Números 12

Números 12

Spurgeon - “He had married an Ethiopian woman.” —Numbers 12:1 Strange choice of Moses, but how much more strange the choice of him who is a prophet like unto Moses, and greater than he! Our Lord, who is fair as the lily, has entered into marriage union with one who confesses herself to be black, because the sun has looked upon her. It is the wonder of angels that the love of Jesus should be set upon poor, lost, guilty men. Each believer must, when filled with a sense of Jesus’ love, be also overwhelmed with astonishment that such love should be lavished on an object so utterly unworthy of it. Knowing as we do our secret guiltiness, unfaithfulness, and black-heartedness, we are dissolved in grateful admiration of the matchless freeness and sovereignty of grace. Jesus must have found the cause of his love in his own heart, he could not have found it in us, for it is not there. Even since our conversion we have been black, though grace has made us comely. Holy Rutherford said of himself what we must each subscribe to—“His relation to me is, that I am sick, and he is the Physician of whom I stand in need. Alas! how often I play fast and loose with Christ! He bindeth, I loose; he buildeth, I cast down; I quarrel with Christ, and he agreeth with me twenty times a day!” Most tender and faithful Husband of our souls, pursue thy gracious work of conforming us to thine image, till thou shalt present even us poor Ethiopians unto thyself, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. Moses met with opposition because of his marriage, and both himself and his spouse were the subjects of an evil eye. Can we wonder if this vain world opposes Jesus and his spouse, and especially when great sinners are converted? for this is ever the Pharisee’s ground of objection, “This man receiveth sinners.” Still is the old cause of quarrel revived, “Because he had married an Ethiopian woman.” LASB - People often argue over minor disagreements, leaving the real issue untouched. Such was the case when Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses. They represented the priests and the prophets, the two most powerful groups next to Moses. The real issue was their growing jealousy of Moses' position and influence. Since they could not find fault with the way Moses was leading the people, they chose to criticize his wife. Rather than face the problem squarely by dealing with their envy and pride, they chose to create a diversion from the real issue. When you are in a disagreement, stop and ask yourself if you are arguing over the real issue or if you have introduced a smoke screen by attacking someone's character. If you are unjustly criticized, remember that your critics may be afraid to face the real problem. Don't take this type of criticism personally. Ask God to help you identify the real issue and deal with it. Jealousy is a blister on the heels of friendship. Anon. Jealousy is the raw material of murder. Anon. Jealousy sees too much. Anon. Many lovely things pass out of life when jealousy comes in. Anon. Jealousy never thinks itself strong enough. John Bunyan He that looks through a green glass sees no other colour. Thomas Adams Envy eats nothing but its own heart. Anon. Envy never enriched any man. Anon. Envy is like a disease—it consumes the soul. Envy eats nothing but its own heart. Happiness vanishes when envy appears. Envy slays itself by its own arrows. A person is truly great when he is not envious of his rival’s success. Envy provides the mud that failure throws at success. Anon. Every time you turn green with envy you are ripe for trouble. Anon. If envy were a fever, all the world would be ill. Anon. As rust corrupts iron, so envy corrupts man. Antisthenes If there is any sin more deadly than envy, it is being pleased at being envied. Richard Armour Envy is a coal that comes hissing hot from hell. Philip James Baily Love looks through a telescope, envy through a microscope. John Billings An envious man is a squinty-eyed fool. H. C. Bohn Envy, it tortures the affections, it vexes the mind, it inflames the blood, it corrupts the heart, it wastes the spirits; and so it becomes man’s tormentor and man’s executioner at once. Thomas Brooks Envy is a denial of providence. Stephen Charnock As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth envy consume a man. Chrysostom Envy is the sign of a nature that is altogether evil. Demosthenes Envy is the greatest of all diseases among men. Euripides Envy shoots at others and wounds herself. Thomas Fuller It is as hard to keep our hearts and envy asunder as it is to hinder two lovers from meeting together. William Gurnall If we love our neighbour we shall be so far