LIFE LESSON FOR TODAY, 1/24/14

EXODUS 3: 9-10

⁹ Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 
¹⁰ Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

EXODUS 17:5-6

⁵ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which 
you struck the river, and go. 
⁶ Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

 NUMBERS  20: 10-12

¹⁰ 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?”
¹¹ 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.
¹² Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”



 Luke 12:48

 ... For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.


HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Moses was the Lord's  appointed leader for
the  Israelites.  He was supposed to take 
them to a land flowing with milk and honey.  
This was called the Promised Land.  Moses
came to the Israelites' defense many times.
They whined and complained numerous times.
Moses would go to the Lord and request the 
things that they wanted. The Lord always '
supplied  their wants and  needs. 

Moses was with these people for forty years
and the Lord gave him specific instructions
along the way.  Moses was to make sure the 
Israelites knew that the Lord was the supplier
of their wants and needs.

Moses was given specific instructions on how
to get water for them.  He got angry at them 
and did not follow the Lord's instructions. He 
spoke to the rock before he struck it with his
rod. Moses made it appear that he was the
one who supplied  the water. The Lord had
mercy on the Israelites and let them have 
water from the rock. Moses was punished 
and could not enter The Promised Land. 


LIFE LESSON FOR TODAY: "LEADERS MUST
MEET REQUIREMENTS"

I was upset when I read about Moses' life. 
He had to put up with people who whined
and complained for 40 years.  They were
ungrateful and gave Moses a hard time. 
He had a lot of patience most of the time.  
His anger at the people caused him to make 
a tragic mistake. I wondered why the Lord 
could not give Moses a break and let him
follow the Israelites to the Promised Land.  
I later realized what made Moses' actions
so destructive. The Bible book of Luke 12
shows us that you have to meet certain 
standards  when you are  a leader.  Moses 
had been given a lot of privileges that most
men will never have.  He knew about the 
Lord's power because he had witnessed so
many supernatural events. He encountered 
the Burning Bush, the creation of the tablets
with the Ten Commandments, and crossing 
the Red Sea.  The Glory of Lord  is not to be
tampered with. 

I was a team leader years ago and didn't 
realize all of the requirements necessary to 
uphold the job.  The endless record keeping, 
office politics, and long meetings were torture.
I have never liked long meetings because I get
fidgety after 30 minutes. I didn't like that some
times qualified people could get fired and that I couldn't tell them real reason they were being
let go.  I could not divulge the mechanics of
office politics can override job performance. 
I held this job while a lady was on maternity 
leave. I was glad when she returned. I had to
take a week vacation to recuperation from the 
stress!  


PAINTING OF MOSES, JOSES de RIBERA, 1638