Why did God PREVENT Moses
from entering the PROMISED LAND?

Q. Why did God PREVENT Moses from entering the Promised Land of Palestine?

(Submitted by: J. H. )

A. Moses and Aaron had many times been the object of criticism from the children of Israel. Now, with no water to be found in the desert, they again became the target of the children of Israel's complaints:

"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.

"Now there was no water for the congregation;  so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.  And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying:  'If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!  Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?  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.' " (Numbers 20:1-5, NKJV throughout)

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:

"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.

"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  '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.'  So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.

"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?'  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." (Numbers 20:6-11)

"Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron,  'Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me [proclaim my name holy] in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.' " (Numbers 20:12)

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.