It was a long day. My feet were worn from the rocky terrain and the sand. My long term supplies and spices for the journey had run out a few days ago. There was no food or water in sight. Nothing but desert and bare mountains as far as the eye could see.
My stomach was feeling nauseous. I wasn’t sure if it was from the steady diet of honey-bread or the lack of water. I was beginning to feel the initial signs of dehydration. Nights were cold. I didn’t think the journey would last this long. I was ill prepared for cold nights and many days of walking. It was just then that we all came to a stop and set up camp.
My thoughts turned to home. It was not too far to turn back now. We had found just enough on the way that we could make it back. I didn’t realize that when you are really hungry, it constantly occupies your mind day and night and in your dreams. We had plenty of food at home.
The lack of water was worse. My voice was scratchy, my throat sore, and all my bones ached. Each step was a chore. It made it difficult to think. When we stopped I sat down without taking another step and fell asleep.
I am not sure how long I was out, maybe a few hours. I felt a little better. I was able to think a little more clearly. There was still a slight headache and I was thirsty but it was alright for the moment.
I could hear our leaders arguing. I crept closer and caught part of the conversation,
We have no water left. Why did you bring us to this wretched place, for us and our animals to die?
Another added
There is no food out here except this honey-bread. At home, we have grain and figs, grapes and pomegranates! There is nothing here. We are in the desert!
Moses and Aaron walked away from the assembly.
I had trusted Moses and Aaron. They saved us from the hand of Pharaoh. We no longer slaves. We had seen miracles from the Lord, but as time passed, the clarity of the miracles faded and people were replacing them with coincidental occurrences of nature. I still believed in miracles, but I have to admit I was scared about our present situation.
Was it better to leave Egypt, no longer slaves, or die in the wilderness? Miriam and others had already died. At home, we had an abundance of food and water. The sick could find treatment.
I don’t know. returning would not be good either. The Egyptians did not allow us free worship unless it was to their gods. When we worked we had to be quiet. When we talked with friends we had to be quiet. in our homes, we had to be careful not to be seen. Here, at least, we had the open land, to worship freely. In Egypt we were slaves. My people waited for 400 years to be free and here we are.
It would be a sad story if we survived 400 years in captivity, and then were set free, only to die. That would not be just Lord. The Egyptians, the Edomites, and the Canaanites would tell the story of the failed Israelites for years to come.
I don’t know. I could not think clearly and fell back asleep with exhaustion.
I was awoken by one of my brothers, a kinsman, from the tribe of Benjamin. He said Moses and Aaron had called together everyone and he wanted to go see. I staggered along after him, curious.
A large crowd had gathered around a noticeable rock and in the center were Moses and Aaron. They waited until the crowd filled in, then Moses spoke in a stern voice.
“Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?”
It sounded like he was chastising us for doubting, explaining there was no water here as if it could come from a rock. I expected him to say we would have to continue on with faith and the Lord would provide.
He was right for chastising us. I was getting a bit scared and doubting. I could go on a little further.
But Moses did something unexpected, he turned towards the rock. As he turned I could not hear if he spoke any words, but he stood there for a few moments.
Next, he took his staff, the one that had performed the miracles in Egypt, and struck it against the rock. I could hear the sound of wood on stone reverberate with an echo. Moses stepped back waiting for something to happen. There were a few moments of silence. I did not notice anything.
A few of the people in the back of the crowd started to walk away thinking Moses was crazy for calling them there, striking a rock. I noticed a gray-bearded man neat the front who was observing. He was slowly shaking his head while Moses was standing there, but was still watching.
Moses struck the rock a second time. Again the reverberation sounded. I didn’t see anything. The expression on the gray-bearded man changed.
I looked back at the rock. A small trickle of water had started to flow. The site of freshwater triggered a strong emotional response in me as a tear ran down my face. I felt immensely relieved that there was water.
A minute later the trickle became a flow and people from the crowd approached with any kind of container they could find. Aaron drank the water and allowed the crowd to approach one at a time. As they were filling their containers, he had some men build a basin around the spring so that more than one person could fill their containers at the same time.
There were so many people needing water that it took a day before it was my turn. I had heard analogies what heaven might be like. This was the closest I had ever myself. From that day I told people ‘that heaven was like a fresh drink of water after many days in the desert’.
That drink was heavenly. I could feel its coolness spread throughout my body, an amazing instant improvement in my physical and psychological condition. After drinking my fill, I headed back to camp and fell into a comfortable rest.
When I awoke again, I asked how long I had been out. My kinsman said ‘2 days’ and handed me some manna. As we chatted I felt renewed. There was a remarkable improvement in my attitude. I thought the journey was not that bad.
However, I felt guilty for having doubted the Lord. For all He had done for us, going back to Egypt would have been foolish. I asked for forgiveness and found one of the seventy. They said it would be good for my soul if I volunteered to take a turn carrying the tribal banner so I could remind myself that the Lord had been faithful to us from the days of Jacob.
After all the tribes were refreshed, the horn blew, giving the signal to break camp. We were the third tribe in line. I raised the banner so all could see it as we started on the next leg of our journey.
Until that day, I realized I had taken for granted everything that I was given. I was truly blessed to be alive and to be one of God’s people. It was time for me to participate, to choose to be with the Lord, not merely to be one on the sideline to be dragged along.
None of us knew our path ahead. We were still in the desert. There were several unfriendly nations around us and we didn’t have a home yet, but it was alright. With the Lord, it did not matter how much we had or how little. It didn’t matter whether we were at home or temporary visitors in a strange land. We had the Lord and that was enough.
We continued the journey.
Based Upon Numbers 20:1-13
Note: This article is based upon real Biblical Events events but from the perspective of a fictional character from one possible viewpoint. It helps me to relate to Scripture when I can imagine myself there. I hope it helps you!
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[Scripture quotations are from the] Revised Standard Version of the Bible—Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition), copyright © 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.