Chukat “Statute” / Balak
Numbers 19:1–25:9
Judges 11:1–33
Micah 5:6-6:8
1 Kings 4-6

It Does Not Seem Fair

This Torah portion begins with the account of an event where I would prefer not to be. It is the account of a wrong move by Moses and the judgment he would incur. It does not seem fair that Moses would be judged so harshly for one wrong act and the Hebrews get off with just another warning. Fair or not in our minds, this is the way it unfolds in the reading this week and our pleading for Moses does not change things. What we can change is our own attitudes and lives so that maybe history will not repeat itself.

First consider the setting. The Hebrews have been in the desert for many years now. The first question is, “Is their being in the desert the fault of Moses, or are they to blame?” Anyone who has even glanced over Numbers can answer this one! Just the same, living in the desert for a few years was not a picnic. In the early days this camping trip was probably a great adventure, but camping for 30 years will get on anyone’s nerves. They had been told they were going to the Promised Land. They had been told of its great bounty and the life they would be able to enjoy when they arrived. We can hardly blame them for being a bit testy after this many years. The people were no doubt frustrated, but this time their frustration would result in a price and cost that should not be paid. It would cost Moses dearly.

Yah once again tested the people by cutting off their water supply. Consider that after so many years of manna and water once again they were being tested. They could have chosen to offer thanksgiving from a heart of faith for Yah’s bountiful gifts. I imagine the water would have flowed to the point they could not have handled it. But no, not this group. They have to once again complain and take it out on Moses. Up until this point he has been the one who assumed the position of prayer and led them through their times of faithlessness. This time it would be different though. Yes, Moses would pray for the people and The Almighty would provide a way for His glory to be seen in their midst. But this time there was something different in Moses. Moses had had enough. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. He had taken all he could take and even though he once again assumed the position of prayer, he let it all get to him. I think it is a good thing that Yah did not offer to kill all the people this time because Moses would probably have let Him!

Moses entered into the frustration of the people. He allowed their lack of faith and penchant to complain instead of pray get to him. In the end it would cost him a walk to a mountain of death instead of a walk through a river and promises of life. The man who was in our eyes worthy of walking into Israel would not be allowed while the multitude that seemed not to be worthy would be allowed to enter in.

So what can we learn from this account today? How should it affect the way we live? The answer depends on who you are and the calling you walk in. If you are a leader, this Torah portion should literally scare you. To think that something like this could happen to you should send chills down your spine. To know that you can work all your life and pour yourself into His people, but in the end come up literally one step short is a message you must keep in your mind at all times. It is a message that causes us to take to heart the words of Yaakov regarding teachers having a harsher judgment.

What should this account say to everyone else though? I believe it should speak volumes. It should cause us to ask ourselves just how we are treating those He has placed as leaders in our lives. How hard are we making life for them? Are we putting unnecessary frustrations upon them because of our lack of faith and faithfulness? Are we so self centered that we would live in such a way that it would cost our leaders more than they should have to pay?

In the end Moses’ trip into the Promised Land would be delayed by a few hundred years. I doubt he ever blamed the people for what he had done. Such an attitude was just not in him. But I have a feeling that the people did have their time of reaping the rewards of their actions. There would be a day they would all walk across the Jordan on dry ground, but from the Jordan they could look over their shoulder and see the mount that Moses had gone to. It was like he was looking over their shoulder as they entered in. I imagine more than one of the people felt the guilt of their actions on that day and wished they could go back and change things. But they could not.

The difference between us and the Hebrews is clear. We can still learn from their mistakes. The question is, will we?