Much More Will Be Asked
The LORD said to Moses, "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink. So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." - Numbers 20:7-12
Elsewhere in Deuteronomy 32:51-52, the LORD said, "This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel."
Pretty harsh, huh? I was always puzzled at this severe decree from God. Why deny Moses entry into the Promised Land, all because of a seemingly small transgression? In fact, I couldn't even discern what Moses did which the LORD took as 'breaking faith'.
After all, God loved Moses so much, and Moses had been - up till Meribah anyway - utterly faithful. Why, Moses even spoke with God face-to-face! Surely God could overlook such a teensy flaw in His leader?
Human beings are definitely more likely and willing to overlook misdeeds in leaders and favorite people, anyway.
But Jesus says: "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. - Luke 12:47-48
Quite a different perspective, huh?
The more you know of God, the more you'll be held accountable for not obeying Him. The closer you are to Him, the 'harsher' He will be when dealing with you.
It's wonderful how God turns worldly wisdom and human ways upside down.
Elsewhere in Deuteronomy 32:51-52, the LORD said, "This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel."
Pretty harsh, huh? I was always puzzled at this severe decree from God. Why deny Moses entry into the Promised Land, all because of a seemingly small transgression? In fact, I couldn't even discern what Moses did which the LORD took as 'breaking faith'.
After all, God loved Moses so much, and Moses had been - up till Meribah anyway - utterly faithful. Why, Moses even spoke with God face-to-face! Surely God could overlook such a teensy flaw in His leader?
Human beings are definitely more likely and willing to overlook misdeeds in leaders and favorite people, anyway.
But Jesus says: "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. - Luke 12:47-48
Quite a different perspective, huh?
The more you know of God, the more you'll be held accountable for not obeying Him. The closer you are to Him, the 'harsher' He will be when dealing with you.
It's wonderful how God turns worldly wisdom and human ways upside down.
posted by sleepypurplepiglet at 8:24 PM
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