Show Me Your Glory. Lessons from the Life of Moses Inductive Discovery Lesson 16

Transcription

1 Show Me Your Glory Lessons from the Life of Moses Inductive Discovery Lesson 16 T he wilderness was Moses home for two-thirds of his life. As a young man (he would say) Moses spent forty years shepherding flocks. Continual migration over the same territory, year in and year out, was the normal course of his existence. Until his burning bush encounter with God, Moses expected to be a desert-dwelling nomad for the rest of his days. But then, at eighty years of age, Moses learned God had a grander plan for his life. In spite of his fears and misgivings, Moses stepped out in faith. We have closely followed the amazing events of the next two years that bring Moses and the Israelites to the borders of Canaan. Imagine Moses looking forward to spending his eighty-second birthday in the Promised Land! But the fearful, unbelieving people refuse to step out in faith. So God sends them back into the wilderness to wander until the rebellious generation dies away. Background We pick our story up thirty-eight years later. A new generation stands on the brink of promise. They are wilderness children, with faded memories of Egypt and the grousing of their parents deeply embedded in their hearts. During the first month (by our calendar, this would be mid-april to mid-may) the Israelites returned to Kadesh-Barnea. This was a central gathering spot during the wandering years, possibly because it was one of the few reliable sources of water in the Wilderness of Zin. The first generation is nearly extinct, with the notable exceptions of Joshua, Caleb, Aaron and Miriam. Moses himself, though physically and mentally strong as ever, is nearly 120 years old. Witnessing the rebellious generation fall in the wilderness must have been a particularly painful and lonely experience for Moses. Perhaps it was during this time that he penned the poignant lines of Psalm 90. Our days have declined in Your fury; we have finished our years like a sigh Numbers 20 Read the entire passage in one sitting. If possible, read it again from a different Bible translation. Briefly describe in your own words what is happening

2 Write down your OBSERVATIONS Read the section and record what you see. Use the first column to keep track of what you find in the Bible passage. (Who? What? When? Where?) Look for clues that tell you when and where the story is taking place. What events are recorded? Who is mentioned and what role do they play? What choices do they make? Do they succeed or fail? How do they respond to circumstances? What attitudes or motives do they display? Use the second column to record information you gather from other sources. Are more details of the story recorded somewhere else in the Bible? What else can you discover about the people and places mentioned? You may want to look up names and places in a Bible dictionary, map or encyclopedia. You can also use this section to jot down your own thoughts and impressions about people and events. Imagine the people, places and events you read about. Don t use your imagination to produce facts, but use it to bring those biblical facts to life. Numbers 20:1-13 Facts from the passage: My Research and Personal Observations:

3 Numbers 20:14-22 Facts from the passage: My Research and Personal Observations: Numbers 20:23-29 Facts from the passage: My Research and Personal Observations: 3

4 Moses Character Profile This section is provided so that you can get to know Moses, the man. Use the suggested areas on the chart below to track what you have observed about Moses this week. Characteristics/Personality Traits: Training/Growth: Obstacles/Challenges: Accomplishments/Failures: Attitudes/Motives: Relationship with God/With Others: 4

5 INTERPRETATION What does it mean? Look for a spiritual lesson. Be careful not to read into the Bible an idea that is not there. Examine each verse in light of the verses around it. To help you find a spiritual lesson, ask questions such as, Is there a command to obey? A promise to claim? A condition to that promise? Is there a warning to heed? An example to follow or avoid? Looking at a character, ask questions such as, How did God deal with this person? How did they respond to their circumstances? What strengths or talents are revealed? What faults are exposed? Did they learn from their failures? Who did they depend on? How did they influence others? What did they accomplish? State the lesson in one simple sentence. APPLICATION How does it apply to me? We don t study the Bible just to gather information we want to spiritually grow. Our heart needs to be open to change. The only way to move truth off the pages of your Bible and into your life is to put it into action. To apply a spiritual lesson, we must examine ourselves and take deliberate steps to do something with what we have learned. Ask yourself: Is this a new lesson, or does it reinforce what I already know? What does it challenge me to do? Does it point out error in my attitude or actions? What changes does it require? Think of how the lesson relates to you and what specific course of action you will take. Write your application in the form of a question to make it personal. Numbers 20:1-13 Lesson: Application: Numbers 20:14-22 Lesson: Application: Numbers 20:23-29 Lesson: Application: 5

6 Summary Write a simple sentence that summarizes what the passage is about. Give a title to the chapter that will help you personally to remember it. Take a Closer Look But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe Me, and because you did not honor Me as holy before the people, you will not lead them into the land I will give them. Numbers 20:12 NCV Moses lost his temper again. Over the course of this study, we have seen that Moses was an exceedingly patient man with a very long fuse. But when he blew, he exploded. This episode in Moses life is disappointing and even a bit troubling. Why did God deal so severely with Moses over what seems like a minor infraction? Our human tendency is to excuse him by saying look what he had to put up with. We might even argue this wasn t the worst flare-up Moses ever had; after all, no one died and he didn t break anything. Or did he? As you consider the consequences of Moses disobedience, ask the Lord to give you understanding and the grace to accept His correction in your own life. Breaking Faith because you did not believe Me Does this imply that Moses didn t believe water would come from the rock unless he struck it, as God told him to do on a previous occasion? We need to give Moses more credit than that. He did not doubt what God said, he disobeyed what God said. Disobedience starts in the heart. In God s vocabulary, disobedience and unbelief are interchangable words (see Hebrews 3:18-19). The word believe means, to trust, confirm, support, stand by. It describes an attitude of loyal obedience. By contrast, willful disobedience breaks faith with God. because you did not honor Me as holy This word describes devotion and respect. In a reckless moment, Moses took his God-given authority too far. At what point would you say Moses crossed the line from being angry with the people to behaving with disrespect toward God? 6

7 Correction and Consequences God found it necessary to correct Moses and the punishment, though painful, was appropriate. If it appears harsh, bear in mind the considerable influence Moses was given. Leaders are accountable to God for how they use, or abuse, their authority. But there is a vital lesson here for every believer. God takes disobedience seriously. As long as we inhabit these earthly bodies, there will be times when we break faith with God. He is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9) and He is just as faithful to lovingly correct us. The question is, how will we respond? Accepting Correction The following scriptures have something to about correction. What do you learn about God s character and purpose in correcting His children? What outcome is promised when we accept or resist correction? Briefly share what you find. Psalm 119:75 Proverbs 3:11-12 Hebrews 12:11-13 Job 5:17 Proverbs 29:1 Revelation 3:19 Dealing With Consequences Put yourself in Moses shoes and consider what that moment of anger cost him personally. Share your thoughts. Moses pleaded with God more than once to change His mind and allow him to enter the Promised Land. What was God s response? Read Deuteronomy 3: Have you ever said or done something you regretted later? We all have! Explain why obeying God (even when you would rather not) is always in your best interest. 7

8 Something to Think About... Eternal Father... If my waywardness is visited with a scourge, enable me to receive correction meekly, to bless the reproving hand, to discern the motive of rebuke, to respond promptly, and do the first work. Let all Thy fatherly dealings make me a partaker of Thy holiness. Grant that, in every fall, I may sink lower on my knees, and that when I rise, it may be to loftier heights of devotion. - Excerpt of a Puritan Prayer 1 - God s Word Bearing Fruit For you, personally, what has been the most important lesson from this study? How will you put what you have discovered into practice? 1 The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions (Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), p

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