Chukat - Numbers 19:1-22:1

"And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink."' Numbers 19:2-5

This is one of the particularly whiny sections of Torah. There are many. And at first I always think, "Come on people! All those miracles and you think HaShem will let you die for lack of water?!" And then I think, oh yeah, I'd whine too. Too rainy, too hot, too cold, too boring....Why?! And I am a particularly whiny disciple of Yeshua. I don't like it, it doesn't fit His image at all.

Then comes the striking the rock bit:

"Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice..." Numbers 19:10-11

I could see myself doing this too. I'd like not to think of myself as an angry person, but man, when I am irritated, as I am sure Moses was at this point of hundreds of continually complaining people, I can throw some fits I am not proud of. My dog ducks and hides, poor thing. Ugly. So anyway, I can imagine the sudden wrath that filled Moses and that he reacted to so inappropriatly. Which means the consequences he paid for that moment just make me cringe. What have I missed out on, or will miss out on because of allowing my temper to control me instead of the other way around? Please forgive me Lord!