The Wilderness Journey Is Blood Thicker? Numbers 12:1-16 One of the toughest things parents have to learn is that sometimes parenting requires asking your child s forgiveness. Some believe that this undermines their authority. What really undermines authority is a child knowing the parent is wrong and the parent unwilling to admit it. But then much of life is struggling with being able to forgive. Asking Forgiveness. Never be ashamed to apologize when you have done wrong in domestic affairs. Let that be a law of your household. The best thing I ever heard of my grandfather, whom I never saw, was this: Having rebuked one of his children, and having found later that he had been misinformed concerning the child s doings, he gathered all his family together in the evening of the same day, and said: Now, I have one explanation to make, and one thing to say. Thomas, this morning I rebuked you very unfairly. I am very sorry for it. I rebuked you in the presence of the whole family, and now I ask your forgiveness in their presence. It must have taken some courage to do that. It was right, was it not? Never be ashamed to apologize for domestic inaccuracy. Find out the points what are the weak points, if I may call them so of your companion, and then stand aloof from them. TALMAGE. 1 Well Moses would find the issue of forgiveness a major piece of his life as he dealt with not just the ongoing grumbling behaviors of the Israelites, but as we will see today, there was unrest in his own family as well. Poor Moses! He certainly isn t having a good week. First, the Israelites had been complaining about the cuisine. There s been a camp fire, a plague and the people where up the wazoo in quail. No wonder he was depressed. But what else can you expect in a management position? But, as is frequently the case if you think the people out there are problematical, family is even more fun. I Look Who s Talking Numbers 12: 1-3 II Look Who s Talking Now Numbers 12: 4-9 III God disciplines Those He Loves? Numbers 12:10-15 I Look Who s Talking: Just when things seemed to be quiet down, Moses starts getting harassed by his family. Miriam and Aaron aren t very happy with their sister-in-law. It seems 1 McClure, editor, J. B., Pearls from Many Seas, The Master Christian Library, AGES Software, Albany, OR, Version 7.0 1998.
Miriam is the primary mover in this new salvo. What s their problem? She is a Cushite. I suspect though this was more of an excuse to rag on Moses than the real issue. First, it would probably be a good idea to remind ourselves of what good Miriam had done. She was the one who had been involved the saving of Moses in the first place. (see Exodus 1). She arranged for his mother to become his wet nurse. Later in chapter 15 she led the first song of the people. Miriam has been shown in a good light by her brother. So it isn t unfair that he gives a complete picture by also recording this less than positive incident. Now, who is this Cushite woman? Some feel it may have been simply a derogatory shot at Zipporah. Others believe she may have died and this was Moses second wife. The language seems to support the marriage as being a recent one. There is nothing in the language supporting Moses being in a polygamist. The problem here seems to be one of racism. But even stating this can t really be supported by the text. The primary reason for stating this is because Moses wife isn t the issue. The real problem is Miriam and apparently to some degree Aaron are jealous of Moses relationship to God as his prophet. It is amazing how myopic some people are. They are jealous of his position, power, etc. They are ignoring how high the cost has been to Moses in the wonderful position. Considering this falls apparently in the midst of Moses depression over the great job, these two are a real pair. The other problem with this is, the question is loaded. First, we have just seen the seventy leader of Israel falling under the Holy Spirit and prophesying. We also know from Micah 6:4 that Miriam and Aaron were also spokesmen for God. They were a prophetess and a priest. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. And, Miriam and Aaron forgot something we sometimes forget ourselves. God listens. This doesn t mean He is uninvolved, just sitting up in Heaven watching the craziness. When God listens He acts. But hold on a moment. What s wrong with verse 3. Moses is writing this book and it seems he has just given himself an award for humility. This verse has created a lot of problems and is frequently used to attach Moses as author of the book. The verse is used to support other authors and a late dating of the book. But Allen believes there is a different answer to the problem. He things there is a better translation to the passage. I find myself drawn strongly to the suggestion of Cleon Rogers that the key term in v.3 should be translated miserable rather than meek ( Moses: Meek or Miserable? JETS 29, 3 [Sept. 1986]: 257-63; see Notes below). Moses was not really an exceptionally meek man. He was a man given to rage, self-pity, questioning, and debate. He was also a man given to greatness. He is one of the most impressive figures in biblical history, certainly one of the most pivotal. But this verse aside, it is not likely that observers of the story line of the Torah would automatically include meekness among the character traits of this significant biblical personage. The word miserable could hardly be more fitting in the context of this chapter. Moses has been under assault from every front. He has found his lot so difficult, his task so unmanageable, his pressure 50
