REDEEMED FROM A CRITICAL SPIRIT

Transcription

1 SESSION 3 REDEEMED FROM A CRITICAL SPIRIT The Point A critical spirit damages our lives. The Passage Numbers 12:1-11,13-15 The Bible Meets Life Criticism has sunk to a whole new level in recent years. Thanks to social media, people make critical comments online they would never say to someone s face. It s easy to criticize from a distance and that sense of distance or anonymity emboldens people to be especially ruthless. As a result, people have become downright mean-spirited in their speech. It s easy to embrace a critical spirit. It s hardwired into our fallen nature. When we compare ourselves with others, our own sense of insecurity wants to bring others down and elevate ourselves. We begin to pass judgment on them their motives, actions, and thoughts as if we have the right to do so. As we ll see in the example of Miriam from the Book of Numbers, we damage lives, including our own, when we criticize others. We ll also see that the discontentment underneath our criticism can only be broken when we place our focus back on God. The Setting Numbers 11 details how, on their journey from Mount Sinai to the promised land, a series of complaints erupted among the Israelites against God and His chosen leader, Moses. The Israelites complained about the hardships of the journey and about having only manna to eat (no meat). They complained so much that Moses complained bitterly to God about the burdens of leading them. God sent quail for the people to eat, but then sent a deadly plague upon them in judgment. The Israelites then traveled to Hazeroth, where a conflict between Moses and his siblings, Miriam and Aaron, ensued. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 105

2 What does the Bible say? Numbers 12:1-11,13-15 Cushite (v. 1) This term may refer to Moses wife Zipporah ( Midianite and Cushite were used as synonyms), or to a second wife Moses may have married after Zipporah died. The form of the Lord (v. 8) The term rendered form means likeness or semblance. This phrase most likely refers to some type of a visible representation of God, but not to His full glory. Diseased (v. 10) The Hebrew term was used for a wide variety of skin diseases, ranging in severity of effects from white spots on the skin to the loss of fingers and toes. 1 Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he married (for he had married a Cushite woman). 2 They said, Does the Lord speak only through Moses? Does He not also speak through us? And the Lord heard it. 3 Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth. 4 Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, You three come out to the tent of meeting. So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came forward, 6 He said: Listen to what I say: If there is a prophet among you from the Lord, I make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My household. 8 I speak with him directly, openly, and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? 9 The Lord s anger burned against them, and He left. 10 As the cloud moved away from the tent, Miriam s skin suddenly became diseased, as white as snow. When Aaron turned toward her, he saw that she was diseased 11 and said to Moses, My lord, please don t hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed. 13 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, God, please heal her! 14 The Lord answered Moses, If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn t she remain in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in. 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was brought back in. 106 Session 3

3 THE POINT A critical spirit damages our lives. GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Question #1 on page 83 of the PSG: When have you been thankful for someone s criticism? Notes ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Supplement the theme of Question #1, above, by bringing in several professional reviews. These can be reviews of movies, books, restaurants, theme parks, and so on. You can print them out or bring in physical copies of newspapers and magazines. To offer the best effect, find examples of critiques that are both positive and negative helpful and unhelpful. You can read a sample of the review out loud, or pass them around for group members to skim. Note: As an alternate version of this activity, you could ask group members to look up Yelp reviews of local restaurants and attractions on their smartphones. GUIDE: Direct group members to The Bible Meets Life on page 84 of the PSG. Introduce the dangers of a critical spirit by reading or summarizing the text or by encouraging group members to read on their own. GUIDE: Call attention to The Point at the top of page 84 of the PSG: A critical spirit damages our lives. ENHANCEMENT: Use Pack Item 8, A Critical Spirit, to provide a visual illustration of the dangers of living with a critical spirit. PRAY: Transition into the discussion by praising God for the privilege of learning from the examples of different men and women in the Scriptures. Ask for wisdom as you study the dangers of a critical spirit through the life of Miriam. TIP: Get expert insights on weekly studies through the Ministry Grid. Visit ministrygrid.com/web/ biblestudiesforlife. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 107

4 5 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Numbers 12:1-3 1 Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he married (for he had married a Cushite woman). 2 They said, Does the Lord speak only through Moses? Does He not also speak through us? And the Lord heard it. 3 Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth. READ: Numbers 12:1-3 on page 85 of the PSG. Read the text out loud or ask a volunteer to do so. GUIDE: Use the first paragraph on page 109 of this Leader Guide to offer your group members some context regarding the importance of Miriam and Aaron, and their connection with Moses. ALTERNATE QUESTION: Technology has expanded our opportunities to criticize. How has that impacted our society? DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 86 of the PSG: What are some of the main motivations behind our desire to criticize? SUMMARIZE: Help group members walk through the underlying motivations of this conflict by highlighting the main points on page 86 of the PSG: 1. The real issue came out when they asked: Does the Lord speak only through Moses? Does He not also speak through us? (v. 2). Their dislike of Moses wife was only a façade a smokescreen that covered their true motivations. 2. Miriam felt slighted by God. He hadn t lifted her to a place of respect and honor like her brother, but she felt she deserved it. 3. Miriam may have felt she had all the qualities of a good leader, but Moses had something she didn t: humility. There s no room for humility in a critical heart. TRANSITION: The phrase And the Lord heard it in verse 2 casts an ominous shadow on Miriam s actions. We ll see why as we move to verses Session 3

