testify that displeasure in words : but it must not be such an anger as transports us into unbecoming actions or vehement invectives. The expressions used by Moses on this occasion, shew, that his anger was by no means duly moderated. It did not terminate on the offence, but struck at the person of the offenders ; towards whom nothing but pity, joined with faithful remonstrances, should have been exercised. Doubtless, his indignation was very hot, when he addressed the people, " Ye rebels :" and in this it is evident that Aaron also was a partaker with him. How sinful this was, we may judge from that declaration of our Lord, that " Whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council ; and whoso- ever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell firec." Here then again we see that their exclusion from Canaan was justly merited.]
3. Disobedience —
[God had commanded Moses to " speak to the rock :" but Moses, in the paroxysm of his anger, smote it, yea " smote it twice." Had Moses forgotten how strict God's inj mictions had been respecting the furniture of the tabernacle, that every the smallest vessel or pin should be " made according to the pattern shewn to him in the mount ? " Had he forgotten that, when bounds were set round Mount Sinai, even a beast, if he should pass them, was to be pierced through with a dart ? Had he and Aaron forgotten how strictly every the minutest service of the sanctuary was enjoined on the pain of death? How then could they dare thus to violate the divine commands ? God himself complains of this as an act of direct rebellion against himd. Who then can wonder that God saw fit to mark it with a testimony of his displeasure ? It is not improbable that God, in ordering Moses to speak to the rock, intended to reprove the Israelites, when they saw the rocks themselves more obedient to the divine command than they. But the disobedience of Moses altogether defeated this intention : yea, it was calculated to convey a most erroneous idea to those who understood the mystical import of this dispensation. The rock that had been smitten nine and thirty years before was a type of Christ, from whom, as smitten for our offences, the waters of life and salva- tion flowe. But Christ was not to be smitten twice : " he was once offered to bear the sins of many : " and it is henceforth by speaking to him, and addressing him in prayer and faith, that we are to receive renewed communications of his grace and mercy. But Moses and Aaron overlooked all this, (for what will not people forget, when under the influence of passion ?) and justly brought upon themselves this severe rebuke.]
c Compare ver. 10,11. with Matt. v. 22.
d ver. 21 . with Numb, xxvii. 14. e Exod. xvii. 6. with 1 Cor. x. 4.
166.] MOSES AND AARON TO DIE IN THE WILDERNESS. Ill
4. Unbelief — [Of this in particular God accuses them ; " Ye believed me not, to sanctify me." Whether they doubted the efficacy of a ivord, and therefore smote the rock ; or whether they acted in their own strength, expecting the effect to be produced by their own act of striking the rock, instead of regarding God alone as the author of the mercy, we cannot say: we rather incline to the latter opinion, because of the emphatic manner in which they addressed the Israelites ; " Ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock ? " In either case they were under the influence of unbelief : for, distrust of God, or creature-confi- dence, are equally the effects of unbelief: the one characterized the conduct of those Israelites who were afraid to go up to take possession of the promised land; and the other, those who went up in their own strength, when God had refused to go before them. This was the offence which excluded the whole nation from the promised land : " they could not enter in because of unbelief f:" no wonder therefore, that, when Moses and Aaron were guilty of it, they were involved in the common lot.]