Ephesians 1:3, 4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" [3] "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, and we should be holy and without blame before Him in Love:" [4]

The Elect of God were chosen because of what these souls did back in that first earth age, before the foundation of our current earth age of flesh man that came into being, as we read of starting in Genesis 1:2. Back in that first earth age when all souls were created; Satan rebelled against God. In Satan's rebellion one third of all souls followed Satan in rebellion also. It was then that certain of God's created souls made a stand, and would not follow Satan. These are the ones that were chosen by God to be born into this world age with a mission; to accomplish a work for the Father. This group of Elect were a very special people to God: And God through His Holy Spirit will open their minds of the Elect to see the deception of Satan in these final years of this age, and not be taken in by those lies.

If you know that the Antichrist will return before the True Christ returns, it is because the Holy Spirit has revealed this to you. Those that are of the Elect will be called up before the synagogues of Satan in these final day, to give reason why they will not follow the person that the world will call god. So the Elect are here in the end of this earth age to be witnesses to the world. That time when they will call you up before their councils to speak. This is why we are instructed in Mark 13:11:

Mark 13:11 "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost."

The words that we speak will be given us at that time that we are to speak. We are not to even think of what we are going to say, for we will be addressing supernatural minds. This is speaking of that time when Satan is on earth with his fallen angels, and trying to present himself to the world as God. Now is the time to study and place the wisdom of God's Word into your mind, so as this time comes, God's Spirit will use you to be a witness against Satan. Remember that the battle at this time is with words and ideas, for the world will be at peace.

Ephesians 1:5 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will," [5] "To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." [6]

The adoption of the Elect was by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who sits now at the right hand of the Father interceding for you and I in heaven. We are to please the Father, and we please him staying in His Will. Father's will is His Word. Friend, as one of God's elect you have a mission, just as Moses had a mission to lead the children of Israel out of bondage and back to the promise land. This chapter will address that time when Moses lost focus of his mission. Many of the Elect today will also lose focus as to their mission in these latter days. So this chapter is written as a warning to God's Elect of today to stay in focus as to the times we are living in; the events of the day; and to the fact that all the things and events happening are taking place because it fulfills the will [Word] of God. We are living in a very special time, when those prophecies of the Scriptures dealing with the end times are current events to you and I, and many of them are even in our history books.

Numbers 20:1 "Then 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."

Kadesh is on the south border of the land of Canaan. The Israelites had left there and roamed the wilderness for many years; so now they have returned in the first month of the 40th year after coming out of the captivity in Egypt. All of the men and women that were of age 20 and older that took part in the rebellion after the spies returned, had died off in the paths and valleys of the wilderness. Kadesh-Barnea was the city that the twelve spies were sent out from 37 1/2 years prior. Ten of those twelve spies returned to give bad reports of the land and the people. Because of those lies by the spies, the peoples minds were set against entering into the promise land, for they just did not trust God to keep His Word. Because of their mistrust of God and Moses, the children of Israel had even appointed a captain of their own to lead them back into Egypt, before God ended that rebellion. This chapter takes place thirty seven and a half years after that rebellion took place. It is hard to document exactly where the wanderings took place for there were many times they retraced themselves in their wanderings on the trail.

So we see the sister of Moses and Aaron died here in Kadesh, and never reached the promise land. Aaron will die in the fifth month of this same fortieth year, as we will read later in this chapter.

Numbers 20:2 "And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron."

Moses and Aaron are much older now, however just like before, when something goes wrong, the people came to complain at their door step.

Numbers 20:3 "And the People chode with Moses, and spake, saying, "Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!"

The People came and quarreled with Moses, and told Moses that they had wished that they had died with their brethren died before, when the Lord opened the ground and took Korah and the two hundred and fifty that quarreled with Moses thirty years earlier. For the past thirty seven and a half years, one by one, day after day the rest of that doubting generation died along the way.

Numbers 20:4 "And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?"

Remember that the problem that caused these murmurings is a shortage of water. Their problem comes from their own rebellion against God, and their failure to trust God.

Numbers 20:5 "And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink." 

Here they go again, bringing up the bondage that they had in Egypt. Remember their fathers and mothers before them were lusting after the fish and garlic, figs and pomegranates and the things that made up their diet when they were in bondage. Now forty years later, all that remains of that diet was their memories. This gives us a sign of the faithless, discontent of the people at this time. Now instead of blaming God, they are blaming Moses and Aaron for their troubles. They have bypassed the Lord, and any thoughts of our Father's care for them.

Numbers 20:6 "And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them."