from envying his welfare, or being displeased with it, that we shall share in it and rejoice at it. Matthew Henry The prosperity of those to whom we wish well can never grieve us; and the mind which is bent on doing good to all can never wish ill to any. Matthew Henry Envy is its own punishment. William Jenkyn Too many Christians envy the sinners their pleasure and the saints their joy because they don’t have either one. Martin Luther Envy is a rebellion against God himself, and the liberty and pleasure of his dispensations. Thomas Manton Envy is a settled, crooked malice. Thomas Manton There are two sins which were Christ’s sorest enemies, covetousness and envy. Covetousness sold Christ and envy delivered him. Thomas Manton The envious man is an enemy to himself, for his mind is always spontaneously occupied with his own unhappy thoughts. Menander The jealous are troublesome to others; a torment to themselves. - William Penn Envy always implies inferiority, wherever it resides. Pliny There is no worse passion than envy. William S. Plumer Envy: the green sickness. - Shakespeare O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on. - Shakespeare There is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy. Richard Brinsley Sheridan Envy and malice are quicksighted. Richard Sibbes In spiritual things there is no envy. Richard Sibbes The cure for envy lies in living under a constant sense of the divine presence, worshipping God and communing with him all the day long, however long the day may seem. C. H. Spurgeon Envy does nothing with reason. John Trapp Envy is a self-murder, a fretting canker. Thomas Watson ILLUSTRATION - A lady walked into a large department store one day. When she did, all of the sudden camera bulbs flashed and a small musical band began playing a tune. An executive from the store walked up to the lady and pinned a beautiful corsage on her dress. He gave the woman a brand new $100 bill. As he did, he said, "Congratulations for being the one millionth person to walk inside the store." A newspaper reporter who stood by the lady asked, "Why did you come into the store today?" The lady answered, "I was on my way to the Complaint Department." As the curtain opens in this chapter, we find the Complaint Department is still open. In chapter 11, it was the people moaning about the menu. Moses was moaning about the moaners. In this chapter, Miriam and Aaron are moaning about Moses. - Rod Mattoon ILLUSTRATION OF JEALOUSY - There is a fable of an eagle which could outfly another, and the other didn’t like it. The latter saw a sportsman one day, and said to him: “I wish you would bring down that eagle.” The sportsman replied that he would if he only had some feathers to put into the arrow. So the eagle pulled one out of his wing. The arrow was shot, but didn’t quite reach the rival eagle; it was flying too high. The envious eagle pulled out more feathers, and kept pulling them out until he lost so many that he couldn’t fly, and then the sportsman turned around and killed him. [If you’re jealous the only 1 you can hurt is yourself] LASB - Before criticizing someone else, we need to pause long enough to discover our own motives. Failing to do this can bring disastrous results. What is often labeled "constructive criticism" may actually be destructive jealousy, since the easiest way to raise our own status is to bring someone else down. Are you willing to question your motives before you offer criticism? Does the critical finger you point need to be pointed first toward yourself? James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose - JEALOUSY AMONG THE LORD’S SERVANTS Numbers 12 “Save me, O my God, from fretting, Sin of all other sins begetting; Grant that I may understand All is ’neath Thy ruling hand. Save me, O my God, from fretting. Subtle weaver of sin’s netting; Others may be great, I low, Grace give to Thy will to bow.” Jealousy is cruel as the grave. It is a sad sight to see the Lord’s people looking on one another with the self-conceited eyes of envy. Godliness with contentment is great gain. See here its— 1. Origin. “Because Moses had married an Ethiopian woman” (v. 1). In this connection it is significant that Miriam’s name is mentioned first, as she doubtless first kindled this fire of sedition. The Ethiopian woman being raised to a place of great honour seemed to stir up her envy. Does it make us fretful when some brother of low degree is lifted into prominence in the cause of Christ? Are we more ready to find fault than bless God for it? 2. Form. “Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses? hath He not spoken also by us?” (v. 2). This was a question as to the receiving of the favour of God, and their fitness to take the lead in His word. When there is pride and discontent in the heart it will soon break out in fault-finding. Am I not the servant of God as well as he? A sparrow is under the same care as an angel, but their character and the purpose of their lives are very different. A geologist knows the difference between granite and sandstone, so may any schoolboy, but that does not make him a geologist. 