5 THE POINT A critical spirit damages our lives. Numbers 12:1-3 [Verse 1] As though Moses did not have enough troubles dealing with complaining Israelites, during the company s stay at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses. They were his siblings, and he no doubt counted on their support. Miriam was a prophetess (see Ex. 15:20); Aaron was Moses spokesman (see 4:10-17) and the Israelite s high priest. The Hebrew word rendered criticized conveys a sense of hostility. The reason given for the verbal attack was that Moses had married a Cushite woman a native of an area south of Egypt. There are differing views concerning the meaning of Cushite. It may refer to a second wife of Moses, possibly married after his first wife Zipporah had died; it could be referring to Zipporah herself, since Midianite and Cushite were used as synonyms. Cushite, which can be translated beautiful in appearance, may have been used descriptively of Zipporah s appearance. The order of the names Miriam and Aaron and the Hebrew verb form (feminine singular; literally, she spoke against ) suggest that Miriam took the lead in confronting Moses, and Aaron then joined sides with her. Although they used Moses Cushite wife as the occasion of their criticism, the real reason seemed to be a mixture of jealousy and selfish ambition. [Verse 2] Miriam and Aaron s rhetorical question betrayed their real concern: Does the Lord speak only through Moses? They apparently chafed at Moses special relationship with God and his leadership role among the Israelites. Moses held a unique, superior position as mediator between God and the Israelites. Miriam and Aaron seem to have resented and coveted Moses authority. Their second question may have been a challenge: Does He not also speak through us? The pair were in effect claiming their relationships with God were equal to that which Moses enjoyed. The words And the Lord heard it not only stressed God s presence and constant awareness of everything taking place, but were also a not-so-subtle reminder that God was orchestrating and accomplishing the drama of redemption. They also foreshadowed God s impending intervention in the conflict. [Verse 3] Moses was described as a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth. One view of these words is that at this point, burdened with a complaining people and contentious siblings, Moses was extremely unhappy and distressed. Another view is Moses was deeply dependent upon God, and in that reliance upon God he had the strength not to become defensive in the face of his siblings criticism. The statement did not express pride but conveyed that in his selfless humility Moses was willing to follow God s leading no matter what the cost. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 109

6 10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Numbers 12: Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, You three come out to the tent of meeting. So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came forward, 6 He said: Listen to what I say: If there is a prophet among you from the Lord, I make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My household. 8 I speak with him directly, openly, and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? 9 The Lord s anger burned against them, and He left. 10 As the cloud moved away from the tent, Miriam s skin suddenly became diseased, as white as snow. When Aaron turned toward her, he saw that she was diseased 11 and said to Moses, My lord, please don t hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed. DO: Direct group members to complete the activity A Critical Rewrite on page 87 of the PSG. As time permits, encourage volunteers to share their responses. Below are three examples of the sort of speech that comes from a critical spirit. Choose one of these examples to re-phrase in a way that is more loving and constructive. I knew you couldn t handle this. You never listen to what I m trying to say. That outfit doesn t look good on you at all. How has your relationship with God helped you respond when others speak critically of you? ALTERNATE QUESTION: What does this passage teach us about God s character? READ: Numbers 12:4-11 on page 85 of the PSG. DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 88 of the PSG: What price do we pay for having a critical spirit? GUIDE: Direct group members to skim the bottom half of page 88 of the PSG to uncover a few consequences of nursing a critical spirit. 110 Session 3

7 THE POINT A critical spirit damages our lives. Numbers 12:4-11 [Verses 4-5] God s quick response to the complaint against Moses underlines the gravity of the situation. The tent of meeting was the place where God met with His people outside the camp (see Ex. 33:7-11). When Moses, Aaron, and Miriam arrived, the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud. The word descended describes a theophany, a visible appearance of God to people. The pillar of cloud was a visible expression of God s presence (see Ex. 33:9). [Verse 6] God began by commanding their focused attention. To listen to His words was to hear them with the expectation of obedience. God contrasted a prophet and Moses. This contrast presupposes that Aaron and Miriam were prophets. Prophets were spokespersons for God, declaring the messages God revealed to them. If someone among the Israelites was a prophet from the Lord a genuine prophet God chose the Lord communicated with that individual in a vision or in a dream. [Verses 7-8] God s revelations to Moses contrasted sharply to His dealings with prophets. He did not communicate with Moses indirectly, but directly. God then paid Moses the highest possible compliment by calling him My servant. Among all the people of Israel, Moses stood alone in the nature of his relationship with and responsibilities to God. God spoke to him directly. Literally, He spoke to Moses mouth to mouth in today s phrasing, face to face. That is, God communicated with Moses openly, unreservedly, and with friendly intimacy. Not only did Moses receive direct communication from God, but he also saw the form of the Lord. He saw a visible manifestation of God. In light of Moses unique relationship with God, the Lord asked Aaron and Miriam: So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? God had called Moses to a special, difficult task, and he was obediently and faithfully discharging his responsibilities. Moses two siblings should have maintained a healthy respect for the person God had chosen for leadership. [Verses 9-11] Aaron and Miriam must have felt both devastated and fearful as the Lord s anger burned against them, and He left. As the cloud signifying God s presence moved away from the tent, judgment came immediately. Miriam s skin suddenly became diseased, as white as snow. The term translated diseased encompasses a number of ailments which cause the skin to turn white and flake off from the body. We can only guess the reason Miriam alone incurred such judgment. It may indicate that she was the primary instigator in the confrontation with Moses. Her skin disease meant she could no longer stay in the encampment and take part in its activities. Ceremonially unclean, she would be excluded from the people of Israel and quarantined outside the camp until she could be pronounced clean. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 111

