Chapter 39: Moses Strikes the Rock
Q1 - Even as the time to enter the Promised Land drew near, the people were almost taunting Moses and Aaron with the fact that where they were at the moment had no grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates. Who else had presented a similar argument to Moses? What happened to them?
A1 - During Korah's rebellion which occurred in Numbers 16, Dathan and Abiram, who were part of the rebellion, refused to go to Moses when summoned. They accused Moses of bringing them up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, meaning Egypt, to kill them in the desert. Then they said in Numbers 16:14 (ESV): “‘Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards.’”
Dathan and Abiram’s words were particularly inflammatory, as Moses had led the people to the border of Canaan, but they refused to enter and take possession of the land. Because of their lack of faith that God would fight for them, that whole generation of Israelites had been condemned to wander in the wilderness for forty years until they had all died. As a result of Korah’s rebellion and Dathan and Abiram’s defiance, the earth split open and swallowed them, their families, and their possessions.
Q2 - If the Law was imperfect, why did God put it in place at all if He planned to replace it later? What purpose did it serve (see Galatians 3:19–29)?
A2 - The Law was part of God’s plan to ultimately bring salvation through His Son. Although no one could be made righteous in God’s sight by keeping the Law, Paul tells us in Romans 3:20 (NIV) it was: “…through the law we become conscious of our sin.” He speaks further concerning the purpose of the Law in Galatians 3 and states in Galatians 3:24–25 that the Law was our schoolmaster (or tutor or guardian) to bring us to Christ so that we could be justified by faith. Then he tells us that now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
In essence, the Law was an interim step in God’s plan to prepare the world for His Son. Paul concludes his explanation of the Law acting as a guardian by telling us how we can become children of God through faith in Galatians 3:26–29 (NIV): “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Q3 - In what ways does Christ fulfill for Christians today both the roles that Moses and Aaron had under the Law? How is He superior to them?
A3 - In addition to being the leader of the Israelites, Moses often acted as a mediator or intercessor, going between God and the people and pleading for them. While Moses was fallible, we now have a perfect intercessor in Christ. Paul tells us in Romans 8:34 (NIV) that: “…Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
Aaron, a descendant of Levi, was God’s first high priest. Many priests followed him, because death prevented them from continuing in office (Hebrews 7:23). The Levitical priesthood was imperfect, and Jesus established a new priesthood in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:11). The Hebrew writer goes on to tell us in Hebrews 7:24–25 (NIV) that: “…because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
The priests offered sacrifices for the sins of the people under the Law, and they had to do so repeatedly. Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, and He did this once and for all time. Hebrews 7:26–28 (NIV) tells us: “Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”