3. Subject. “They spake against Moses. Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which are upon the face of the earth” (v. 3). Moses makes no attempt to vindicate his own name. He is conscious that his commission is from God, and he leaves Him to deal with the offenders. What can be more cruel than jealousy? It is so terribly soul-blinding that it will charge the meekest men on earth with vanity and presumption. Dissatisfied and envious Christian workers are not infrequently found throwing such stones at those who are more used of God than they are. Take heed to yourself. 4. Treatment. “The Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, Come out ye three, and hear now My words” (vs. 4–8). Suddenly the Lord appears for the defence of His servant Moses. He honours and justifies him before their faces as more than an ordinary prophet, as one to whom He could speak mouth to mouth and face to face (Exod. 33:11). God will always compensate His tried servants for their faithful silence. The way into open reward is through a shut door (Matt. 6:6). 5. Guilt. “The anger of the Lord was kindled against them” (v. 9). Those who are jealous of others in the Lord’s work should be reminded that they have a jealous God to deal with (Nah. 1:2). He will avenge the wrongs done to those who abide in the secret of His presence. The Lord looketh upon the heart. Is thy heart right with God in this respect? Be sure this sin will find you out. 6. Results. The evidence of His wrath upon them is seen in that it— 1. PRODUCED UNCLEANNESS. “Miriam became leprous” (v. 10). The sin of the heart soon manifested itself in outward uncleanness. Fault-finders and backbiters will soon be found outside the service of God. When Christian workers become envious and ambitious, look out for an outbreak. 2. INTERRUPTED FELLOWSHIP. “Let her be shut out from the camp seven days” (v. 14). The spirit of jealousy quickly withers up the spirit of communion. It is an uncleanness within that unfits for fellowship with God and with His people. This is a law that is unalterable. The lack of brotherly love grieves the Holy Ghost, and so the spirit of prayer and worship is lost, and the soul has to go outside the enjoyment of all holy things. Beware how ye speak about the Lord’s servants. This is a solemn question asked by Jehovah, “Were ye not afraid to speak against My servant?” (v. 8). To his own master he stands or falls. 3. HINDERED PROGRESS. “The people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again” (v. 15). The whole camp was kept back through her sin. Those who sin in the high places of the Church are great hindrances to the advancement of the cause of Christ. One fly may spoil the ointment, one Achan may cause defeat to the whole army of God, one sin will hinder growth in grace, mar the testimony, and make the life unfruitful. “Search me, O God, and try me, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23). Question: Who was Moses’ wife? Did Moses have more than one wife? Answer: The Bible does not say much about Moses’ wife, Zipporah. We know that she was the daughter of a man called Jethro (or Reuel), who was a priest in the land of Midian (Exodus 3:1; cf. 2:18). The Bible does not explicitly say that Moses had more than one wife. However, Numbers 12:1 leads many to surmise another wife: “Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.” The question of the number of Moses’ wives hinges on the identity of this Cushite (or Ethiopian) woman. Is this a reference to Zipporah? Or is this another woman? First, some background. While he was still in Egypt, Moses killed an Egyptian guard who was assaulting a Hebrew slave, and he hid the body. Soon, Moses got word that Pharaoh knew what he had done and was going to kill him, so he fled from Egypt to the land of Midian to avoid prosecution. When he got to Midian, he sat down by a well, and there he encountered a family living in that area. The priest of Midian had seven daughters, shepherdesses who came to water their father’s flock. Some shepherds tried to drive the women away, but Moses fought the shepherds off and helped the women, even drawing water for their animals. The seven reported this heroic action to their father, and he asked Moses to come and eat with his