshed Israel in the desert. During all their wanderings, wherever the need existed, they were supplied with water by a miracle of God's mercy. The water did not, however, continue to flow from Horeb. Wherever in their journeyings they wanted water, there from the clefts of the rock it gushed out beside their encampment. {PP 411.1}

3) No sooner was the cry for water heard in the encampment than they forgot the hand that had for so many years supplied their wants, and instead of turning to God for help, they murmured against Him, in their desperation exclaiming, "Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!" (Numbers 20:1-13); that is, they wished they had been of the number who were destroyed in the rebellion of Korah. {PP 414.1} Isn't this incredible?

He should have spoken to the rock, but struck it instead, marring the symbolism of Christ's death, which should happen once for all.

Yes, this is incredible!!!

Why then do we -- in the general sense -- continue to complain today when we are lacking something, or something isn't going our way?

Yes, what's the reason for this? Rebellion. Ungratefulness. Unbelief.

The direction had been given to Moses, "Turn you northward. And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you. . . . Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink." Deuteronomy 2:3-6. These directions should have been sufficient to explain why their supply of water had been cut off; they were about to pass through a well-watered, fertile country, in a direct course to the land of Canaan. God had promised them an unmolested passage through Edom, and an opportunity to purchase food, and also water sufficient to supply the host. The cessation of the miraculous flow of water should therefore have been a cause of rejoicing, a token that the wilderness wandering was ended. Had they not been blinded by their unbelief, they would have understood this. But that which should have been an evidence of the fulfillment of God's promise was made the occasion of doubt and murmuring. The people seemed to have given up all hope that God would bring them into possession of Canaan, and they clamored for the blessings of the wilderness. (PP 414)

But isn't God's patience even more incredible than their rebellious attitude?

"For their heart was not right with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant. But He, full of pity, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; yea, many times He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath. For He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away and does not come again" (Ps 78:37-39).

God's impartiality and His abhorrence of sin also stand out in this episode.

The eyes of all Israel were upon Moses, and his sin cast a reflection upon God, who had chosen him as the leader of His people. The transgression was known to the whole congregation; and had it been passed by lightly, the impression would have been given that unbelief and impatience under great provocation might be excused in those in responsible positions. But when it was declared that because of that one sin Moses and Aaron were not to enter Canaan, the people knew that God is no respecter of persons, and that He will surely punish the transgressor.

The history of Israel was to be placed on record for the instruction and warning of coming generations. Men of all future time must see the God of heaven as an impartial ruler, in no case justifying sin. But few realize the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Men flatter themselves that God is too good to punish the transgressor. But in the light of Bible history it is evident that God's goodness and His love engage Him to deal with sin as an evil fatal to the peace and happiness of the universe.

Not even the integrity and faithfulness of Moses could avert the retribution of his fault. (PP 420)

"Aaron committed a grievous sin when he yielded to the clamors of the people and made the golden calf at Sinai; and again, when he united with Miriam in envy and murmuring against Moses. And he, with Moses, offended the Lord at Kadesh by disobeying the command to speak to the rock that it might give forth its water" (PP 426), BUT "for his sin at Kadesh, Aaron was denied the privilege of officiating as God's high priest in Canaan--of offering the first sacrifice in the goodly land, and thus consecrating the inheritance of Israel" (Ibid.)

Numbers 20 begins with the death of Miriam. I wonder why she didn't enter Canaan? Aaron "had sinned when he united with Miriam in envy and murmuring against Moses," but what prevented him from entering the land was his sin at Kadesh. Would Miriam have been prevented from entering Canaan because she was the instigator in the episode at Hazeroth?

Can we expect to do better? Is it reasonable to believe we can reach the point where we no longer complain? And, even if it were possible, it would be stained with sin, right?

Was she a leader on par with Moses and Aaron? Would it have been necessary to punish her with the same severity God punished them?

Of course! We have their experience as a warning.


Of course, if victory is possible.


??? Well, our obedience passes through the corrupt channels of humanity and, therefore, must be purified with the incense of Christ's righteousness.