8 15 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Numbers 12: Then Moses cried out to the Lord, God, please heal her! 14 The Lord answered Moses, If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn t she remain in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in. 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was brought back in. READ: Numbers 12:13-15 on page 85 of the PSG. RECAP: Reinforce the dangers of harboring a critical spirit by reading the first paragraph on page 89 of the PSG: A critical spirit is like a dead limb. It never bears good fruit, and it creeps into our hearts and steals away our ability to worship God. It must be cut away. If not, God will discipline us to make us fruitful (see John 15:1-4). ALTERNATE QUESTION: How do we identify God s discipline in our lives? DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 89 of the PSG: How can we help one other avoid a critical spirit? GUIDE: Use the second and third paragraphs on page 113 of this Leader Guide to help explain the punishment Miriam received. Note: The fourth paragraph on page 113 of this Leader Guide is also helpful in describing the significance of Miriam being brought back into the camp after seven days. DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 89 of the PSG: People often isolate themselves through a critical spirit. What steps can we take to restore them to the community? Note: The term community here can refer to your group, to your church, to the universal Church as a whole, and so on. GUIDE: Refer back to The Point of this session: A critical spirit damages our lives. As time permits, encourage volunteers to share any final thoughts. 112 Session 3

9 THE POINT A critical spirit damages our lives. Numbers 12:13-15 [Verse 13] Moses demonstrated his godly character by quickly interceding for Miriam. He took no satisfaction from the judgment she had received. Cried out translates a Hebrew word used for a call for help in a situation of distress. Moses addressed the Lord by the name God, a term emphasizing His power and majesty. The form of Moses simple prayer expressed urgency. [Verse 14] In God s answer to Moses urgent plea, He described a situation which may have either been hypothetical or an ancient practice within the community. A father s spitting in his daughter s face expressed contempt and public humiliation. A daughter so treated spent seven days in the disgrace of isolation as punishment. God said Miriam s leprosy as judgment was to be taken no less seriously. Seven day periods were also prescribed for the detection and cleansing of skin diseases by the priests (see Lev ). Miriam was to be confined outside the camp for seven days, after which she would be allowed to rejoin the community. As occurs frequently in the Scriptures, the truth is stressed that sin has inevitable consequences. [Verse 15] That Miriam was brought back into the camp after seven days in isolation indicates that she was healed of leprosy. Also, it well may have implied she was restored to useful service. The Scriptures consistently reveal that God s judgment is designed to be redemptive, not merely punitive. In spite of Miriam s foolish challenge of Moses authority, the Israelites evidently continued to hold her in high esteem, for they did not move on from Hazeroth until she rejoined them. It is also noteworthy that she was remembered chiefly for her role as a leader, not for her rebellion (see Mic. 6:4). Read the article Aaron, Moses Older Brother in the Spring 2016 issue of Biblical Illustrator. Previous Biblical Illustrator articles Miriam: All We Know (Fall 2012), Aaron s Role in the Exodus (Spring 2010), The Tabernacle: Its History and Use (Summer 2009), and Moses Family (Winter ) relate to this lesson and can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at lifeway.com/ biblicalillustrator. Look for the Biblical Illustrator material connected with Bible Studies for Life. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 113

10 5 minutes LIVE IT OUT Notes GUIDE: Direct group members to page 90 of the PSG. Encourage them to consider the following steps for fighting against a critical spirit in the days to come: > > Observe. Watch how you talk about other people. Keep track of your words and the attitude of your heart when you re commenting on other people, their successes, and their failures. > > Confess. Own up to any habits of comparison or jealousy that may have taken root in your life. Ask God to help you change into healthier patterns of celebration. > > Speak. Speak the truth in love (see Eph. 4:15), but focus on encouraging those around you. Words that encourage build others up (see Eph. 4:29) and can lead them to the gospel of Christ they see reflected in you. Wrap It Up TRANSITION: Read or restate the Conclusion from page 90 of the PSG: Like most people in today s world, you regularly encounter the critical spirits of others. Yet you don t have to give in to that criticism. You can resist the damage and move away from a critical spirit by humbly seeking God, as Moses did. PRAY: Conclude by asking God to safeguard the members of your group from the dangers of a critical spirit. Pray that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction whenever you lack humility in the week to come. 114 Session 3