appointed
leaders have to struggle with the onslaught of fear and doubt.
The roars of attacks at Moses appear to be louder in his ears than the clear
direction God had previously given. In Exodus 14 the people had complained
and Moses had said to them, “don’t be afraid, trust God, you will know His peace
(v. 13). However, Scripture indicates that in the midst of these words of faith,
Moses was crying to God and marking time when he should have been going forward
in faith (v. 15).
Again, in Exodus 17:4, the questions and doubts of the leader, Moses, surface
as he cries to God with the assumption that God’s purposes and plans will not
be fulfilled and his life will end under a pile of rocks. The discontented
followers were threatening the decided direction in which Moses was to lead
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Leaders must get their overall direction from God. While they must listen to
followers lest they get so far in front that the followers cannot identify with
them, they must not allow the crying fears of the crowd to muffle the clear
commands of God.
GOD’S
LEADERS MUST OBEY GOD WITHOUT NEGOTIATION — v. 5-6
As
the farmer had to tell his hired hand, “Never mind the mule, load the wagon!”
so, God had to tell Moses to “Go on before the people” (v. 4). Moses had to
lead forward and do what God had specifically told him to do. On another occasion
he was told to “speak” to the rock and water would come forth. Moses had to
tweak the command a little and he “struck” the rock (Numbers 20:8-12). Disobedience
at best! God was not pleased. Moses is now told to “strike” the rock. Whatever
God says, we are to obey! We are not to negotiate or change His ways. Obedience
always glorifies the Lord and hallows His name before His people (Numbers 20:12).
GOD
IS GRACIOUS TO SHOW HIS NEARNESS IN THE PLACE OF TESTING — v.
6
Moses obeyed God and struck the rock in Horeb. God was standing before him
and provided the water for the thirsty people. God’s supply is always adequate,
because God is the gracious and all-sufficient God who is always near. God
knew what He was going to do even when the people did not understand. Oh,
how we need to grow in our trust of God, for when God says He will do something,
we can count on it! (v. 6)
It
is the nearness of God that is our greatest need, not the supply of God. The
God who is near will always have a supply that is sufficient. It is a life
of faith that will trust the God who promises, the God who provides His riches
through Christ Jesus, and the God who prepares us through the clouds to realize
His nearness and thus, His sufficiency.
______________________
Sermon
brief provided by: Larry Gilmore, Group Leader of the Evangelism
Strategies Group for the Tennessee Baptist Convention in Brentwood, TN