family. Sometime later, Moses was married to Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel, the priest of Midian (Exodus 2:16–22). In later chapters Reuel is called Jethro. There is no explanation for this name change, but the title “priest of Midian” accompanies both names, and he is called Moses’ father-in-law, so it is safe to assume this was the same man. The only other possibility is that there were two priests of Midian, one called Jethro and one called Reuel and that Moses had married a daughter from each family—but that would be very unlikely. More evidence that Moses only had one wife is found in Exodus 4:20: “Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt.” Wife is singular, and there is no mention of any other wife or wives that Moses had. On the way to Egypt, Zipporah circumcised their son and thus saved her husband’s life—Moses had neglected to obey the Lord in this matter, and the Lord would have killed Moses had not Zipporah intervened (Exodus 4:24–26). After this event, it seems that Moses sent Zipporah and his sons back home to stay with Jethro. We don’t encounter Zipporah again until after the exodus when she returns to Moses in the wilderness (Exodus 18). That brings us to Numbers 12:1 and the reference to Moses’ marriage to the Cushite, or Ethiopian. It is possible, though not probable, that the Cushite is Zipporah. Arguing against that possibility are two facts: 1) the link between Midianites and Ethiopians is very difficult to trace convincingly; and 2) the objection to the marriage raised by Miriam and Aaron seems to indicate a recent event. Moses and Zipporah would have been married for over 40 years by this time, and it is unlikely that Moses’ siblings would just then be protesting. Much more likely is that Zipporah had died (although her death is not recorded in Scripture) and that Moses had remarried. Some see in Moses’ marriages to two Gentiles as prefiguring the gospel message going into all the world, blessing even the Gentiles (see Acts 1:8). Zipporah the Midianite was related to the Israelites but only through Abraham’s son by a concubine (Genesis 25:1–2); the Cushite was farther removed from the lineage of Israel. Moses’ marriages expanded in a widening circle into the Gentile world, helping to show that in Abraham’s seed all the nations of the world would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). (GotQuestions.org) Question: Who was Miriam in the Bible? Answer: Miriam in the Bible is Moses’ older sister. She is called “Miriam the prophetess” in Exodus 15:20. She plays an important role in several episodes of Moses’ life and in the exodus of Israel from Egypt. Miriam is the sister who watches over her baby brother Moses among the bulrushes on the banks of the Nile. Their mother had hidden Moses in a basket on the river bank to protect him from Pharaoh’s decree to throw all Hebrew baby boys into the river (Exodus 1:22—2:4). As Miriam watches, Pharaoh’s daughter discovers and pities Moses, and Miriam quickly intervenes to ask if the Egyptian princess would like a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for her. The princess agrees, and Miriam quickly gets their mother. Pharaoh’s daughter commands Moses’ biological mother to nurse him and bring him back to her when he is older. By the grace of God, Miriam helps save the infant Moses (Exodus 2:5–10). Miriam had another brother, Aaron. Their parents, Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20), were both from the Levite tribe of Israel (Exodus 2:1). Together, God uses Moses, Miriam, and Aaron to lead the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land in Canaan (Micah 6:4+). After miraculously crossing the Red Sea on dry ground and seeing the Egyptian army overthrown in the sea, Miriam leads the women with a tambourine in worshiping God with song and dance (Exodus 15:20–22). The words to Miriam’s song are recorded in verse 21: “Sing to the Lord, / for he is highly exalted. / Both horse and driver / he has hurled into the sea.” In this same passage, she is given the title “prophetess,” the first of only a handful of women in Scripture identified that way. Others called a “prophetess” are Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3), Anna (Luke 2:36), and Philip’s four daughters (Acts 21:9). Unfortunately, Miriam later falls into a spirit of complaining. Both Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses for marrying a Cushite or Ethiopian woman, but Miriam is listed first (Numbers 12:1) so it is likely she instigated the complaint. While the complaint was ostensibly against Moses’ wife, the discontent ran deeper: “‘Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?’ they asked. ‘Hasn’t he also spoken through us?’” (Numbers 12:2). In her criticism, Miriam was questioning the Lord’s wisdom in choosing Moses as the leader. God was angry that Miriam and Aaron were so willing to speak against the servant He had chosen. The Lord struck Miriam with leprosy. Aaron, realizing the foolishness of their words, repented of his sin, and Moses, ever the intercessor, prayed on behalf of his sister: “Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘Please, God, heal her!’” (Numbers 12:13). After a week-long quarantine, Miriam was healed and rejoined the camp. As Miriam’s leprosy convicted Aaron of the foolish words they had spoken against God’s chosen servant, it should also remind us not to judge those around us or live in jealousy when God has given a specific call to someone else (see Titus 3:1–15; James 1:26; 4:11–12; Ephesians 4:31; Philippians 4:8). Miriam had an opportunity to show the people of Israel what it meant to live in love as a servant of God without complaining, and, for most of her life, she did; but she failed in the matter of Moses’ wife. We, too, have opportunities to show the grumblers and complainers around us what it is to be a servant of Jesus Christ. Let us draw them to Jesus through our love and servanthood and not be drawn away from Him ourselves. Our next encounter with Miriam is at the end of the 40-year desert wandering. Because of their grumbling and lack of faith in God, the first generation of Israelites to leave captivity was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. This included the prophetess Miriam. Most of the older generation had already died in the wilderness when Israel comes back to Kadesh, where they had started their wanderings. It’s here that Miriam dies and is buried (Numbers 20:1). Hers was a life of responsibility and service, of God’s calling and providence, yet it also reminds us that no one is too important to receive God’s discipline for personal sin (see 1 Corinthians 10:12). (Source: GotQuestions.org) James Hastings - MIRIAM’S MISTAKE 1. The whole story of Miriam, as recorded in the Bible, is not a long one. It may be written in a few terse phrases. Our first glimpse of her is during the days of the oppression, by the side of an ark of rushes. She was appointed her brother’s guardian, to watch the issue of a last desperate expedient to save his life. How well she watched and how prudently she discharged her mission is known of all. We catch another glimpse of her just after the crossing of the sea, when Pharaoh’s horsemen lay stiffening on the shore. It was Miriam who took up the theme of Moses’ Jubilate and led the women’s song: “Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.” Save for the incident which led to the tragedy of the leprosy we could pass nothing but compliments on Miriam. But, alas for human ideals! This is an integral part of the story. The Miriam of the bondage and of prophetic gift became Miriam the leper. 2. At Hazeroth (Ain Haderah, thirty miles from Sinai), a rebellion arose against Moses, from within his own family. The jealousy of Aaron and Miriam was roused by Moses taking a second wife, an Ethiopian woman. They challenged the exclusive right of Moses to be the mouthpiece of revelation. “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us?” Moses apparently made no reply. The writer parenthetically calls him “very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth,” a meekness which was certainly not his natural character, but the result of self-discipline and grace. The Divine vindication of Moses is couched in remarkable words. Moses was proclaimed to be more than a mere prophet: his communications with God were more direct than the visions and dreams which were the ordinary channels of prophecy: “And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” The Divine anger was shown by Miriam being struck with leprosy, “white as snow,” from which she was delivered only after Aaron had confessed their sin and by the earnest prayer of Moses himself. Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days, during which the camp remained at Hazeroth, and was then restored. 3. How did Moses act—he who, years before, had felled an Egyptian with one blow of his fist? Did he pour out a torrent of indignation, assuring himself that he had just cause to be angry? Did he show them the door of the tent, and bid them mind their own affairs? Did he in his anger call on God to strike them down? Nothing of the sort. He answered not a word. In his bearing he reminds us of Christ in the judgment-hall, who, “when he was reviled, reviled not again.” It may be well to give some rules for the attainment of this meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price. (1) Let us claim the meekness of Christ.