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Our Concluding Lesson On MosesThe 10 Commandments:

Insights ofPurpose of

Place ofPreparation For Entering The Promised Land

Moses, Anger, And ConsequencesMoses’ Obituary

Gathering at SinaiExodus 19:1-2, “On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.

2 They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the

mountain,

The Hebrew people are encamped before Mount Sinai.

The Israelites are having a personal encounter with their (and our) God

At this mountain for the first time, God made a covenant with the entire nation of IsraelUsually called “The Mosaic covenant”

God came to the Israelites as the Great KingAnd presented them with a binding treaty in which

He would make certain promises to themAnd they would have certain obligations as His

servantsBecause of this, the Hebrews needed to know how

to conduct themselves under the covenant

The Israelites had to act a certain way – God’s Way because they had a relationship with the

living GodGod had demonstrated His love for them by saving

themHe had shown His faithfulness to his promises to

their parents, Abraham and Sarah

He had formalized His relationship with them in a treaty and promised to make them His special

peopleFinally, He gave them instruction for how to live

What a huge occasion for the Hebrews!What a pivotal point in their history

Everything, from Abraham to their deliverance from Egypt had led up to this . . .

Six Insights Into The 10 Commandments1. They originated from God2. They express His will for His people3. They are commands, not suggestions4. They are clear, simple, and exact5. There are only ten of them6. They establish a healthy fear of God

The Place of the LawAs Christians, what are we to make of the law?God’s perfect Law, which sinners are unable to

keep, shows us our need for a Savior.But what about after we come to faith in Christ?

What purpose does the Law serve for believers?We will look at two views of the Law

Antinomian Balanced Judiazer

1 2 3 4 5 0 5 4 3 2 1

Unhealthy Views of the Law“Antinomianism”

The name means “against the law”It describes people who have little or no respect

for God’s LawMay be unbelievers who have adopted a

humanistic way of thinking – getting rid of all moral restrictions

To them, the idea of an objective set of religious codes is an outdated concept and narrow-mindedSome believers are antinomians -- people in the

church who don’t see the Law as relevant for Christians

They say that the Law no longer has relevance for those who have found spiritual freedom through faith

in Christ

They argue that since Christians have been freed from the curse of the Law, believers have no

further use for the LawAntinomianism has been around for centuries

Believers that hold to this view often show contempt for those that hold a deep respect for the

law, calling them “legalists” or supporters of “salvation-by-works”

Antinomian Balanced Judiazer

1 2 3 4 5 0 5 4 3 2 1

“Legalism”This group believe that we can actually keep the Law and gain righteous standing before God.

Salvation then comes through keeping the Law, not through faith in Christ

They all agree that some kind of obedience to God’s Law is necessary for eternal life

Legalism has been around for centuries also

The “Pharisees” are a good example in the N.T.The apostle Paul confronted legalism in his

dealings with the church in Galatia . . . A church he had founded

“Judiazers” taught that faith in Christ alone was insufficient for salvation

They said salvation plus Jewish ceremonial law was necessary (circumcision)

Obedience to the Law can never saveCircumcision couldn’t do it for the Judaizers

We can’t keep the Law todayOnly one Person kept the Law perfectly – Jesus

ChristWhen we believe in Him, His perfect righteousness

is transferred to our accountFaith in Jesus Christ saves us. Period.

Antinomian Balanced Judiazer

1 2 3 4 5 0 5 4 3 2 1

Complaints Against MosesNumbers 10-14

With the sin of the golden calf, the Israelites went from being called a “holy nation” to God declaring

them a “stiff-necked people.” (Exod. 33:3)

Fortunately for Israel, Moses, their mediator, continued to find favor in God’s sight.

Moses continued to intercede for the people and God relented, promising to accompany the

Israelites and renewing His covenant with them (vv.12-17; 34:1-28)

The remainder of Exodus includesBuilding of the tabernacle

Its furnishingsPriestly garments

Now that the laws have been given, they are ready to move from Mount Sinai to God’s leading in the

Promised LandThe Book of Numbers tells us what happenedIt has been almost a year . . . The people have

received God’s provision and guidance, and instruction

They should be ready . . .