Friend, when you have done all that you can physically do, and it looks like there is no way out, that's the time to sit back, turn those problems to the Lord, and watch the hand of the Lord make those problems go away. Moses is turning all the problems of the Israelites that he could not start to solve over to God, and God is appearing to both Moses and Aaron with the solution.

Paul told us in II Corinthians 12:10; "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Each of us should take pleasure in our infirmities and those things that give us problems, for in those troubles we are required to turn those things over to Christ, and let him handle them. When we are at our weakest, then we are actually at our strongest, for our strength then is in the Lord. Christ knows all our problems, and when we trust and rely on Him, God knows how to resolve them to better serve the will of the Lord.

Numbers 20:7 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,"

There are a few instructions here that Moses didn't follow, and it cause him dearly. Remember, the problem was that there was a great water shortage and the people came to Moses murmurings over the shortage. So here's God instruction to Moses.

Numbers 20:8 "Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring for them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink." 

God is telling Moses and Aaron to take his rod and gather all the people together, and speak to the rock. It sounds like simple instructions. The warning to the God's Elect is to follow the instructions that are written in His Word. God told Moses to speak to the rock in the presence and under the eyes of the people. God was going to perform a miracle, and God expected that He would get the glory for His protective work that was preformed. Moses, you speak to the rock, and I will bring the water forth while the people are watching.

Had Moses spoke to the rock and the water came forth, it would have been a true miracle. It would have sanctified the Lord through the miracle. Moses had faced many temptations, but in this matter he yielded to his temptation. The lesson in this for us is that we don't get so involved in the things of the day, that we lose focus on those things that God expects of us.

Numbers 20:9 "And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as He commanded him."

This part Moses did right, he took the rod, and gathered the people.

Numbers 20:10 "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?"

God told Moses to speak to the rock, but Moses is talking now directly to the congregation. "Hear now you rebels; must we fetch you water out of the rock?" Wow, Moses really messed up on this one, for there stood Moses and Aaron, and they presented this miracle as if they were going to bring the water forth out of the rock. They forgot to give God any credit. Moses has been listening to all this gripping and murmurings for the past 40 years, and of course he is running very short on patience and staying focused that the promise land is not far away.

Numbers 20:11 "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."

What did God tell him to do? "Speak to the rock before their eyes..." Then water would come forth for both man and beast. What did Moses do? Drew attention and credit to himself for the water that came forth, and here instead of speaking to the rock, he smote the rock twice. Moses messed up, but God still allowed the water to flow out of the rock. This sin will cost Moses deeply.

Numbers 20:12 "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." 

Remember that when Moses was messing up and claiming the credit for the water, Aaron the High priest stood there silent and allow the whole thing to take place. The whole purpose in speaking to the rock was to sanctify the Lord in the eyes of His people, and show them that He could take care of His people. It was near the time to enter into the promise land. Within a year the children of Israel will cross the Jordan, as the waters part, and cross on dry ground, and take city after city in the name of the Lord. Moses and Aaron will not be with them at that time, for both will die here in the wilderness, right along with all the others that did not trust in the Lord.

Moses was to bring Israel out of their bondage and into the promise land, and here at the very end, God put a stop to it because of Moses lost patience and focus to the times and events that were around him. So why was God so hard on Moses? God told Moses to speak to the rock. What did Moses do? He spoke to the congregation. Then he struck the rock twice.

We know that in the end days, in the final count down of this earth age of flesh man, Satan and his angels will be coming to earth, and most all peoples of the world will go chasing after him. Revelation 12:9 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Remember that John was writing as Jesus was telling him what to write. This is looking back from the "day of the Lord" to the time to when Satan and his fallen angels were cast out of heaven, at the sixth trump. This event is still to come as we view the prophecy of the end time. So when Satan does arrive at the sixth trump certain things will happen that will affect God's Elect directly. Jesus talked about these events, and a warning in Mark 13.

Mark 13:8 "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrow."

These times are here, and part of our history, for most of the events of the end generation have already taken place. The nation of Israel has been established over fifty years ago, and the entire world is chartered to the new world order, called the United Nations. We are living in the days that Jesus is speaking of here, in trying to prepare His disciples of the end generation what to expect before His return. Every school child in the world looks to the world government for their protection and instructions, and the four hidden dynasties are now in control of the systems of this earth.

Mark 13:9 "But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you [the Elect] up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them."

