Take the staff
Updated: Apr 13
Discussion Questions for Upcoming Numbers Chapter 21 - 04/08/2026
Why was God disappointed in Moses?
Do you think the consequence was too harsh?
Recap from Numbers CH.20 4/01/2026
In Book of Numbers Chapter 20, God gives Moses a very specific instruction:
“Take the staff… and speak to the rock… and it will pour out its water.”
God told Moses to take the staff, but not to use it.
At the beginning of the chapter, the Israelites are once again complaining—frustrated about the lack of fruits, grain and water. In their anger, they even say:
“If only we had died when our brothers fell before the Lord!” (v.4)
Despite their attitude, and despite Moses frustation with their attitude, Moses does the right thing—he goes to God.
And God responds clearly: Take the staff. Speak to the rock.
But Moses, overcome with his own emotions, takes things a bit too far.
He says:
“Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” (v.10)
Then he strikes the rock not once but twice.
⚠️ What Went Wrong?
Two key things stand out:
Disobedience – God said speak, not strike.
Misplaced credit – Moses said “we”, shifting some of the focus from God to include himself and Aaron.
Because of this, God tells Moses he will not enter the Promised Land.
🪵 The Staff: A Symbol of Power
Moses’ staff wasn’t just a stick—it represented God’s power working through him.
It had been used before:
To perform miracles
For protection
As a sign of authority
And probably a few times for balance
But this time, God didn’t tell him to use it.
💡 The Lesson for Us
Just because we have something doesn’t mean we should use it in every situation.
Just because we can talk doesn't mean we should.
Just because we can argue doesn’t mean we should.
Just because we can manipulate doesn’t mean we should.
Just because we can get away with something doesn’t mean we should.
Just because we can physically fight doesn't mean we should.
Just because we have resources doesn’t mean we should use them without wisdom.
Gifts, skills, and power come with responsibility.
❤️ A Deeper Insight
Moses allowed frustration to distract him.
In that moment, he:
Forgot the exact instruction
Took on credit that belonged to God
Acted out of emotion instead of obedience
And even though God still provided water, there was still a consequence.
🙏 Grace and Accountability
God showed mercy:
He still allowed water to flow -
Even with all that whining God was still providing for His people.
He did not publicly shame Moses -
can you imagine how humiliating it would have been if he would have hit that rock and there had been no water?
But He also upheld accountability:
Moses along with the other disobedient adults would not enter the Promised Land
🧠 Final Thought
The staff was never supposed to be used as the source of power—God was.
And that’s the heart of this lesson:
Be Aware of how we use what God has given us. Because the power isn’t ours—it’s His.
Prayer Requests
Frances
Continued healing
Job accomodations
Sammantra
Waiting for Covid loans court decision
Continued healing of her son's ankle
Passing of uncle
Sandra
God's continued protection over her family as her and her husband teach small group
Taz
PhD acceptance from the school of best choice
Karen
Healing in knee
Joan
Jumping into new opportunities
Venus
Daughter to have a healthy marriage and baby
Renee
Prayer answered and returning to Georgia!
Workout!
Workout TIp!
Stretch!
Always stetch before or after a workout. if working out is too tough right now, just start your day with a 15 minute. Flexibility is life-giving to you joints, muscles and brain.
Here is an example of one way to work on flexibility.
Similar to flexibility we have to consistently work on bulding a relationship with God. For many of us, praying and studying the Bible does not come easy. It is a habit we have to build. Start with praying at least one line of prayer when you get up and when you go to bed to get in the habit of acknowledging God as the day starts and ends.
Want to groove your way through praise and worship songs!
Check out JoyFuel Fitness
A great HiTT class from Juice and Toya!
No weights required
Trail Walk
Saturday
Date: TBA
Sandy Creek Park
Time: TBA
Potluck Tuesday was also a suggestion from last semester. Anyone interested in doing a Potluck once a month? Open to suggestions on an ideal day and time we can do this.
Health goals
Pray and think about the goals that God has for your life. He has many, but one of the areas we concentrate on in Walk and Talk is our health. How do you think God wants us to care for ourselves? What steps are we taking to be the best person we can be?
See you Tuesday!!
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