—This, of course, was not possible for Moses in the direct way in which it is for us. And yet, doubtless, in his case also there was a constant appeal for heavenly grace. The humility of Jesus did not forbid His proposing Himself as our model for meekness. “Learn of me,” He said, “for I am meek and lowly in heart.” The likeness of the dove that rested on His head, and the lamb to which He was compared, were the sweet emblems of His heart. And in moments of provocation there is nothing better than to turn to Him and claim His calm, sweet silence, His patience and meekness, saying, “I claim all these, my Lord, for the bitter need of my spirit.” (2) Let us leave God to vindicate our cause.—Moses trusted God to vindicate him; and the Almighty God “rode upon a cherub and did fly; yea, he was seen upon the wings of the wind.’ The Lord heard all that was said, and spake suddenly to the three, and told them that whilst He would speak to others in visions and dreams, it was to Moses only that He would speak face to face, so that he might behold Jehovah’s form. “Wherefore then,” said He, “were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (Num. 12:8). This is the secret of rest—to cultivate the habit of handing all over to God, as Hezekiah did when he spread out Sennacherib’s letter in the house of the Lord. (3) Let us give ourselves to intercessory prayer.—“Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.” When we pray for those who have despitefully used and persecuted us, it is marvellous how soon the soul grows calm and tender. We may begin to do it as a duty, in obedience to the command; we soon discover it to be as snow on a fevered forehead, cooling and soothing the soul. Do not wait to feel an inspiration—act on the sense of what your Lord requires; and as you pray, in the calm and holy presence of God, in the secret where your Father is found, you will find that unworthy thoughts will sink, as silt is precipitated to the river-bed, leaving the stream pellucid and clear. ¶ It was a cold bitter day in December, 1900. We two missionaries sat in a large comfortless room, with two Chinese officials, in the city of Yung P’ing Fu, North China, handing out orders for money and deeds of land which, before our arrival, had been arranged as compensation between Christians who had suffered and Boxers who had persecuted, in the terrible rising of the previous summer. It was a soul-wearying business, for the whole district had been in turmoil for months, and, not to mention smaller losses, thirty-three men, women and children associated with the English Methodist Mission, had died as martyrs for the faith of Jesus. It had come as a shock to us missionaries on our arrival to learn that a certain sum of money had been already agreed upon as compensation for every life that had been taken, but when it is remembered that in many cases the head of the family had been murdered, and children left unprovided for, the arrangement can, in some measure, be understood. The officials had also expressed their willingness to arrest and punish, according to law, any person who could be proved to have actually committed murder, or actively incited to it. But in not a single case was the extreme penalty demanded, though in two instances, one, where seven members of one family had perished, and the other, where four had died, the decision was not reached without a severe struggle between the old heathen notions and the new faith. The finest episode in all the ghastly business was reached when our old Bible-seller, Ho Ju Ching, a tall, noble-looking man wearing on to sixty years of age, stood up before the officials, the missionaries, and the eager crowd of onlookers to receive his share of the compensation. His crops had been destroyed, his home burnt down, he and his family had been fugitives beyond the Great Wall for over three months. Worst of all, his daughter, a bright and bonnie lassie of seventeen, had been cruelly done to death in their own village, by men who were neighbours to them. When asked whether he wished the murderers of his child to be arrested, the old man simply and quietly replied, “No, I do not wish that. I know them every one. They know that I know them, but I shall never seek to have them punished. For what they have done I forgive them as I hope to be forgiven, and I prefer now to leave them to the mercy of God, and pray that they may yet be led to forgiveness and salvation.” Do you wonder that my colleague, who had spent over twenty-five years of his life preaching Christ to the Chinese, should spring from his seat, and cry out