"They angered Him also at the waters of strife."--_Psalm 106:32._
AFTER all the forty years in the wilderness, the children of Israel
were quite close to their home in the promised land. There was only the
river Jordan between them and the hills and valleys there. But Moses
was not to go with them. Once when the people were crying out for more
water, and God told him to command the stream to come out of the rock,
Moses was so hot with anger that he did not attend. He said, "Hear now,
ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" And he struck the
rock with his rod, instead of speaking to it.
The water came out as it had done before; but Moses had been so hasty
that he had not thought how to obey God exactly, and so he was not to
be allowed to lead the people in as a great warrior, lest he should
fail again. God was not angry with him, but had forgiven him; only he
had his punishment because he had done wrong.
Joshua was to lead the people, instead of Moses. So before Moses was
taken away, he called Joshua and all the chief men of each tribe, and
put them in mind of all that God had done for them, and warned them
very solemnly, that if they broke their promise and did not keep the
Commandments, God would punish them--first a little, and then more and
more, and would even cast them out of the good land at last. For, mind,
God always keeps His promises; and as surely as He gives the good all
that is best for them, so surely He will punish those who turn from Him.
[Illustration: MOSES GIVING HIS CHARGE TO JOSHUA.--Num. 27:22, 23.]