Numbers 12:1-16
Dissension of Aaron and Miriam
1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)
4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6 Then He said,
“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.
7 Not so with My servant Moses;
He is faithful in all My house.
8 I speak with him face to face,
Even plainly, and not in dark sayings;
And he sees the form of the LORD.
Why then were you not afraid
To speak against My servant Moses?”
9 So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb!”
13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “Please heal her, O God, I pray!”
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again.” 15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again. 16 And afterward the people moved from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.
This account is a poignant reminder why we should not talk badly about or against the men chosen by the Lord to bring His word to us and watch over our souls (Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:2-3, 5-7) for our good and His glory. If the LORD who chose Moses is angered by such talk to defame the goodwill of those who speak for Him to the point of inducing leprosy on Miriam for her jealous comments, perhaps we should not be quick to judge the imperfections in our pastors and leaders either, let alone just out of the desire to be able to speak better for God than them as happened here. The LORD made it clear that He had chosen Moses to speak His word to the people and he was faithful to do so; He spoke personally to Moses and gave him clear vision to understand the words of God to teach and preach them to the people. Why should they then speak against him for being faithful and true, a servant who knew and served sincerely? That is sin according to this scripture account. Their repentance allowed Miriam to heal after seven days, however, because God is forgiving and merciful to our rash sins of defiance to those he has chosen to minister to us as well. After she was healed, the people moved on. This teaches us to move on after such an event happens and forgiveness is granted and witnessed by all. May we who are chosen to bring His word not be haughty when accused, but humble as Moses demonstrated to us here, trusting in the Lord and His word to bring repentance and vindication by grace and mercy through His and our own forgiveness. The goal is restoration so we can all move on together to where the Lord leads us as a congregation under the shepherding of the ones He has chosen to lead us and speak words of (Colossians 1:28-29) warning and wisdom to live by for us all. May it be so.
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