so intense that he has called out to God saying, It is too much! (cf. 11:14). With assault now coming from within his family, he passes even beyond that feeling of desperation we observed in the Lament of Moses (11:11-15). At this point he is utterly speechless; he is a broken man. Verse 3, in my judgment, should be translated with confidence in this manner: Now the man Moses was exceedingly miserable, more than any man on the face of the earth! Many have felt like this from time to time; none has felt it so deeply as Moses at this nadir of his life. Hence there is nothing in this verse that speaks against the role of Moses as the author of Numbers. It is merely in keeping with the third-person nature of the general recitation. 2 II Look Who s Talking Now: If I were Miriam and Aaron I d be real nervous about now. God suddenly steps in, coming to Moses defense. He calls the three to meet Him at the Tabernacle. This is definitely a good news bad news kind of deal. God wants both Miriam and Aaron to understand that His relationship with Moses is unique. The form here is again poetic. God speaks through dreams to the average prophet. But with Moses God chooses to speak face to face. Allen translates the poem this way. Hear my words: If there is one of your prophets I am Yahweh! I may speak to him by means of vision, or I may talk to him by means of a prophetic dream. But not so with my servant Moses; in all my household he is reliable. Face to face I speak with him, in personal presence and not in riddles; he gazes on the semblance of Yahweh. Why then are you not terrified, to speak against my servant, against Moses? 3 Note the warning words. Way are you not terrified? If they weren t before after God s asks they sure had better be. The fact we are God s children shouldn t allow us to be self confident. We saw back in Hebrews that God disciplines, judges those who are his own. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: My son, do not make light of the Lord s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons (Hebrews 12:5-8). Miriam, Aaron, don t fall into the trap of believing you can get away with accusing Moses because he s your brother. Don t fall into the trap of thinking because you re a believer you can sin with impunity. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? (Romans 6:1-2). There is another implication to God s words. He had a unique relationship with Moses. We are told that Moses saw him face to face. How do we reconcile this with the truth No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father s side, has made him 2 Allen, Ronald B., The Expositor s Bible Commentary, Numbers, Zondervan I nteractive Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1990, Electronic text hypertexted and prepared by OakTree Software, Inc. 3 Ibid. 51
known. (John 1:18)? The obvious answer is that Moses must have had interactions with the pre-incarnate Christ. And because of the actions of Miriam and Aaron, God leaves the scene angry, ready to bring down His judgment on the arrogant. III God disciplines Those He Loves?: And God does this by bringing His judgment down on Miriam. As the Pillar of Cloud departs, Miriam stands exposed as a leper. First, it should be noted since Miriam is judged and Aaron seems to escape unscathed, this would seem to support the earlier impression that Miriam is the primary mover behind this attack on Moses. Second, God s judgment is ironic. Miriam has complained that Moses is in the spotlight and she and Aaron are on the back burner. Now she will no longer be able to participate in the service of the Lord. The LORD said to Moses, Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them. The Israelites did this; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the LORD had instructed Moses (Numbers 5:1-4). Miriam has lost everything that matters to her, that is except one thing, her brothers Aaron and Moses. Finally Aaron speaks up. He makes a plea for his sister to his brother. He asks Moses to pray for Miriam s healing. For it was Moses secondarily and God whom they sinned against. And he believed, with cause the Moses intervention would save his sister. Aaron is now functioning as a High Priest. First, he confesses his own sin. Whether he actually actively supported Miriam, he certainly supported her in his silence. And so he confesses his sin. Having dealt with his own sin, he pleads for Miriam, just as he would plead for the sins of the people. But consider, Moses is depressed. He s been struggling with the rejection and attacks of the people. Then the very ones to whom he should have been able to turn had stabbed him in the back. One certainly couldn t have blamed him if had told both Aaron and Miriam to take a hike. Nevertheless, there is no hesitation. Moses immediately goes to the Lord and pleads for his sister. God responds to Moses request and heals Miriam. But there are two lessons to be taught. First, Miriam needs to understand the consequences of her actions. But the people also need to be reminded that Moses is God s spokesman, and to attack Moses is to attack God. So Miriam is put outside the camp for a week. Moses is the example here though. When the need occurs he rises to the occasion. He is able to forgive and he is able to move beyond his own pain and struggles. Though his sister and brother turned against him at the worst possible time, he is able to forgive them both and to 52
intervene for his sister. This is a lesson that will serve him well as he has to continually intervene for the Israelites. If we are to model Christ to others, then we too need to be able to forgive as we are forgiven. We are to forgive even those who have hurt us the most. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21-22). The is the command that God has given us all. We are to forgive because we are forgiven. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13). The call to love is the call to forgive. The response to being forgiven is to forgive others. Whereas Miriam and Aaron demonstrated jealousy and paid the price, Moses demonstrated forgiveness and serves as the example to us of what God desires from us. Avoid Jealousy Let there be no room in all your house for jealousy either to sit or to stand. It is a leprous abomination. Your brother s success, O sisters, is your success! His victories will be your victories. While Moses, the brother, led the vocal music after the crossing of the Red Sea, Miriam, the sister, with two glittering sheets of brass uplifted and glistening in the sun, led the instrumental music, clapping the cymbals till the last frightened neigh of pursuing cavalry horse was smothered in the water, and the last Egyptian helmet went under. TALMAGE. 4 4 McClure. 53
The Wilderness Journey Is Blood Thicker? Numbers 12:1-16 I Look Who s Talking: (Micah 6:4) II Look Who s Talking Now: (Hebrews 12:5-8; Romans 6:1-2; John 1:18)
III God Disciplines Those He Loves?: (Numbers 5:1-4; Matthew 18:21-22; Colossians 3:13) Personal Application: Is there any unforgiveness in my life? Why am I not forgiving? Why am I not forgiving them? What is the damage from not forgiving? What is the benefit of forgiving? What steps should I take? Prayer for the Week: Father God, help me be willing to offer the same forgiveness to others that I have experienced in You. Allow Your forgiveness to flow from You through me to those I need for forgive. Help me to remember I can t forgive, but I can allow you to empower me to forgive. Thank You Lord, in the name of the One who gives me Your forgiveness, Christ Jesus, amen.