This month's "Bible Characters?" section focuses on Moses in the Wilderness, researched and compiled by Mary Jane Chapin Chaignot.

Bible Characters?

• Moses' problems with the children of Israel started less than three days after the parting of the Sea of Reeds? They were in the desert without water and grumbling about it. Moses cried out to God who told him to throw a piece of wood into bitter water and it became sweet.
  
  
• The second time the Israelites grumbled (about the lack of food) God responded before Moses even had a chance to ask -- resulting in bread from heaven (manna) every morning and meat (quail) at night.

To this day scholars struggle with this concept of "manna". They've identified a sticky substance that grows in Sinai, but it is only available during a few months in the summer. It could never have fed so many people for such an extended period of time. Nor does that explain the phenomenon of having a double portion prior to the Sabbath, or having it rot overnight if too much was gathered. Most scholars agree that the lack of awe on the part of the Israelites testifies to the naturalness of the manna. We just don't know what it was. Manna meant "what" or "what is it." Regardless of its origin, the manna was a gift from God.

• Soon they were without water again, grumbling against Moses. Moses cried out to God. God replied by having Moses strike a rock with his staff. Water came out of the rock.
  
  
• During the battle with the Amalekites Moses became fatigued in holding up his arms to encourage the Israelites. In helping him Aaron and Hur give us a wonderful example of "nursing" or caring for those who are in need. (Ex. 17:8-13)
  
  
• Like many of us, Moses had a problem with delegating and asking for help. Fortunately his father-in-law (Jethro) helped him see the light in getting helpers to manage some of the disputes among the people.

The result was the people got answers quicker and they didn't have to wait in the hot sun all day. Moses was free to work on the really tough problems. A win-win situation all around. (Ex. 18:13-27)

• Moses led the people to the base of Mount Sinai, arriving three months to the day after walking through the Sea of Reeds.
  
  
• Within the space of one chapter Moses climbs up and down the mountain three times -- quite a feat for someone 80 years old! It highlights his role as mediator or negotiator between God and His people. In truth, God had only put forth a proposal; the people could have rejected it outright.
  
  
• After receiving the Ten Commandments, the people agreed to everything. Moses and Aaron and 70 elders were invited up to worship the Lord. Moses built an altar and sacrificed upon it, throwing the blood upon the people -- that made it binding. It was called the "blood of the Covenant."
  
  
• Then elders went up and shared a covenant meal. They "saw" the Lord, using words for the senses to describe their experience of Him.
  
  
• Then Moses was called up into the cloud for 40 days and 40 nights to receive additional laws and instructions regarding the building of the Tabernacle.

In the meantime, of course, the golden calf incident takes place down below. Did you ever wonder how this could happen, given they have just agreed not to have any other gods or to make any graven images? (Thereby breaking Commandments #1 and 2) Well....forty days is a long time. No doubt the people down below thought that Moses had perished on the mountaintop. He had been the visible sign of the Lord among the people; they needed a replacement. What better vehicle to use than the image of a bull, an image of strength and power! Some scholars think the bull was meant to indicate the throne of the Lord, showing that the Lord had power over the bull by sitting on his throne. Perhaps, but the golden calf also contrasts sharply with the conversation God has just had with Moses. The instructions regarding the tabernacle, including the painstaking detail and offerings meant to safeguard the holy presence of God, are undercut by the people's initiative. If having God in their presence was their goal, they blew it. Unbeknownst to them God was already instructing Moses on this very subject.

• God's anger at the events down below and His resolve to destroy those people brings Moses to his finest hour. This same person who whined in Midian that he was not eloquent becomes very eloquent as he explores the depths of God's character. Moses realizes that God saved these people for a reason and that He would not destroy what He has just saved. As a result, God "repents" and changes His mind.
  
  
• Moses goes down the mountain, and his temper shows again as he slams down the tablets, breaking them. He grinds up the golden calf, making the people drink it, which leads to a plague.
  
  
• Blood sacrifice again restores the covenant -- only this time it is the blood of the unfaithful, which are slain by the tribe of Levi.
  
  
• Moses again prays for the people and returns to the mountain for a second set of tablets. This time he comes down in glory with his face radiant, shining with light. The people are frightened just to look at him, so he covers his face except for the times he talks with the Lord in the tent of meeting. This represents a whole new covenant with a gracious God, "slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." (Ex. 34:4-7) The Lord agrees to accompany His people on their journey.
  
  
• They stayed at Mount Sinai for 14 months. During this time, Moses often spoke with God and received instructions necessary to turn this motley group into a people obedient and grateful to God for His saving acts. First and foremost, Moses was obedient, passing along God's instructions and commands.
  
  
• The people were hyped and oh, so ready.
  
  
• But almost immediately the people were grumbling again. This time they were "tired and bored" with the manna. They pine for the variety of food that had been available to them in Egypt.

God gets angry and Moses loses his temper as well. He asks why God has given him this burden, claiming that God is ultimately responsible for these people having given "birth" to them. Moses did not choose this work; he had been chosen. If God doesn't help in tangible ways, he might as well put Moses to death right now.

