Why Couldn’t Moses Enter the Promised Land?
The answer to this question is not only fascinating but will open our eyes to a greater eternal truth that will shape and impact our lives forever.
God wasn't surprised that Moses would break the tablets the Ten Commandments were written on. Remember Moses broke them out of anger that Israel had started worshipping a golden calf while he was away talking to God on their behalf (Exodus 32:19).
God fully intended for them to be broken. Moreover, Moses breaking them out of anger and frustration in one sense was prophetic to Israel also breaking all of them. This is why God gave them to Israel for that very purpose (Romans 5:20). It should be no surprise at all that the first man who was ever given the law would be the first one to break the law. That is the purpose for which the law was given.
Notice that God didn’t punish Moses for breaking the tablets His laws were written on. That act of anger didn’t get him banned from entering the Promised Land. Moses did something God considered far more serious; that’s why he was banned from the Promised Land.
To Strike or Speak
In Numbers 20:1-13, the people of Israel had no water. They complained to Moses about their plight. Moses went to the tabernacle and prayed. God’s presence engulfed him and Aaron, and the Lord instructed Moses to speak to the rock. God promised that water would come from the rock in such abundance it would be enough to quench their thirst and their livestock as well. Moses disobeyed God because he was angry at the people and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it. Water gushed from the rock, a crisis was averted, and Israel had an abundance of water.
As a result of disobeying the Lord, Moses was punished by not being allowed to enter the Promised Land.
We see a very clear contrast between disobedience and faith as well as works vs. rest. It took work/effort to strike the rock but faith is rest (Hebrews 4:8-10). Speaking to the rock would show that Moses trusted God's Word. Moses was angry at Israel's sin, rebellion, and idol worship but anger never produces righteousness. Beware of angry preachers. They will produce more disobedience in people than they will faith. “Because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:20).
There are two powerful types and shadows being revealed in this story. The Promised Land and the rock that Moses struck are both types of Christ. The water flowing from the rock is a type of righteousness, salvation, and blessing or gospel.
If Moses had spoken to the rock as God instructed him to do, the miracle of water flowing from a rock would have been a very clear picture of how salvation would come to Israel through faith. Thirsting after righteousness is only quenched by the One who can give us water that will cause us to never thirst again. Jesus said that water only comes to those who “ask” Him for it (John 4:10-14).
Jesus tells Peter He (Jesus) is the rock upon which He will build His church (Matthew 16:18). As punishment for Moses’ disobedience, he was prevented from entering the Promised Land. Moses was known as the “lawgiver” and the Promised Land is a type of Christ. Keeping Moses out of the Promised Land shows how serious God is about not mixing law with grace. The law will always nullify God's grace from working in your heart. God sees it as no different from Moses striking the rock. Our holiness doesn’t come from our self-effort but believing in the finished work of the cross where Jesus has made us holy and acceptable to God (Ephesians 1:4). Anytime someone tries to mix law with grace, it will prevent them from experiencing all God desires for them to have through His grace. Striking the rock is an act of disobedience, whereas speaking to the rock is an act of faith that points to a relationship with Jesus built on trust.
Paul wrote the book of Galatians to help the believers in Galatia understand that mixing law with grace is futile and will rob them of knowing and experiencing the richness of His power and presence in their lives. The promises of God cannot be earned by our efforts or performances but received by faith. It isn’t our performances that earn God’s promises. It is His promises for us that transform believers into the image of Christ.
What is fascinating from these two stories of Moses breaking the Ten Commandments and disobeying God by not speaking to the rock and striking it is it shows all of us that God is far more concerned with us connecting to Him by faith than in our performances or trying to be holy. Notice that God didn’t prevent Moses from entering the Promised Land because he broke God’s commandments, but because he didn’t speak to the rock by faith.
These two stories give us a very clear picture of a false gospel and the true gospel. The false gospel is performance-based, keeping the Ten Commandments, etc., whereas the true gospel is about receiving the grace of God by faith. It isn’t what you do for God that changes you but what you receive from God by faith that does (Romans 12:2).
For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8, AMP)
Everyone has broken God’s laws as revealed in the Ten Commandments but like Moses, that doesn’t prevent us from experiencing His promises. What prevents us from experiencing God’s promises is when we try to earn them by our efforts, works, and performances. This type of self-righteousness opposes the humility God desires to see when we receive grace from Him by faith (James 4:6).
Religion will show anger at those who break God’s laws as Moses did with Israel. Jesus is our rock, which has the water of righteousness that will quench our thirst. We don’t need to strike the rock or put forth any effort at all to obtain the waters of salvation. All God requires of us is to ask in faith, and He will provide in abundance.