When you see these things taking place, Jesus warned us to be aware, wake up, and pay attention to what will happen to you then. In other words, EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN TO YOU! If you are one of the Elect, and are aware of what is happening, then you will be delivered up before their councils to give account why you will not become part of their systems, and bow to their god [Satan]. Just like Moses' duty was to bring the children of Israel out of their bondage in into the promise land; Your duty is to do exactly what God instructs you to do for this moment in time. These are critical moments for the end of this earth age of flesh man is coming to a close. Satan's time on earth will be five months, and then this earth age of flesh man and all the elements that go to make up the environment for his keep is over and done with. Finished!

Moses lost sight of his duty, and he and the religious arm of the Israelites sat back and did nothing, they took credit for things that was suppose to be for God. So what is Jesus telling you is going to happen to you? "...You are going to be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them." Who is "them"? Satan and every one that is part of Satan's religious system. Do you get it my friend, Your purpose for living in this time and age is to be a testimony at a certain point in time.

Mark 13:10 "For the gospel must first be published among all nations."

The world will be watching, and you will be speaking before these kings and rulers. And believe me, when the nations of the world will see the Holy Spirit speaking through you, they will listen. The speaking of the Holy Spirit is the tongues spoken of in Acts 2 when every language in the world will hear your words in the very dialect of their home town and neighborhood.

Mark 13:11 "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought before hand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost [Spirit].

The Elect will be delivered up before the synagogue of Satan, and that is a fact, expect it to happen. If you are one of the Elect, don't even think for a moment what you will say at that time. The Holy Spirit will place in your mouth the words that you are to say to those people at that time. The point here: "WHEN THE LORD TELLS YOU TO SPEAK, SPEAK." The danger of not speaking at this moment in time, is the unforgivable sin. Luke 12:10, 11.

Luke 12:10 "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost is shall not be forgiven."

You can speak badly of Jesus Christ in the flesh, "the Son of man", as most religions of the world do. But when you blaspheme against the Holy Spirit there is no forgiveness. This can only happen to the Elect during that time when Satan is here on earth with his fallen angels, and when you are called up in their synagogues or councils, and you refuse to speak. That is blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Luke 12:11, 12 "And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what things ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:" [11] "For the Holy Ghost [Spirit] shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say." [12]

Again, when the Lord tells you to speak, be prepared to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through you, and speak. God will give you the words to say at that moment in time. Moses set his course of how and what he would say at that moment in time, and for that disobedience to God's instructions he did not enter into the promise land. Many people like to say that they can't wait until they can tell Satan what the think of him, and that is wrong. We are not to premeditate what is to be said when we as the as one of the Elect are called up to speak. When you speak in that day, that hour that you are called up to speak, it will be in the cloven tongue, that is from the Holy Spirit that only God's Holy Spirit can produce. It is not the confusion that many like to call the tongues of today, and spout out at the drop of a hat.

Acts 2 and Joel 2 tells us that the sons of daughter will speak in a tongue that everyone understands, and it needs no interpreter. This is why it is important that what you speak comes from the Holy Spirit and the mind of God, for if it came in our native tongue, we would only be speaking to those that spoke in English or one native tongue.

Numbers 20:13 "This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and He was sanctified in them."

As Moses was to speak to the rock and the divine intervention would bring forth the water. However even after Moses spoke to the people, the Lord sanctified Himself by bringing the water, inspite of Moses act. When Moses and Aaron were to die in the wilderness, the price was paid for their disobedience.

Numbers 20:14 "And Moses sent Messengers from Dadesh unto the king of Edom, "Thus saith thy brother Israel, `Thou knowest all the travel that hath befallen us:"

The children of Israel were camped at Kadesh, at the border of Edom. From here it would be far easier to cross through Edom and over the Jordan river, then fighting a path through the mountains and going north into the land of Canaan. The Edomites were of the lineage of Esau, brother and kin to Jacob and the Israelites. Of course all the nations at this time were well aware of the travels of the Israelites, and this scared many of the nations. Most of the troubles that fell on Israel were caused by their own lack of trust in God.

Numbers 20:15 "How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:"

It was while the Israelites were in Egypt, that the Egyptians vexed or caused the children of Israel to go bad, and to follow after the idolatries of the Egyptians. The Egyptians took our forefathers and put them in bondage over many years.

Numbers 20:16 "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 the border:"

It was the angel of the Lord that brought them out of Egypt, and led them through the wilderness over the past forty years. Moses is now telling these Edomites that they are in Kadesh-Barnea, and on the border of their lands. Moses is asking for permission to cross through the land of Edom.

Numbers 20:17 "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.' "

This is the message that Moses gave to the messenger to speak to the king of Edom. It is the promise by Moses that they would not take of their limited water supply, nor trample in their fields and vineyards on the way through. We will not seal anything in your land, or damage any of the crops. If we take any water from your wells for our livestock, we will pay you for the water we take. The king's highway was the road that the king made for his armies to move across their nation.