triumphantly to the two wondering officials, “That is what Christianity is doing for your people, and for which they have suffered such tortures”? Jealousy or zeal? "Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman)" (Nu 12:1) "Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife" (Philippians 1:15). When the famous sculptor Michelangelo and the painter Raphael were creating works of art to beautify the Vatican, a bitter spirit of rivalry rose up between them. Whenever they met, they refused to speak to each other. Yet each was supposedly doing his work for the glory of God. Jealousy often parades behind the facade of religious zeal. Miriam and Aaron criticized their brother Moses for marrying an Ethiopian. But God's anger revealed that it was actually jealousy that prompted their criticism. Out of jealousy, Saul sought to kill David, whom God had chosen to succeed Saul as king. And when the apostle Paul was in prison, some people were so jealous of the way God was using him that they preached Christ in order to add to the apostle's distress. We can overcome this harmful attitude, but first we must identify it. Jealousy believes that someone else is getting what we deserve—whether money, popularity, wisdom, skill, or spiritual maturity. Sec­ond, we must confess it. Call it what it is—sin. And third, we must give thanks. The moment we see someone enjoying any advantage, we must accept it with gratitude. We can keep jealousy in check by refusing to compare ourselves with others. As we learn to find our satisfaction in God, His grace enables us to rejoice with those who rejoice. When we do that, we have little room for envy. —D. J. De Haan When we turn green with jealousy, we are ripe for trouble. Numbers 12:1b The Friction of Jealousy "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" (Numbers 12:2). In the world of technology, friction is an enemy of efficiency. That's why auto engineers put so much emphasis on aerodynamics, easy-rolling tires, and short-stroke engines. They want to reduce the fric­tion caused by air resistance, road contact, and moving parts. In Numbers 12, we read about a form of friction that creates discord, makes everybody uneasy, diminishes our witness, weakens our worship, and hinders the Spirit's work in our lives. Miriam's jealous revolt against her brother Moses brought God's rebuke and slowed the Israelites' progress. The energy-robbing friction she caused was not unlike personality problems among jealous church members today. Probably all of us have felt the sting of cruel verbal barbs shot at us by "envious archers." But the greatest pain caused by envy is felt by the person who harbors it. A God-centered, loving attitude is at the heart of the believer's life and health, but envy eats like a consuming disease into the bones and marrow of a person's moral fiber. That's why Socrates called envy "the soul's saw." Whenever we begin to feel friction due to our envy or jealousy, we must confess it as sin and ask the Lord for His help. Then we must forgive those who have wronged us or apologize to those we have wronged. The friction will disappear, and we'll once again become spiritually Numbers 12:2 and they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?" And the LORD heard it. BGT Numbers 12:2 καὶ εἶπαν μὴ Μωυσῇ μόνῳ λελάληκεν κύριος οὐχὶ καὶ ἡμῖν ἐλάλησεν καὶ ἤκουσεν κύριος NET Numbers 12:2 They said, "Has the LORD only spoken through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard it. NLT Numbers 12:2 They said, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn't he spoken through us, too?" But the LORD heard them. ESV Numbers 12:2 And they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it. NIV Numbers 12:2 "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard this. KJV Numbers 12:2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. YLT Numbers 12:2 and they say, 'Only by Moses hath Jehovah spoken? also by us hath he not spoken?' and Jehovah heareth. LXE Numbers 12:2 And they said, Has the Lord spoken to Moses only? has he not also spoken to us? and the Lord heard it. ASV Numbers 12:2 And they said, Hath Jehovah indeed spoken only with Moses? hath he not spoken also with us? And Jehovah heard it. CSB Numbers 12:2 They said, "Does the LORD speak only through Moses? Does He not also speak through us?" And the LORD heard it. NKJ Numbers 12:2 So they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it. NRS Numbers 12:2 and they said, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it. Has the LORD indeed: Nu 16:3 Ex 4:30 5:1 7:10 15:20,21 Mic 6:4 Has He not spoken: Nu 11:29 Pr 13:10 Ro 12:3,10 Php 2:3,14 1Pe 5:5 And the LORD heard it: Nu 11:1 Ge 29:33 