• God sees that Moses needs help. He chooses seventy elders to help and once again sends "quail" every evening.

To some degree these incidents parallel events on the trek toward Mount Sinai. Then, however, these people were like newly adopted children who didn't know any of the rules or what was expected of them. Now, they've been given the Ten Commandments and know what some of their responsibilities are. They've already rejected God once; because of that He nearly abandoned them, changing His mind when Moses interceded for the people. This, then, sets up a scenario that will be repeated many times: people grumble, God's gets angry, Moses intercedes on their behalf, and the punishment stops.

• Grateful though they were for Moses' intercessions, Miriam and Aaron (his sister and brother) had issues with the primacy of their younger brother. Bolstered by the possibility of joint leadership, they grumbled against Moses for marrying a Cushite and asked, "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?"
  
  
• Because Moses "was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth" (Num 12:3), God came to His defense saying that He speaks with Moses "face to face," highlighting the intimate relationship that exists between God and Moses.
  
  
• With the leadership issue temporarily settled, it is time to send out spies to assess the Promised Land. Their report strikes fear into the hearts of the Israelites and once again the people turn on Moses (and Aaron). Despite Moses' best pleas to rely upon God, the people are ready to kill him and find someone else to lead them back to Egypt. (Num 13-14)
  
  
• This, then, becomes another pivotal decision. The people said "no" when they should have said "yes." It turns into a mob scene with Moses remaining silent - maybe there were just no words adequate to express his disappointment.
  
  
• Suddenly they all feel the presence of God. There is quiet. Still, it takes a long time for this one to be resolved. (Some liken this to the Golden Calf episode in Exodus.) God offers to start over with Moses; Moses pleads for the people. Finally, God relents and says only Caleb and Joshua will enter the Promised Land. The remaining generation will perish in the wilderness.
  
  
• Presumably many years pass. Miriam dies. The people are again without water and grumbling. Moses loses his temper (again). God tells him to strike the rock and he does. But he adds a few extra words, "Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?" Water gushed forth as it had so many times before, but God is not pleased. He says to Moses, "You did not trust in me; and you did not honor me as holy." (Num. 20:13) Bottom line: Moses and Aaron won't go into the Promised Land either.
  
  
• The next time the people start complaining about lack of water and boring food (manna), God sends fiery serpents. When the people repented, God told Moses to make a bronze snake and raise it up for all to see.

Perhaps this was one way to get these people to really think about their confession of sin and their commitment to God. The threat of being bitten remained, but so did the cure. Those who were bitten needed only raise their eyes, and "look at it and live." (Num 21:8) And it wasn't just a glance either. They had to fix their eyes upon it and pay attention to it. Each person had to make his or her own decision. God provided for healing, but it required some effort and motivation on their parts. It also required some personal involvement with God. This called for a response from the community and each individual as well.

• But this was the beginning of the end for the old generation. After a final plague, due to their worshipping of false gods, the old generation is gone.
  
  
• The new generation is more respectful, listening to Moses' instructions and accepting of his authority.
  
  
• Case in point, is when Reuben and Gad prefer to stay outside the Promised Land because the pasture is better on the east side. Moses worries that their refusal threatens the safety of the whole group (Much like the spy story of Chaps 13-14), but they come up with a compromise plan that averts the danger.
  
  
• Moses' last job, then, is to pass the mantle of leadership from himself to Joshua.
  
  
• Necessary though this is, Joshua will never be a carbon copy of Moses. He does not speak with God "face to face" and he will need to rely on the Torah for his guidebook. But the foundation is there.
  
  
• Moses' death is recorded in Deut 34:5 where it says, "Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord."

The legacy of Moses is over, but the next generation is primed and ready to carry forward as heirs of the promises given by God to their fathers. Their story is, in a sense, just beginning and it will continue as they work on trying to understand what it means to be a people of God.

Bibliography

Ashby, Godfrey. "Go Out and Meet God," Exodus, International Theological
     Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans, 1998.

Ashley, Timothy. "The Book of Numbers," The New International Commentary on
     the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans, 1993.

Beegle, Dewey. Moses, The Servant of Yahweh. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B
     Eerdmans, 1972.

Daiches, David. Moses: The Man and His Vision. New York: Praeger Publishers,
     1975.

Farmer, William. The International Bible Commentary. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical
     Press, 1998.

Gispen, WH. Exodus, The Bible Student's Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI:
     Zondervan, 1982.

McGrath, Allister. NIV Bible Commentary. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1988.

Meier, Rabbi Levi. Moses: The Prince, the Prophet. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights
     Publishing, 1999.

Mills, Watson and Richard Wilson. Mercer Commentary on the Bible. Macon, GA:
     Mercer University Press, 1995.

Olson, Dennis. Numbers, Interpretation. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1989.

Noordtzij, A. Numbers, Bible Student's Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI:
     Zondervan, 1983.

Sakenfeld, Katharine. "Numbers, Journeying with God." The International
     Theological Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans, 1995.

— Mary Jane Chapin Chaignot