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To them, the idea of an objective set of religious codes is an outdated concept and narrow-mindedSome believers are antinomians -- people in the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