Introduction:  The children of Israel are in Kadesh, the place where they decided that they could not go and possess the land of Canaan.  The people are thirsty.  The Lord has provided water already out of a rock in Horeb.  This is a chapter of trials.

1. The Trials
1. Miriam Dies (Numbers 20:1Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
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1. She had led the women. (Exodus 15:20-21 [20] And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. [21] And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
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2. The children of Israel would not journey until she returned from leprosy.   (Numbers 12:15-16 [15] And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again. [16] And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
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3. Was considered one of the leaders of the Exodus (Micah 6:4For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
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2. Moses Sins against God (Numbers 20:9-12 [9] And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. [10] And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? [11] And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. [12] And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
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1. Moses had been their mediator.
2. Moses was the man that the Lord knew face to face
3. Edom comes out to block passage for Israel (Numbers 20:14-21 [14] And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us: [15] How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: [16] And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border: [17] Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. [18] And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. [19] And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet. [20] And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. [21] Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
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4. Aaron Dies (Numbers 20:28And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.
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1. It was Aaron’s rod that swallowed up the rods of Pharaoh’s magicians.
2. It was Aaron who had helped to hold up the hands of Moses to prevail over Amalek
2. The Water- In the midst of all of the chaos the Lord still has water in the Rock (Numbers 20:11And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
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1. The Faithfulness of God
1. The Rock followed them (1 Corinthians 10:4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
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2. The Rock was not to be smitten
1. Moses’ method was wrong
2. Moses’ motive was wrong
3. God still supplied
2. The Fullness of God (His Supply) (Philippians 4:19
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3. The Food of God (He fed them with bread and water) (Luke 4:4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
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4. The Favour of God (His Grace on the children of Israel)
1. The children of Israel didn’t deserve water, but they were thirsty.  They were His people. He couldn’t forsake them for His name’s sake.
2. God always takes care of His own
5. The Fountain of God (His Life is within Himself)
1. There was still life in the Rock
2. Jesus Christ has life within Himself.