STRANGER THAN FICTION
Numbers Chapter 20 is one of the strangest books of the bible. It is sad and tragic and it is hard to understand and read. The scripture that we are given leaves so much to the imagination.
This is a very crucial time in the journey of the nation of Israel through the wilderness and a lot is on the line at this point.
I say this is strange because there are so many places in the passages of Numbers, Chapter 20 where no words are spoken to explain the things that are happening. A person has to read between the lines and hope that he is translating and interpreting correctly.
Much is left unsaid.
So many things happen in a very abrupt manner and without any lengthy explanations.
FIRST KNOWN FACT
A person who knows and understands God’s appointed times gets one big clue immediately though.
There is a date given for the time that the people come into the place called Kadesh.
Remember Kadesh?
It was the place where the people were told by God to enter the land and they hesitated for fear of the giants.
Now, since that time, they have spent 40 years paying for that mistake and they look up one day to find they are back in this place again. None of that former time is even mentioned though. I guess God doesn’t ever need to repeat himself. He expects us to be paying attention. We are told they came to Kedesh.
We are also told that the people arrived here in the first month of the year. This would be the month of Nisan in the time of the spring barley harvest. This is the time that God had changed on their calendar to make it the first month of their year. (Exodus 12:1.) The month would begin at the first crescent of the new moon right after the barley is formed in the crops at the beginning of Spring. This generally happens after the first day that is equally dark and equally light, what we now call the spring equinox.
IT WAS CLOSE TO TIME OF THE PASSOVER
What else happens in the nation of Israel right after the first month?
Passover.
Passover comes on the 14th day after the beginning of the first month. So as they enter Kedesh; Passover is coming and the people are also about to PASS OVER into the Promised Land. They had left Egypt on Passover, and they would arrive in the Promised Land in the same season.
They are going to “a place prepared,” which is what usually happens during the Passover.
So when we reach Chapter 20 of The Book of Numbers and we find that the people are beginning a new year, the beginning of the 40th year after they began their long wilderness journey. They had begun in Nisan, and they will end the journey in the month of Nisan. They are very close to the end of the long dusty desert road now, and a whole new beginning is waiting on the other side.
REVISITING AN OLD PLACE WITH A NEW PLAN
Kedesh means sacred, holy, place or Sanctuary.
Just as you are beginning to feel the excitement of things being made new; tragedy strikes the camp.
We are told in one brief sentence that Miriam died.
This was the death of the amazing woman who was sister to both Moses and Aaron. She was like a guardian angel looking out for their welfare and connecting them with the people over and over again, all through her lifetime.
REMEMBERING MIRIAM
Miriam had actually begun her time of an amazing life-service to God even before Moses had been born.
Most people do not associate Miriam with Pauh; but that was her Egyptian name, and she and her Mother had served as midwives to the Hebrew women. Miriam had actually began helping her Mother in this role of a midwife at the tender age of five; and they had rescued many of Israel’s male babies from death when the Pharaoh had commanded the midwives to kill the male babies.
It was because of this terrible fate of the Hebrew boy babies that Miriam’s mother and father had divorced; knowing that they did not want to have any more children under those horrid circumstances.
Miriam was said to have persuaded her father to return to her mother and to remarry her by telling him that he was worse than Pharaoh because at least Pharaoh’s actions were only causing no more male babies to be born in Israel; but now with the men who were refusing to be married any longer because of this, these men were actually causing all of the girl and boy babies not to be born.
Many of the men had followed Miriam’s father’s actions of protest. She pointed out that instead of saving babies they were now causing a genocide of the whole nation.
Miriam’s father listened and thought better of his actions. He returned to her mother and later Moses was born because of it. Had Miriam not acted with such wisdom; the nation of Israel would not have had Moses as their leader.
The scriptures leave ALL of this amazing history out of this Chapter where we hear of Miriam’s passing; and they just tell us that Miriam died, and then the people were grumbling at Moses and Aaron again because of the lack of water.
SORTING OUT THE FACTS
This was a bit confusing at first.
However; it seems that the source of the water of the camp had come to them everywhere they went because of Miriam’s presence. Because of the presence of Miriam; God was providing water.
Why was this?
We are told of a legendary rock that gave water which rolled along with the people through the desert, and it was fondly called “Miriam’s well.”
This sounds appropriate when you think back to all of the times that Miriam’s actions were associated with blessings that occurred from being around water.
She helped her Mother and Father put baby Moses into the Nile River when his life was in danger, and she talked the daughter of Pharaoh, who drew him out of the river and claimed him as her own, into letting Moses’ own mother keep him with her until he was weaned.
Then we hear of Miriam offering up praise in abundance after the splitting of the sea. She lead the women in dancing and there is a song now called Miriam’s song because of the great exuberant praise that she offered to God after that miracle happened.
It was again yet another miracle of water.
Miriam had been associated with so many “water” miracles in her life and she was so grateful for them that some believe God blessed her by allowing the water source in the desert to be named after her.
When Miriam died; the water source that had been with them all the way; dried up and could be found no more.
