The Chain of Frustration…
Moses was a frustrated man. On the surface, you could understand why, but that doesn’t make it right. (Something we can learn from…) God called upon him to rescue the Hebrew people from Egypt, so he responded and God used him to deliver the people from the Egyptians and bring them into the land promised to their forefathers. You can read about it in EXODUS 6:1-8.
Over the next 40 years, Moses dealt with a generation of complainers. Time after time they complained, which led Moses to get frustrated and angry. Ultimately, that frustration caused him to make a huge error with God that made it so God would not permit him to enter the promised land. This first occurrence took place near the start of the 40-year-trek.
“1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ And Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’ 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?’ 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.’ 5 And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.’ And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.” – EXODUS 17:1-6 (ESV)
Forty years later, a similar incident occurred, recorded in Numbers 20. Similar complaining, but different instructions by God:
“7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 ‘Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and TELL the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So, you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.’ 9 And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him. 10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, ‘Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?’ 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and STRUCK the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.’” – NUMBERS 20:7-12 (ESV)
God said to speak to the rock and Moses, in his 40 years of frustration, struck it; but, that was a huge misstep!
See, the rock was a type and shadow of The Rock, Jesus. Hebrews 10:10 reminds us that Jesus was sacrificed on the Cross “once for all.” He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. Once. When Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30) it was a completed work. It was fully God’s grace, not God’s grace plus something.
God knew the Old Testament was being created; when Moses struck the rock the second time, he messed up the metaphor God was laying the ground for in the creation of the Old Testament. This is how important God takes His Word!
How Should We Deal with Frustration?
Today, we have the benefit of the New Testament (as well as a better covenant!). Looking at the Old Testament type and shadow, we can say this: We’re supposed to speak to the Rock, not speak to the people we’re frustrated with. Despite our emotion’s desires, we need to bless others and speak to Jesus, to pray. When you’re frustrated by your spouse, don’t vent in their direction; vent it to Jesus. Take your frustrations to Him, not to your children!
When you do this, you not only break the chain of frustration over others, but you break it from yourself.
Watch the Feb. 27, 2022 message on which this post was based: CLICK HERE.
This is part of our Chain Breakers series.
