Romans 10:5.  For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

 

When and how did Moses describe the righteousness that is of the law? This says that somewhere Moses told us that the man who does those things – righteousness which is of the law, will only live by how much he can keep the law. We know that Paul would teach extensively on that subject in his epistles, but Moses?

Well, he described it but not in words. He role-played it.

I believe it was when Moses struck the rock the second time rather than speak to it as instructed. This described or demonstrated the righteousness of the law or works rather than the word of faith that is already nigh even in our mouth according to Romans 10.

The book of Hebrews starts out with a comparison between Jesus and Moses and gives them both “A” scores on their report cards. They both were faithful in the job that they were given to perform while they were here. However, many preachers give Moses an “F” instead of an “A.” Most say that Moses wrecked the type of the rock being Christ when he struck it the second time (since Christ was to be crucified only once) and therefore God had to punish him – and his punishment was that he could not enter the promised land alive. If this is an accurate assessment of this event then Moses was not faithful. You cannot have it both ways. If Moses disobeyed God in that act, then he was not as faithful to God as Jesus was.

I believe Moses was meant to do what he did in order to teach us about our rapture. Just as Jesus was faithful in taking our sins on himself and receiving God's just punishment for them though he himself was not guilty, so likewise Moses was faithful to take on the guilt of the Israelites and be punished by God for their offense. It was all for our benefit. According to Hebrews Jesus Christ has been crucified the second time every time someone who had believed on him, returns to the works of the law, this book says they crucify to themselves the Son Of God afresh. Moses was “describing” that.

The only way to have Moses striking that rock the second time and still receive an A from God, is that God wanted him to strike that rock the second time. He was doing it in fulfillment of a type that God wanted him to role-play. He did it as a servant, for a testimony of things that would be spoken about later by Paul. He was describing the righteousness which is of the law, (which is filthy rags as opposed to faith). I believe that God allowed him to do it and God was the one handing out his penalty for having done it also. It was all designed to get a point across to this generation that we are now living in.

 

Hebrews 3:5.  And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after

 

Just as Jesus was a servant who obeyed God in taking our sins on himself, so also Moses, was a servant in taking the sins of the Israelites (called unbelief) on himself and striking that rock the second time so that God could give him the appropriate punishment, designed to represent our generation and the “rapture” or the missing of it. Moses saw the promised land with his eyes but he did not enter it alive. That was not just some arbitrary punishment that God cooked up on the spot as though God was just looking for something, anything, to punish Moses with. Moses was role-playing, (describing) what will happen to this generation that commits the same offense today.

 

Remember that man in the Old Testament that mocked at the prophecy of food becoming plentiful by this time tomorrow? What was his punishment? And what was it that he said that brought condemnation on himself?

 

2 Kings 7:

 1.  Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

2. Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

19.  And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

20.                    And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.

 

Matthew 5:13.  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

 

This is exactly what will befall many during the tribulation. After having seen the windows and THE DOOR open in heaven, but they will not enter therein, they will be trodden under foot of men.

The whole book of Hebrews is a warning from God himself, to this generation, to not do what that earlier generation did when they were brought out of Egypt, this world, but failed to enter the promised land alive, which for us is heaven. They didn't enter because of their fear and unbelief or love of Egypt and not trusting God to provide. Those same things are what will keep people of this generation now, from entering at the open door to heaven when Jesus appears.

Moses demonstrated the penalty as that you will see the promised land (rapture) but you will not enter it alive. That is, you will see the rapture, and those who go in but you will die in this wilderness to get to heaven. Moses still made it in, of course, but he died first.

 

Moses is the only man in scripture that I know of, besides Jesus, that God punished for something that someone else did, but that he himself was not guilty of but it was necessary to "describe" the point God wants us in this generation to see.

 

Deuteronomy 1: 37.  Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

Deuteronomy 3: 25.  I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

26. But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.

 

This pleading of Moses with God to let him in, is perhaps a picture of what those left behind will be doing through the shut door, while they weep, wail, and gnash their teeth. But they will hear Jesus say, depart from me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you. Jesus was crucified (the first time) by men who did not believe his claims about himself. To crucify him afresh is to also not believe his claims for us today. He claims that he wants to save us and take us to heaven that where he is we may be also.