Numbers 20:6-11: a reflection

6Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces. The LORD’s glory appeared to them. 7The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 8“Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it pour out its water. You shall bring water to them out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink.” 9Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. 10Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?” 11Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice, and water came out abundantly. The congregation and their livestock drank.

Told to speak to the rock, Moses instead strikes it in anger and speaks rashly to the people, a warning about the danger of acting in anger and departing from what God has directed. Hear now, you rebels, Moses says to the people; and he struck the rock with his rod twice, though God had told him only to speak to it. God had instructed Moses to speak to the rock, and it would pour out water. But Moses, frustrated and angry with the rebellious people, did not do exactly as God directed; he spoke rashly to them, calling them rebels, and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it. Water still came, by God's grace; but Moses, a faithful servant, had acted in anger and departed from what God had directed. This shows the danger of acting in anger and departing from what God has directed. Beware acting in anger and departing from what God has directed. Even a faithful servant can fail by acting in frustration. Anger can lead us to speak rashly and act wrongly. Do what God directs, in the way he directs, rather than reacting in anger.

Notice how anger led Moses astray. The people had, again, complained and rebelled, and Moses was rightly frustrated with them. God gave Moses clear instructions: take the rod, gather the people, and speak to the rock, and it would give water. But Moses, in his anger and frustration with the people, did not follow these instructions exactly. He spoke to the people rashly, in anger: hear now, you rebels. And instead of speaking to the rock as God had said, he struck it, and struck it twice, acting out of his frustration rather than doing precisely what God had directed. God graciously gave water anyway; but Moses, one of the most faithful of God's servants, had let his anger lead him to depart from God's clear instruction. This holds a warning for us. Even faithful people, even in a good cause, even when their frustration is understandable, can be led by anger into rash words and wrong actions, departing from what God has directed. Anger has a way of clouding our judgment, prompting rash speech, and leading us to act on our frustration rather than to do carefully what is right and what God directs. When we are angry and frustrated, especially with others, we are prone to speak rashly and to act wrongly, departing from the better course. We do well to beware acting in anger, to guard against letting frustration lead us into rash words and wrong actions, and to do what God directs in the way he directs, even when we are provoked. Beware acting in anger, which leads to rash words and wrong actions. Even a faithful servant can fail by acting in frustration. Do not let anger lead you to depart from what God has directed. When provoked, do carefully what is right, rather than reacting in anger.

That is worth taking to heart, for even a faithful servant can fail by acting in anger and departing from what God directed, as Moses struck the rock in frustration. We can let anger lead us into rash words and wrong actions; but Moses, told to speak to the rock, struck it in anger and departed from God's instruction. Beware anger. When you are provoked and frustrated, do not let anger lead you to speak rashly or act wrongly, departing from what God directs; do carefully what is right. Beware acting in anger and departing from what God has directed, doing carefully what is right rather than letting frustration lead you into rash words and wrong actions, as told to speak to the rock Moses instead struck it in anger and spoke rashly to the people, a warning about the danger of acting in anger, since he called the people rebels and struck the rock twice though God had told him only to speak to it; for God had instructed Moses to speak to the rock and it would pour out water, but Moses, frustrated and angry with the rebellious people, did not do exactly as God directed but spoke rashly to them and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it, and though water still came by God's grace Moses, a faithful servant, had acted in anger and departed from what God had directed, which holds a warning for us, since even faithful people, even in a good cause and when their frustration is understandable, can be led by anger into rash words and wrong actions and depart from what God has directed, anger having a way of clouding our judgment and prompting rash speech and leading us to act on our frustration rather than do carefully what is right and what God directs, so that when we are angry and frustrated, especially with others, we are prone to speak rashly and act wrongly, and we do well to beware acting in anger and to guard against letting frustration lead us into rash words and wrong actions and to do what God directs in the way he directs even when provoked.

Lord, told to speak to the rock, Moses instead strikes it in anger and speaks rashly to the people, a warning to me about the danger of acting in anger and departing from what you have directed. Hear now, you rebels, Moses says to the people; and he struck the rock with his rod twice, though you had told him only to speak to it. You had instructed Moses to speak to the rock, and it would pour out water. But Moses, frustrated and angry with the rebellious people, did not do exactly as you directed; he spoke rashly to them, calling them rebels, and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it. Water still came, by your grace; but Moses, a faithful servant, had acted in anger and departed from what you had directed. Show me how anger led Moses astray. The people had, again, complained and rebelled, and Moses was rightly frustrated. You gave him clear instructions: speak to the rock, and it would give water. But Moses, in his anger, did not follow these instructions exactly. He spoke to the people rashly, in anger: hear now, you rebels. And instead of speaking to the rock as you had said, he struck it, and struck it twice, acting out of his frustration. You graciously gave water anyway; but Moses, one of the most faithful of your servants, had let his anger lead him to depart from your clear instruction. This holds a warning for me. Even faithful people, even in a good cause, even when frustration is understandable, can be led by anger into rash words and wrong actions, departing from what you have directed. Anger has a way of clouding my judgment, prompting rash speech, and leading me to act on my frustration rather than to do carefully what is right and what you direct. When I am angry and frustrated, especially with others, I am prone to speak rashly and act wrongly. Take that to my heart. When I am provoked and frustrated, keep me from letting anger lead me to speak rashly or act wrongly, departing from what you direct; help me do carefully what is right, Lord, in the way you direct, even when provoked, rather than reacting in anger as Moses did.