March 13, 2010
This chapter is interesting. It first says that Aaron and Miriam started to speak against Moses because of his wife. And then, the truth comes out. It didn't have anything to do with Moses' wife. They were jealous of Moses and what they viewed as Moses getting more attention than them. Jealousy. Pure and simple—jealousy.
Can't you just hear it? Who does Moses think he is? Why is he so special? Doesn't God also speak through us? Verse 3 shows they did not have a legitimate complaint. "Moses was very humble. He was the least proud person on earth." God heard their murmurings and knew their hearts. I can just hear this next part. "The three of you...in here now!" Why was Moses called to the tent? He hadn't done anything. God reprimanded Aaron and Miriam. He (the LORD) was very angry with them and then he left. Miriam came down with a skin disease.
I believe Moses was called to the tent for several reasons. 1) Miriam and Aaron's behind his back scheming needed to be exposed to Moses and not just confessed to God. All the cards needed to be on the table. They needed to be held accountable in front of God and the one they tried to harm. 2) Miriam and Aaron needed to be able to see Moses' response to the revelation. They needed to see for themselves that Moses was not motivated by personal gain. He truly was a servant of God. 3) Miriam and Aaron needed to be able to experience grace from Moses.
When Miriam came down with the skin disease Aaron said to Moses, "Please forgive us Master for our foolish sin." Moses prayed to God, "Please heal her." Here is Aaron admitting to Moses they had done wrong. Here is Moses pleading to God on their behalf. God replied that if Miriam's father had spit at her she would be unclean and put outside the camp for a week. Accountability happened. Miriam developed a skin disease and was put outside the camp for a week.
Think about that! Spit in the face by your father! Utter disgust and contempt! God was so angry at their devious schemes and complaining, that the skin disease was the equivalent of God spitting in her face. There were consequences for their actions. Moses was blindsided. He had no idea what Aaron and Miriam were thinking. It wouldn't have stopped with "thinking," it would have progressed. God forced them to stop. He held them accountable and Moses got to witness it.
Addendum: 10/9/13 ~ Aaron and Miriam had taken their eyes off of God and put them on Moses. Miriam, who had experienced God's protection and provision for Moses as a child, had not learned to trust in God herself. Aaron's dependence on Moses instead of God is apparent in his plea to Moses. He called Moses, "Master," and sought forgiveness from him. God should have been his only Master. He should have sought forgiveness from God FIRST and from Moses (as a fellow servant of God) second.
Our relationship with God has to be personal. It can't just be something we have observed in others and it can't just be saying the "right" words that we hear from others. It has to be ours. No one else can do it for us. It must be ours.
Next Entry: Numbers 13:1 – 14:45
This chapter is interesting. It first says that Aaron and Miriam started to speak against Moses because of his wife. And then, the truth comes out. It didn't have anything to do with Moses' wife. They were jealous of Moses and what they viewed as Moses getting more attention than them. Jealousy. Pure and simple—jealousy.
Can't you just hear it? Who does Moses think he is? Why is he so special? Doesn't God also speak through us? Verse 3 shows they did not have a legitimate complaint. "Moses was very humble. He was the least proud person on earth." God heard their murmurings and knew their hearts. I can just hear this next part. "The three of you...in here now!" Why was Moses called to the tent? He hadn't done anything. God reprimanded Aaron and Miriam. He (the LORD) was very angry with them and then he left. Miriam came down with a skin disease.
I believe Moses was called to the tent for several reasons. 1) Miriam and Aaron's behind his back scheming needed to be exposed to Moses and not just confessed to God. All the cards needed to be on the table. They needed to be held accountable in front of God and the one they tried to harm. 2) Miriam and Aaron needed to be able to see Moses' response to the revelation. They needed to see for themselves that Moses was not motivated by personal gain. He truly was a servant of God. 3) Miriam and Aaron needed to be able to experience grace from Moses.
When Miriam came down with the skin disease Aaron said to Moses, "Please forgive us Master for our foolish sin." Moses prayed to God, "Please heal her." Here is Aaron admitting to Moses they had done wrong. Here is Moses pleading to God on their behalf. God replied that if Miriam's father had spit at her she would be unclean and put outside the camp for a week. Accountability happened. Miriam developed a skin disease and was put outside the camp for a week.
Think about that! Spit in the face by your father! Utter disgust and contempt! God was so angry at their devious schemes and complaining, that the skin disease was the equivalent of God spitting in her face. There were consequences for their actions. Moses was blindsided. He had no idea what Aaron and Miriam were thinking. It wouldn't have stopped with "thinking," it would have progressed. God forced them to stop. He held them accountable and Moses got to witness it.
Addendum: 10/9/13 ~ Aaron and Miriam had taken their eyes off of God and put them on Moses. Miriam, who had experienced God's protection and provision for Moses as a child, had not learned to trust in God herself. Aaron's dependence on Moses instead of God is apparent in his plea to Moses. He called Moses, "Master," and sought forgiveness from him. God should have been his only Master. He should have sought forgiveness from God FIRST and from Moses (as a fellow servant of God) second.
Our relationship with God has to be personal. It can't just be something we have observed in others and it can't just be saying the "right" words that we hear from others. It has to be ours. No one else can do it for us. It must be ours.
Next Entry: Numbers 13:1 – 14:45
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