2Sa 11:27 2Ki 19:4 Ps 94:7-9 Isa 37:4 Eze 35:12,13 Numbers 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries And they said - The text from Nu 12:1 changes to use a plural form. Miriam was most likely the main critic of Moses' Cushite wife, but now Aaron joins in. This recalls the people's murmuring in Numbers 11:1 " the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD." In Micah Moses, Aaron and Miriam are mentioned together “Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt And ransomed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam. (Mic 6:4+) Comment - Everybody in Israel knew that Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were God’s chosen servants, but that Moses was the leader. (Wiersbe) Wenham - Miriam and Aaron claim that the LORD speaks with them in the same intimate way that he speaks with Moses. (TOTC-Nu) Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well? - Had He? Indeed He had. In Aaron's case God used Aaron to sub for Moses when he weakly excused himself in Ex 4:10-16, 30+ "Then Moses said to the LORD, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue. 11 The LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 “Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” 13 But he said, “Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will.” 14 Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, “Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 “You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. 16 “Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him."...30) and Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. He then performed the signs in the sight of the people." We must not allow jealousy to cause us to sin against God and our fellow human beings. -- Gene Getz Miriam was a prophetess and God had put prophetic words in her mouth in Exodus 15:20-21+ Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. 21 Miriam answered them, “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.” And so both Aaron and Miriam had some grounds (albeit "shaky" grounds) for questioning the fact that Moses was the sole speaker for God. FSB adds an interesting comment that may have contributed to their sinful reaction - As Moses’ older siblings, Miriam and Aaron (Ex 7:7) may assume they should hold equal authority, failing to recognize God’s choice of Moses as His representative. Brian Bell - Was Moses’ wife the real problem? Nope, see Nu 12:2.Their question gets to the heart of the matter. If there be a hidden evil, circumstances will sooner or later occur in which it will be outwardly manifest. You will find that, as a rule, those who complain about the way the ball bounces are usually the ones who dropped it. Miriam & Aaron had a very special place & standing...but it did not entitle them to criticize & rebel against Moses, the one called to lead Israel & to receive divine revelation. Miriam & Aaron were jealous of the authority God had given Moses, & they wanted him to share it.Was this a reaction to what God did for the 70 elders? (Spirit coming upon them) In their self-importance, they accused Moses of arrogance appointing himself as leader, which was the furthest thing from his humble mind. NET Note is very interesting - The use of both רַק and אַךְ (raq and ’akh) (though us) underscore the point that the issue is Moses’ uniqueness. tn There is irony in the construction in the text. The expression “speak through us” also uses דִּבֵּר + בְּ(dibber + bé). They ask if God has not also spoken through them, after they have spoken against Moses. Shortly God will speak against them—their words are prophetic, but not as they imagined. The questions are rhetorical. They are affirming that God does not only speak through Moses, but also speaks through them. They see themselves as equal with Moses. The question that was asked of the earlier presumptuous Moses (in Ex 2:14+)—“Who made you a ruler over us?”—could also be asked of them. God had not placed them as equals with Moses. (ED: APPLICATION) The passage is relevant for today when so many clamor for equal authority and leadership with those whom God has legitimately called. Through insolence comes nothing but strife, But wisdom is with those who receive counsel. -- Proverbs 13:10 And the LORD heard it. - This is the frightening part of this passage! The omniscient LORD heard their words, but even more frightening is tht fact that He saw the evil intent in their hearts! God hates complaining and grumbling. NET NOTE on LORD heard - The statement is striking. Obviously the LORD knows all things. But the statement of the obvious here is meant to indicate that the LORD was about to do something about this. Matthew