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101 Myths of the Bible: how ancient scribes - Conscious Evolution TV

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yth #81:<br />

God denied Moses entry into Canaan because he sinned<br />

against <strong>the</strong> Lord.<br />

The Myth: And <strong>the</strong> LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed<br />

me not, to sanctify me in <strong>the</strong> eyes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong> Israel, <strong>the</strong>refore ye shall not bring<br />

this congregation into <strong>the</strong> land which I have given <strong>the</strong>m. (Num. 20:12)<br />

The Reality: Moses was denied entry into <strong>the</strong> Promised Land because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sins<br />

<strong>of</strong> Israel, not because <strong>of</strong> his own sins.<br />

During Israel’s wanderings it arrived in <strong>the</strong> Wilderness <strong>of</strong> Zin, where <strong>the</strong> Israelites<br />

found <strong>the</strong>mselves without water. This led to angry complaints against Moses and<br />

Aaron.“And why have ye brought up <strong>the</strong> congregation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> LORD into this wilderness,<br />

that we and our cattle should die <strong>the</strong>re?” (Num. 20:4).<br />

Distressed, Moses and Aaron went into <strong>the</strong> Tabernacle and fell on <strong>the</strong>ir faces<br />

before <strong>the</strong> LORD, awaiting divine guidance. When God appeared, he gave Moses<br />

some instructions.<br />

Take <strong>the</strong> rod, and ga<strong>the</strong>r thou <strong>the</strong> assembly toge<strong>the</strong>r, thou, and Aaron thy bro<strong>the</strong>r,<br />

and speak ye unto <strong>the</strong> rock before <strong>the</strong>ir eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and<br />

thou shalt bring forth to <strong>the</strong>m water out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rock: so thou shalt give <strong>the</strong> congregation<br />

and <strong>the</strong>ir beasts drink. (Num. 20:8)<br />

The key instruction in God’s message was that Moses should just speak to <strong>the</strong><br />

rock and his words would produce water. Instead, when Moses appeared before <strong>the</strong><br />

Israelites, he declared,<br />

Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out <strong>of</strong> this rock? And Moses lifted up<br />

his hand, and with his rod he smote <strong>the</strong> rock twice: and <strong>the</strong> water came out abundantly,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> congregation drank, and <strong>the</strong>ir beasts also. (Num. 20:10–11)<br />

Moses failed to follow God’s word. He didn’t speak to <strong>the</strong> rock. Instead, to call forth<br />

<strong>the</strong> water he used his staff to strike <strong>the</strong> rock twice. God was angry at Moses’s disregard<br />

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