SEMOJf UPON DEUTERONOMY XXXII. 51.
Beccmse ye (repassed against me among the children of Israel at the ivaters of 3Ierihali-Kadesh, in the ivilderness of Zin ; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. — Deut. xxxii. 51.
I SHALL give you some strictures or short notes on this scripture. The words contain a reason why Moses and Aaron were shut out of Canaan; because of their sin at Meribah-Kadesh, or the waters of strife. Their sin is doubly expressed here — (1.) ' Ye trespassed against me ; ' (2.) ' Ye sanctified me not.'
The one expression seemeth to imply a sin of commission, 'Ye trespassed against me,' that is, disobeyed God. The other a sin of omission, ' Ye sanctified me not in the eyes of the children of Israel.' Or rather, the one is a more general expression, it was a trespass ; the other more particular, showing what sort of trespass it was, not sanctifying God.
For the first, this sin is called, Num. xxvii. 14, * A rebellion against the commandment of the Lord.' In the text, a trespass or a trans- gression.
For the second, more particularly, not sanctifying God is a trans- gression with a scandal annexed to it. To sanctify God is to carry ourselves to him as to a God of such glory and power, to fear him above all, and to love him and trust him above all. In short, to do that which God commandeth, depending upon his word and promise, by which we ascribe to him the glory of his truth, goodness, and power, as counting him worthy to be feared and trusted, whatever temptations we have to the contrary. Thus, Isa. viii. 13, ' Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread ; ' 1 Peter iii. 15, ' Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.' There was a scandal annexed ; for it is said in the text, 'Among the children of Israel, and in the midst of the children of Israel ; ' and elsewhere, ' in the eyes of the children of Israel.' They publicly dishonoured God before all the ])eople. Moses used like words of unbelief when the people lusted for flesh at Taberah, as now he did at Meribah when they murmured for
388 SERMON UPON DEUTERONOMY XXXII. 51.
want of water: Num. xi. 21, 22, 'And Moses said, The people among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen ; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole mouth. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them to suffice them ? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to suffice them? And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord's hand waxed short ? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass to thee or not.' Unbelief will be always urging difficulties against God's promises. But there was no threatening then ; that unbelief was only professed in secret, only before the Lord ; but this was before all Israel. And' both Moses and Aaron are charged with this sin; and being both partners in the transgression, they are both concerned in the chastise- ment ; both are shut out of Canaan, and died, the one at Mount Hor, the other at Mount Nebo.
Doct. That the sins even of God's children may cost them dear here in this world.
1, I shall reflect on the instance in the text.
2. Give you general reasons.
I. To give you some reflections on the instance in the text. Tiie history of it you have. Num. xx. The people, when the water failed, gather together against Moses and Aaron to chide, ver. 3 ; that is, to resist, or speak with bitter and reproachful words. They menaced, and therefore Moses and Aaron withdrew for fear of them, and because cf their outrages, they fell upon their faces, praying in the door of the sanctuary, ver. 6 ; and it is said, ' The glory of the Lord appeared to them ; ' that is, in the cloud, as a sign that he heard their prayer and would save them. And the Lord biddeth Moses, ver. 8, to take his rod, and he and Aaron to speak to the rock to give out water enough for all Israel, for them and their beasts ; and this speaking to the rock was to be done in the sight and hearing of all the people. Upon this Moses and Aaron ' gather all the congregation together before the rock,' ver, 10, 11, and then he said. 'Hear now, ye rebels, must v/e fetch water for you out of this rock ? And he lift up his hand, and with his rod smote the rock twice ; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.' This is the account of the history. The question now is, Wherein was Moses' sin in all this ? Some think in that Moses smote the rock, and spake to the people. It is not said that he ' spake to the rock, as he is commanded by God ; he should only have spoken to the rock, not have smitten it. But when God biddeth him take his rod, it is most probable to imagine that he intended he should smite the rock with it, as was before done at Ptephidim: Exod. xvii. 6, 'Thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink,' But here there is no command of smiting, therefore some think he should only have lifted up his rod in the eyes of the people, as the signal of former miracles. Others think his error was in smiting twice, when once had been enough to declare their faith and reliance on God's promise. But the scripture doth seem to refer us to another cause, their disobedience and unbelief, not manifested in his smiting so much as in his speaking : Ps. cvi. 32, 33, ' They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes; because they provoked his spirit,