HEED HIS WORD!
The Lord said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them…” At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. —Exodus 20:7-12, 23-24
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God… Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time…” After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” —Luke 1:13-16, 18-19, 24-25
Here are two situations where the hearers of God’s Word did not take God at His Word. Moses was told to speak to the rock so water would flow out for the people and livestock could drink. Instead, he struck the rock twice with his staff. Because of this disobedience and that he “did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” Disobedience brings consequences and both Mose and Aaron would die before entering the Promised Land.
Not believing God’s Word also brings consequence as Zechariah found out. Because he did not believe God’s Word, as spoken through an angel, he would not be able to speak the entire length of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Zechariah also did not believe in answered prayer. Apparently, he had prayed that he and Elizabeth could have a child and now that she was going to have a son. This son of whom the angel said, “He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.” And because he did not believe the angel, the angel said, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
There are consequences for not taking God at His Word. Oh, that we would hear and heed what He has to say. Yes, Dear Father, may this be the case by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4SK2GR4OW8&list=RDn4SK2GR4OW8&start_radio=1