Am I Demonstrating God's Holiness Or My Own?

For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there. [Deuteronomy 32.51]

I seem to recall other accounts in the Bible where things God said to do were not done in exact accordance with what God said (the execution of the plagues on Egypt is what comes to mind first). However, this account involving Moses and Aaron at Meribah gets them disqualified to enter Canaan. Why?

Once again, we have here today God explaining to Moses why he and Aaron could not enter the Promised Land - because they failed to demonstrate God's holiness among the people.

I think we must pay attention to the word "both" in Deuteronomy 32.51 (above) as it relates to the account of their trespass below in Numbers 20:

So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD. Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. [Numbers 20.9-11]

It was only Moses holding the staff and striking the rock with it. So, why was Aaron included in what we have always thought was the sin (striking the rock twice)? Because, it could be that the sin was not as much in striking the rock, but in what Moses said before striking the rock - "Must we bring you water...?" 

The "Must we..." part of Moses' declaration at Meribah is our first indication that Moses AND Aaron, in agreement, had left off depending on the LORD for the water and verbally attributed the responsibility of it to themselves. Striking the rock twice only further confirmed their conspiracy in failing to honor God by verbally making out as if "they" were supplying water to Israel. Striking the rock twice most likely had something to do with the fact that both (two) of them were in prideful agreement that they were providing water for Israel thus failing to give the glory to God.

The action of striking the rock was not the problem (as I see it). But rather, it was the heart issue preceding the action - a sin of pride shared by Moses and Aaron - that got them both in trouble. Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses spoke to the people (on behalf of he and Aaron) and striking the rock twice symbolized their unity in their sin.

The things we "do," problematic as they may be, are only subsequent indicators of the condition of our hearts.

Am I demonstrating God's holiness or mine?

Father, thank You for helping me to see the root problem of pride in Moses and Aaron at Meribah. Help me to be mindful of the absolute necessity of demonstrating, with my life and actions, YOUR holiness and not my own.