WHY couldn't Moses
enter the PROMISED LAND?

WHY couldn't Moses
enter the PROMISED LAND?

Q. Why did God prevent Moses from entering the promised land? Was it because God told him to speak to the rock . . . but he struck it twice instead (with the rock representing Jesus) or because he took the credit for the miracle of the water from the rock?

(Submitted by: J. H. )

A. Moses and Aaron had been the object of the Israelites' criticism in the past. Now, with no water to be found in the desert, they again became the target of the children of Israel's complaints (Numbers 20:1-5):

"Then came the children of Israel, [even] the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it [is] no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither [is] there any water to drink. "

Verses 6-11 of Numbers 20 continues the story from the appearance of God's glory to them to Moses crediting himself and Aaron for the miraculous appearing of water:

"And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

"And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 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]. "

In verse 12 we find God leaves no doubt as to why Moses and Aaron did not go into the promised land by stating the reason himself:

"And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me [proclaim my name holy] in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. "

Aaron died, as God said in verses 12 and 24, for his part in the rebellion at the rock of Meribah. He died on Mount Hor (Numbers 20:25-28), which is thought to have been directly south of Jerusalem. God allowed Moses to die at Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 34:1-6), which is located directly east of Jerusalem, so that he could view the broad panorama of the promised land before his death. It is interesting to note that Mount Hor (where Aaron died) is at a much lower elevation than Mount Nebo, thus providing Moses a more spectacular view of the promised land than Aaron had.