Sin of Moses, Death of Aaron

As the Israelites journeyed through the desert, at this point, they complained again because of the lack of water. God had multiple purposes for what He was leading the Israelites into. In this case, God let the people complained to Aaron and Moses and they both came to the door of the tabernacle to enquire the Lord.

The LORD's purpose was to use this to show another miracle by having Moses speak to the rock and causing the water to flow out in front of everyone. So Moses went out, scolded the Israelites, struck the rock with his rod and the water came out. At first read, there does not seem to be anything wrong. But God's intention was for Moses to speak to the rock, rather than hit the rock.

Moses who God described as the most humble man ever, and the only person to have seen the closest part of God Himself, incurred the wrath of God due to this seemingly small incident. We do not know what's on Moses mind when he struck the rock. It may have been anger, impatience but God also saw it as the lack of believe. Because of this incident, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

We have come to know God as merciful and abundance in Grace, yet we must not forget that avoid taking God for granted in any way, no matter how close we may be with Him.

The other passage describes the death of Aaron - another remarkable event similar to Moses. For Moses and Aaron did not just die, they were called by God and given notice that their lives would end. In this case, Aaron, Moses and Eleazar was summoned to Mount Hor, having given notice that Aaron would die. There Moses put the priestly robe of Aaron unto Eleazar, and Aaron died on the mountain. It is remarkable to see these two, Moses and Aaron, who walked closed to God, and when the time came, God told them about it, and they obediently and expectantly go to their death, no doubt looking forward to the reunion with the LORD.



Numbers 20

Moses’ Error at Kadesh

 1 Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.
2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! 4 Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
7 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the LORD as He commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
12 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
13 This was the water of Meribah,[a] because the children of Israel contended with the LORD, and He was hallowed among them.


Passage Through Edom Refused
  
14 Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us, 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers. 16 When we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice and sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’”
18 Then Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”
19 So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”
20 Then he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

Death of Aaron
  
22 Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23 And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying: 24 “Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.” 27 So Moses did just as the LORD commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.