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In addition, Moses' flaws give the Bible a little more drama and excitement.
For example, readers would expect that Moses -- a great leader -- would have an automatic invitation to the Promised Land (Fox, 1995). However, Moses was barred from entering the Promised Land because he was disobedient and flawed (Deut. 32:48-52). Moses was told to speak to a rock to get water from it, but instead he beat the rock repeatedly, showing his bad temper and a lack of faith (Num. 20:7-13).
Moses was a man who wanted to save others. His compassion made it very difficult for him to watch others suffer. When he followed God's commands to meet with the Pharaoh, he trusted that God would alleviate the suffering of his followers. When the situation worsened, Moses' compassion for the people got in the way of his trust in God. He cried out to God, questioning His actions.
When the people began complaining about their thirst and the situation, Moses'...
The people had no water to drink. Moses was given instruction to get water from a rock. Moses beat it instead. In this case, Moses' flawed character is clear. His inability to tolerate the suffering of others, while not an obvious flaw, leads to impatience, anger and a lack of faith. His desperate need to get water to the people interfered with his ability to follow God's instructions.
Even though Moses went against God at times, it seems that God found his flaws to be acceptable. Moses' strength made him a powerful leader but Moses always credited God as the source of his strength. He played the role of God's instrument rather than acting like the boss of the Israelites.
Flawed characters like Moses make the Bible more real to people and definitely a more interesting read. One of the best things about the Bible is that it presents its characters to the readers in realistic terms. There are weaknesses and sinfulness in every human beings and the Bible does not attempt to mask these characteristics in any of its characters, including Moses. For this reason, we see most of Moses' flaws as acceptable, as God accepts them. However, his blatant disregard for God's wishes is deemed unacceptable by God; therefore, it is implied that this is the one fatal flaw of mankind.
References
Boadt, Lawrence. Reading the Old Testament. Mahwah, N.J.: Paulist Press, 1985.
Fox, Everett. The Five Books of Moses. New York: Schocken, 1995.
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