What I mean is, both she and Aaron were together in the sin at Hazeroth, yet it seems this sin per se wouldn't have prevented Aaron from entering Canaan. Was it this sin which prevented Miriam from entering there? If so, why?

Rosangela, victory corrupted and stained with sin is hardly victory. If we successfully resist complaining, thanking and praising God instead, why is it corrupted and sin stained? Where in the Bible is this idea explained. If it isn't biblical is it possible you're misinterpreting what Ellen wrote?

In the case of Miriam, it would appear that she was punished. It seems unlikely she would have been punished further by dying before entering the Promised Land.

Numbers
12:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in [again].

Mike, the Bible says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1Jo 1:8).


Then why do you think she didn’t enter there? I couldn’t find an explanation for this, either in the Bible or in the EGW writings.

Rosangela, I've explained what I think 1 John 1:8 means in one of the other threads. Regarding Miriam, it simply says she died. It may have been of natural causes.

Mike, sure most of the israelites died of natural causes, including Moses and Aaron and all those who fell on the desert because they couldn't enter the promised land. But I understand all those who didn't enter there couldn't do so as a form of punishment.

It's interesting that the Edomites hadn't yet placed themselves beyond the reach of God's mercy, and so they were spared, even after having refused Israel permission to travel through their country. "The Edomites were still probationers, and as such were to be mercifully dealt with. ... He [God] teaches Israel to spare the people of Edom, before requiring them to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan." {PP 423, 424}

But the Amorites had already received enough evidence that the Lord was the true God and had chosen to cling to their idols. So "when the Amorite king [Sihon] refused this courteous solicitation [for the Israelites to travel directly through their country without doing them any injury], and defiantly gathered his hosts for battle, their cup of iniquity was full, and God would now exercise His power for their overthrow." {PP 434.3}

In our Sabbath School Class discussion this morning we were hung up on the fact that God held back the water to test them.

I remembered reading what Rosangela posted and quoted here in relation to this testing, however, I thought I had read it in the study material, but later thought I must have read it here.

As at least one person questioned the idea of God testing His people, is there anything else to back up the idea of God testing His people?

In post #121781, PP 414 is quoted, which explains how the people was tested. God explained to them why the supply of water had been cut off (see Deut. 2:3-6) - because they were about to pass through a well-watered, fertile country, in a direct course to the land of Canaan. So this should have been a cause of rejoicing, a token that the wilderness wandering was ended. It was a test because, before God permitted them to enter Canaan, they must show that they believed His promise. But, instead, this became an occasion of doubt and murmuring, because they had "given up all hope that God would bring them into possession of Canaan" (PP 416). By disbelieving God's word and murmuring, and by not acting promptly on His word, the golden opportunity passed. When they were at last ready to present their request to the king of Edom, it was refused. "God had given the people water in answer to their clamors, but He permitted their unbelief to work out its punishment. Again they must traverse the desert and quench their thirst from the miraculous spring, which, had they but trusted in Him, they would no longer have needed" (PP 424).

Thank you for this information, which I may use in a sermon I am thinking of presenting this coming Sabbath on "Testing & Tempting."

In the "Guide" magazine 09/19/09
there is a very interesting true story that parallels the Bible story.

It's called "The Empty Cupboard"

The story is told from Allison's point of view as she discovers there is no food in the cupboard except for 1/2 bag pancake mix and a jar of syrup. For some reason the father's paycheck has been cut off and they have o money to buy food.

Allison's mother is a woman of faith. They pray for God to supply their needs, then go ahead and cook up some pancakes for the family.

Allison puts away the pancake mix and is astonished that it is as full as it was before they cooked the pancakes, the syrup as well was still full.

And so it went -- for two weeks the pancake mix and syrup did not diminish though they ate of it every day.

Then one day, the pancake mix was gone, the syrup jar was empty. Doubt fills Allison's mind, "why had Jesus suddenly abandoned them? Her mother encourages her to cling to faith.

That evening when father came home, in his hand he carried a check.

Thank you, Dedication. A nice story, and a good parallel.

A very interesting topic. Two sides of the same coin.