WRONG!They grumbled,They groused,They whined,They wailed,

They complained!Their lack of faith will cost them dearly

Num. 11:1, “And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled,

and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.

They were terrified!Moses interceded to God, and the fire died out

(v. 2)

Num. 11:4-6, “Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat!

We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the

onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look

at.”

Moses goes to God (vv. 11-15)“Why have you been so hard on Your servant . . . Was it I who conceived all this people . . . I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me . . .. If you are going to

deal thus with me, please kill me at once “Now that is despair!

The people got their meat (vv31-32)

Moses now faces a series of devastating blows:Miriam and Aaron rebel (Num. 12:1-16)

Spies are sent into the promised land and their report to the people frightens them (Num. 13:1-4)Caleb and Joshua try to encourage them . . . to no

availThey have a lifelong tendency to think the worst of

the Lord.

Num. 14:1-3, “Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the

people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them,

“Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword?

Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

The people even made plans to replace Moses with a new leader who would take them back to

Egypt (v.4)

God threatened to wipe them out and make a new nation (vv. 11-12) but Moses intervened again.

God relented, but he does not allow this entire generation to enter the Promised Land

(Num. 14:39-45)

39 years of wandering in the wildernessThe older generation had died off

Their children were back at the same spot that spies had been sent into the promised landThey were not doing much better than their

parentsThere was a water shortage . . .

Water!It takes two gallons of water a day to survive in the

desert. That means they would need about 6 million gallons of water a day in the desert (not

counting animals).There wasn’t that much water in the desert. God

had been supplying water all these years.

Num. 20:2-5, “Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves

together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before

the LORD! 4

Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both

we and our cattle?

5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water

to drink.” Moses and Aaron go to the Lord and the Lord gives

specific instructions (v.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.”

God’s directions were very clear: “Speak to the rock.” Moses was not to touch the rock or speak to

the people. What did he do . . . vv. 9-11, “And Moses took the staff from before the

LORD, as he commanded him. 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?”

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.”

Did they follow instructions?

No! Moses used the opportunity to scold the people . . . And he hit the rock with his staff in anger.

God provided water, but He rebuked Moses and Aaron for their disobedience

vv. 12-13, “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.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel

quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy.”

God told Moses that when he stands before the rock that it will be Christ, the pre-incarnate Christ

standing there.

How do we know this?1 Cor. 10:4, “and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed

them, and the Rock was Christ.”When you and I sin, Jesus doesn’t need to do

anything more. You just cry out to him and instantly water flows, life-giving water that washes you

clean.

If you know Jesus as your Savior then Christ’s character stands in place of your character and you are accepted before God just as though you

had never sinned.

Too harsh of a penalty?1. Moses was a leader—the mediator between

God and the people. “To whom much is given, much is required.” (Lk. 12:48)

2. Moses’ punishment reminds us that not even one as great as Moses is perfect. Even he was a sinner in need of God’s grace

3. Even though Moses was denied entry into this promised land, at his death he entered

into the presence of the Lord

Moses’ Final JourneyDeut. 34:1-4, “Then Moses went up from the plains of

Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the

land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all

the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the

city of palm trees, as far as Zoar

4 And the LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with

your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in

the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD, 6 and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the

place of his burial to this day.

“Legacy” -- Is what we leave behind when we die. Material

wealth, deeds we have done, words we have said

Moses left a powerful legacy.What will yours and mine be?

Credits/Resources“Moses” Bible Study Guide by Charles Swindoll

“Trusting God Even When Life Hurts” by Jerry Bridges“The Pursuit of Holiness” By Jerry Bridges

“Moses A Step To Life of Faith” By Bob SaffrinESV MacArthur Study Bible

ESV Study Bible“Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook” By J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hayes

“History Popular Sin and God’s Sovereignty” By John Piper“Just Do Something – A liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will” By Kevin DeYoung

“Note To Self: The Discipline of Preaching To Yourself” By Joe Thorn“How Christians Should Relate To Government” By Wayne Grudem

“Suffering And The Power of God” By John Piper“Christians Get Depressed Too” By David Murray