Numbers 20:18 "And Edom said unto him, "Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword." 

The king of the Edomites told Moses that if you cross my borders, it is war. I will come against you with the sword when you enter my land. These are kin relations speaking to one another.

Numbers 20:19 "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 any thing else, go through on my feet." 

So Moses responds that we will stay on the highway if you just let us pass through. If you allow us to pass, we will pass over your land without saying a word, and even walk our animals.

Numbers 20:20 "And he said, "Thou shalt not go through." And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand."

Instead of sending a message back to Moses and the Israelites, the king of Edom brought his forces right to the border to face the Israelites face to face. When you cross the border, we will attack you.

Numbers 20:21 "Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: where fore Israel turned away from him."

Instead of confronting the forces of Edom, Moses and the Israelites turned to find another route bypassing the Edomites. Moses simply did not want Israel to force its way through the land of Edom. These are adamic peoples just like the Israelites. Notice that the Israelites asked the king of Edom for passage, but they did not ask God to intercede on their behalf.

When things are just not going your way in life; financial; on the job; or in the family; that is the time to ask God for guidance and the direction you ought to take. God can change minds and He can take those impossible tasks and make them smooth. Make sure though that your requests are for the right reason, and within the will of God.

Numbers 20:22 "And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor."

So the children of Israel packed up and departed from Kadesh and went to the western border of Edom, to the base of mount Hor. mount Hor is near Petra, the ancient city built into the rocks for the ancient giants.

Numbers 20:23 "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,"

While camped at the border [coast] of Edom, at the base of mount Hor, God spoke to Moses and Aaron. In that there are no waters in this area, it is referring to the border.

Numbers 20:24 " "Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribath."

Remember back when Moses cursed the people, and smote the rock twice. Aaron stood by and did nothing, and allowed Moses to take the credit. God is now telling Aaron that because ye [Moses and you] rebelled against My word at the water of Meribath, you will die also out here in the wilderness. You will not enter into the promise land. By this time all of that generation of Aaron and Moses were dead and buried in the wilderness. Moses was the governmental part of the Israelites, and Aaron was the head of the religious part, and both of these had rebelled against God. God just would not allow this to happen.

Numbers 20:25 "Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:"

God has just told Aaron and Moses that Aaron was about to die, and the instructions here to Moses was to take Aarom and Eleazar his son up on mount Hor, and anoint Eleazar as the replacement of the High priest position that Aaron had.

Numbers 20:26 "And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there," "

Moses was to take the garments of the High priest off of Aaron, and put them on Eleazar, and anoint Eleazar the High priest. When the garments came off Aaron, and were placed on Eleazar, Aaron died right there on top mount Hor. The garments of the High priest are the coat, the Mitre [hat or turban with the diadem of God on it], the girdle, the robe, the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; this was his wardrobe. The phrase "shall be gathered unto his people", is the same phrase given when one of the patriarchs died back in the book of Genesis.

Numbers 20:27 "And Moses did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation."

Mount Hor was on the border of the promise land, and from this point on the mount, they could view parts of the promise land. So Aaron could view the promise land without entering it, just as Moses did from the top of mount Pisgah. Deuteronomy 34:1, 2 "And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea," Aaron and Moses both were given a view of the promise land but Joshua would be the man to lead the children of Israel to the land of their inheritance. Moses was well aware that his time is running short also, for God told him that he also would not be allowed to enter into the promise land.

Numbers 20:28 "And 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."

The actual day that this took place is recorded in Numbers 33:38; "And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month." Aaron at this date would be 123 years old, and as Moses was three years younger, Moses would be 120 years old.

When Moses and Aaron went in to speak to the Pharaoh, to ask; "Thus saith the Lord, Let My people go"; Moses was eighty years old. Exodus 7:6, 7; "And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they." [6] "And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh." [7]

Moses and Eleazar, the son of Aaron came down to present their new High priest to the congregation.

Numbers 20:29 "And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel."

This was quite a shock for the children of Israel. They saw Aaron the High priest go up on the mountain, and his son came down wearing his father High priest garments. When the death of Aaron was told to the congregation, they mourned for thirty days. When Moses died the people mourned also thirty days. Both Moses and Aaron were well up in years from the start of this journey through the wilderness. Aaron was the first High priest of Israel, but the High priest was the type for the High Priest, Jesus the Christ that would be born some 1500 years later, and today our High priest is sitting at the right hand of the Father.