Numbers 20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 417] The two brothers went on before the multitude, Moses with the rod of God in his hand. They were now aged men. Long had they borne with the rebellion and obstinacy of Israel; but now, at last, even the patience of Moses gave way. “Hear now, you rebels,” he cried; “must we fetch you water out of this rock?” and instead of speaking to the rock, as God had commanded him, he smote it twice with the rod.
The water gushed forth in abundance to satisfy the host. But a great wrong had been done. Moses had spoken from irritated feeling. His lack of patience and self-control was evident. [Testimonies Vol. 6 pp 656] Strength of character consists of two things—power of will and power of self-control. The real greatness and nobility of the man is measured by the power of the feelings that he subdues, not by the power of the feelings that subdue him. The strongest man is he, who, while sensitive to abuse, will yet restrain passion and forgive his enemies.
As we were writing out the Bible study, we were just wondering if in our own lives there might be some latent tendency, some dormant propensity that may have gone undetected or unaddressed for years and which might bubble up to the surface if the right set of circumstances were to be converged by devils.
Numbers 2012 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!