MOSES MOURNS THE LOSS OF MIRIAM
This loss of water because of the lack of Miriam’s presence was a huge problem for Moses. When the rock flowing with water went dry after Miriam died, the people were left thirsty in the dry and parched desert heat.
Some people look at the anger that welled up in Moses when the people complained loudly about the lack of water and they tie this fact to the fact that Moses was in such grief over the loss of his dear sister that he became angry with God and he lost his confidence to lead the people.
Miriam had stood by Moses through every huge moment of his life. She had been the constant woman that he could converse with and go to when he needed to sort out his feelings. She would listen to him and encourage him. He would miss her terribly; and he grieved.
Miriam had been a prophet; and Moses had counted on her wisdom and discernment in leading the people. He was hurting and these people once again were giving him a hard time. They would not even allow him time to mourn for his sister.
What would he ever do without her?
THE EMOTIONS OF MOSES
He was terribly upset; though Moses wasn’t known for getting angry, or not showing compassion, or not trusting God for the answers. Still; he lost it here when Miriam died; and it was a grave mistake. He acted out of his emotions and anger instead of doing the right thing to help the people.
Moses turned to the people with Aaron at his side. They both had fallen on their faces before God seeking answers and God had told Moses to take the staff in his hand and to speak to the people and tell the rock to give water.
Moses was still angry.
He got angrier as he looked at the faces of the people with the staff in his hand; and he shouted “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”
Then Moses struck the rock twice.
He must have been really angry that the people would not pray to God themselves in order to get the water. They were like spoiled babies and he had to do everything for them.
This must have been what Miriam had been doing all this time. She must have been interceding for the people with God asking for the water that had been provided. All they had to do was ask; and God always provided! Miriam got this. Now that she wasn’t with them; could they not even offer up a prayer to the God who was looking after them?
MOSES FORGOT TO GIVE GOD THE CREDIT BEFORE THE PEOPLE
Also; Moses, in his deep anger and emotional frustration asked the people if they (Moses and Aaron) needed to bring them water from the rock.
That was a terrible mistake on the part of Moses.
God was the One who brought the water from the rock; not he and Aaron.
How could he have said such a thing to the people?
The rock had gushed out water; and the people and their flocks drank, but Moses and Aaron would pay for their mishandling of the situation. Aaron had not corrected Moses or disagreed with him.
God had told them to take staff with them; but he had not told Moses to strike the rock with it.
Moses should never have struck the rock; and he did it twice.
REVISITING THE WATERS OF MERIBAH
This was the place of the waters of Meribah, where in the past the people had quarreled with God and refused to follow through and go into the land.
God remembered.
Moses and Aaron had not honored God in this place where God was being especially gracious to an ungrateful group of people. This was the second time they showed God disrespect.
God told Moses and Aaron that they had not honored Him in this spot before the people; and now they would not not be allowed to lead the people into the Promised Land.
In a time that should have been so very happy and joyful; there was great tragedy going on in the camp of Israel.
They had even more trouble too.
In order to get to The Promised Land the people needed to pass through Edom. Moses sent word to the King of Edom that they would be coming through and that they meant no harm and that they would not even take a drink of water or walk through their vineyards, but only keep to the main route and pass on by.
The King of Edom denied them entry and sent a huge army after them that made the people turn away and return to Kedesh.
THE DEATH OF AARON
Finally they tried to leave Kedesh and they traveled as far as Mount Hor on the border of Edom.
Here; in the middle of the border crises, God told Moses that Aaron was about to die.
God directed Moses and Aaron to take Aaron’s son, Eleazar up to Mount Hor and there God instructed Moses to take the holy garments of the priest that Aaron wore and put them on Aaron’s son, Eleazar.
This transfer of the holy garments was done and then Aaron died on Mt. Hor.
Again, we do not hear any details.
Apparently, Aaron was very healthy one minute and then died the next; simply because it was time for him to die since God wasn’t going to let him go into the Promised Land. His position was passed on to his son.
Moses and Eleazar came back down the mountain and told the people that Aaron had died. They mourned Aaron’s death at the foot of the mountain for 30 days.
A VERY BAD TIME IN THE LIFE OF MOSES
Could things get any worse?
Moses had lost his sister and his brother. He had displeased God; and he knew he would be punished and not allowed to enter the Promised Land either.
As he watched his beloved brother dying; Moses must have been thinking his time was also very short.
Can you imagine how he felt coming back down that mountain?
All that he had lived for was now lost because of one burst of anger and one slip up in judgement.
The scriptures do not say one word about the thoughts of Moses or any conversations between Moses and God; just that they came back down the mountain and mourned Aaron’s death for 30 days.
ONLY GOD KNOWS THE WHOLE STORY
My heart hurt for Moses as I wrote this.
Surely he had felt that God had deserted him.
We have all felt that way in this journey called life. All I can say is when these fragile moments happen, we must continue to hold on to our faith.
Despite how different appearances seem to be sometimes, God is loving and merciful and kind and forgiving. We can trust this.
Though this part of the story sounds like a terrible situation where everyone is left wondering what on earth is going on; we have to remember that God is outside of time and we are inside.
God knows so much more than we do.
His actions are always righteous; even when we do not understand.
Moses knew this too.
That one fact must have been his only comfort.