Moses is listed in Hebrews 11 as exemplary in faith. In Deuteronomy 34 we read that God Himself buried Moses. We are also told that, “since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. . . . For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel” (Deuteronomy 34:10, 12). Yet Moses, for all of his blessings, was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

1. Did Moses reach the promised land?
Moses is hailed as the leader of the Exodus, the one through whom
God delivered His people from Egyptian slavery. To Moses God
entrusted the Law. Jesus demonstrated that Moses foreshadowed His
own work as the Messiah (John 3:14–15).
Moses is listed in Hebrews 11 as exemplary in faith. In Deuteronomy
34 we read that God Himself buried Moses. We are also told that,
“since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord
knew face to face. . . . For no one has ever shown the mighty power or
performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all
Israel” (Deuteronomy 34:10, 12). Yet Moses, for all of his blessings,
was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.
In Deuteronomy 32:51–52 God gives the reason that Moses was not
permitted to enter the Promised Land:
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2. “Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters
of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in
the midst of the children of Israel. Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but
thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.”
God was true to His promise. He showed Moses the Promised Land,
but did not let him enter in.
The incident at the waters of Meribah Kadesh is recorded in Numbers
20. Nearing the end of their forty years of wandering, the Israelites
came to the Desert of Zin. There was no water, and the community
turned against Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron went to the tent of
meeting and prostrated themselves before God. God told Moses and
Aaron to gather the assembly and speak to the rock. Water would
come forth. Moses took the staff and gathered the men.
Then, seemingly in anger, Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels,
must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses struck the
rock twice with his staff (Numbers 20:10–11). Water came from the
rock, as God had promised.
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3. But God immediately told Moses and Aaron that, because they failed
to trust Him enough to honor Him as holy, they would not bring the
children of Israel into the Promised Land (verse 12).
The punishment may seem harsh to us, but, when we look closely at
Moses’ actions, we see several mistakes. Most obviously, Moses
disobeyed a direct command from God. God had commanded Moses
to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses struck the rock with his staff.
Earlier, when God had brought water from a rock, He instructed
Moses to strike it with a staff (Exodus 17). But God’s instructions were
different here. God wanted Moses to trust Him, especially after they
had been in such close relationship for so many years. Moses didn’t
need to use force; he simply needed to obey God and know that God
would be true to His promise.
Also, Moses took the credit for bringing forth the water. He asks the
people gathered at the rock, “Must we bring you water out of this
rock?” (Numbers 20:10). Moses seemed to be taking credit for the
miracle himself (and Aaron), instead of attributing it to God. Moses
did this publicly. God could not let it go unpunished and expect the
Israelites to understand His holiness.
The water-giving rock is used as a symbol of Christ in 1 Corinthians
10:4. The rock was struck in Exodus 17:6, just like Christ was crucified
once (Hebrews 7:27). Moses’ speaking to the rock in Numbers 20
could have been meant as a picture of prayer. Jesus was “struck” once,
and He continues to provide living water to those who pray in faith to
Him. When Moses angrily struck the rock, he destroyed the biblical
typology and, in effect, crucified Christ again.
Moses’ punishment for disobedience, pride, and the misrepresentation
of Christ’s sacrifice was steep; he was barred from entering the
Promised Land (Numbers 20:12).
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4. Yet we do not see Moses complain about his punishment. Instead, he
continues to faithfully lead the people and honor God.
In His holiness, God is also compassionate. He invited Moses up to
Mount Nebo where He showed Moses the Promised Land before his
death.
“And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham,
unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused
thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the
servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of
the Lord.” Deuteronomy 34:4–5
Moses’ failure at the rock did not negate or break his relationship with
God. God continued to use the prophet and continued to love him
with tenderness.
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