THEME: Let us not devour each other through strife lest we defy the Word from God’s mouth and thereby suffer loss.
AL ASHER ME’RITEM ET-PI LE’MEI ME’RIBAH
Because you (plural) defied My Word (Hebrew, “al pi”: literally, “the utterance of my mouth”) at the waters of strife (le’mei Meribah)
The connection between interpersonal strife and defiance of God’s Spoken Word is devastating: the realization that we can change trajectories from the highest good to a lesser good because we descend into the carnal aspect of our natures at critical moments in life confronts us with sobriety where relations with each other are concerned. The peoples’ complaint on a second occasion that Moses and Aaron had brought them into the desert to thirst and to starve caused Moses to strike the rock to bring forth water: thus, he and Aaron (who was with him in the deed) were banned from entry into the Land of Promise.
Do not be surprised by this. God was doing much more than punishing Moses and Aaron: he was laying down a principle forever to be remembered—carnality cannot inherit the Kingdom—it is only by the Spirit that we can pass through the eye of the needle. (Ephesians 5; John 1:13; Luke 18:25)
We will spend eternity in resurrected and glorified bodies that are not powered by flesh and blood systems (Luke 24:39): we will have much better vessels to contain our redeemed spirit-and-soul. As a consequence of this, we should now learn to put into subjection our instinct-driven bodies and our self-oriented souls.
We are working through many things in this life. It is preparing us for an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, one that “fadeth not away.” (1 Peter 1:4) May the LORD enable us to grow in the grace that is working His good pleasure in us even now. May we submit all things to the Lordship of Yeshua so that forever we may enjoy the privilege to which we have been born again. (2 Peter 1:1-11)
Amen. Amen.
