Jealousy and the Child of God
A. THE CHARACTER OF THE CRITICISM
Numbers 12:1–3
The character of the criticism often reveals the faults of the one who is criticizing more than the faults of the criticized one.
1. The Source of the Criticism (Numbers 12:1)
The source of the criticism was a surprising source.
• The people in the source. “Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses” (Numbers 12:1). Miriam and Aaron were the older sister and older brother of Moses (Moses was the baby of the family). Miriam was the leader of the criticism. At least three reasons can be advanced to support the fact that she, not Aaron, was the leader of this criticism. First, she is mentioned first in the criticism. Second, the verb “spake” in our text is a feminine verb. Third, she was the one who was punished the most for the criticism.
• The painfulness of the source. “Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses” (Numbers 12:1). The people doing the criticism would intensify the pain of the criticism. Criticism always hurts, but when strangers criticize us, it is not as painful as when those close to us criticize. Especially is it painful to be criticized by one’s own family (Moses’ sister and brother).
2. The Subject of the Criticism (Numbers 12:1, 2)
Two criticisms were made against Moses.
• The minor subject. “The Ethiopian woman whom he had married” (Numbers 12:1). The first criticism was of the marriage of Moses. It has been a constant puzzle to Bible scholars just who this wife was. Zipporah, Moses’ first wife, had been reunited with him a year or so earlier at Sinai. Moses had been married to her about forty years. Did she die and he remarry? Or was this an unlikely second wife? And the term “Ethiopian,” which generally means a Cushite, can refer to different areas of the world, so it is not certain of what race she was. The question of her identity is not important, however; it is the reason for the criticism which comes next which is important.
• The major subject. “Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us” (Numbers 12:2). The main criticism was one of spiritual position and privilege. The fact of the position of the wife to Moses would irritate Miriam who as Moses’ older sister would want the priority of the number one woman in the camp. Her leading of the women in Exodus 15 after the Red Sea crossing shows her interest in position. Moses being the leader of the camp would upset small souls who saw him as their little brother more than as God’s servant. The criticism of Moses’ wife was only a means of criticizing him for his position. It is ever the habit of people controlled by envy to belittle those above them. Today’s equal-rights attitude would be on Miriam’s side, not on God’s side. In church it is not uncommon for the dissidents to accuse the pastor of taking too much authority upon himself. Envy and pride are more interested in one’s own personal honor and man’s honor than in the honor of God and the prosperity of His work.
3. The Saintliness of the Criticized (Numbers 12:3)
A note about Moses’ character is inserted to show how the criticism was so unjust.
• The specifics of meekness. “Moses was very meek” (Numbers 12:3). This statement helps to define meekness properly. Meekness is often viewed today as weakness, shyness, passiveness, backwardness, femininity, a lack of courage, and as someone who would never protest anything. But the statement that Moses was meek shows that meekness is far different than the common worldly view. Meekness is strength to hold your tongue when you are being attacked by unjust criticism. It is humbleness that does not arrogantly strut your calling and position. And it is faith that trusts God to take care of your vindication. Meekness did not stop Moses from being a firm, strong, and outspoken leader for God, nor did it stop Moses from strongly opposing evil in the camp.
• The superiority of meekness. “Above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Moses was the meekest of the meek. His meekest far exceeded the meekness of Miriam and Aaron if they had any meekness at all. If they had been meek, they would not have been attacking Moses. Furthermore, all the charges made against Moses by Aaron and Miriam are canceled out by Moses’ meekness.
B. THE COUNSEL ABOUT THE CRITICISM
Numbers 12:4–9
“The LORD heard it … the anger of the Lord was kindled” (Numbers 12:2, 9) says God is going to do something about this unwarranted criticism of Moses. God did plenty both in counsel and in chastening (which we will see later). Here we focus on the counseling of God about Moses.
1. The Site of the Counsel (Numbers 12:4, 5)
“The LORD spake suddenly unto Moses … Aaron … and Miriam. Come out ye three unto the tabernacle … and they three came out … And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle” (Numbers 12:4, 5). God called the three persons involved to the Tabernacle where He would give some much-needed Divine counsel.
2. The Sovereignty of Callings (Numbers 12:6)
“Hear now my words; If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him” (Numbers 12:6). God decides Divine callings. Miriam and Aaron in criticizing Moses ignored this fact. They were not called to leadership positions as Moses was. Family wishes and influence, church councils, seniority, charter membership, schools, fame, and fortune do not determine Divine callings. The sovereignty of a call to service ought to cause men to fear to tread in presumption into a calling not given them. To envy the spiritual position of one with a Divine calling is to be critical and dishonoring of God.
3. The Steadfastness of Moses (Numbers 12:7)
“My servant Moses … who is faithful in all mine house” (Numbers 12:7). God not only made it clear to Miriam and Aaron what Moses’ calling was, but He also made it clear to them what sort of character Moses had. God said Moses was “faithful,” and the way He said it emphasized the superiority of his faithfulness. One may be talented, popular, and impressive to men, but none of that will matter much with God. What matters is if we are faithful to Him. Faithfulness to God is the chief qualification for serving God. “It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). Moses’ faithfulness emphasized that he was not only superior to Aaron and Miriam and others in calling but also in character. Aaron especially should have been shamed by this statement of God, for Aaron’s unfaithfulness to God led Israel into the idolatry of the golden calf (Exodus 32). To think he was equal to Moses was emphatically nullified by the commendation of Moses’ faithfulness.
4. The Speaking to Moses (Numbers 12:6–8)
“With him will I speak mouth to mouth” (Numbers 12:8). When Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses’ position, they particularly addressed the matter of prophesying. “Hath he [God] not spoken also by us?” (Numbers 12:2) was their statement which said they thought they were equal to Moses. With the seventy doing some prophesying, Miriam and Aaron did not want to be left out and wanted to be equal with Moses, not with the seventy. But God made it plain in His counselling that Moses was superior in his position in camp. Furthermore, God said the difference between Moses and other prophets, which made Moses superior, was how God spoke to them. Other prophets received their message from God through visions and dreams, but Moses got his message straight from the mouth of God. “If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him [other prophets] in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so [not the same as the other prophets in how he is given Divine messages] … With him will I speak mouth to mouth” (Numbers 12:6–8).
5. The Sin of Disrespect (Numbers 12:8)
“Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:8). God had cleared Moses of the criticism by Miriam and Aaron. Then “wherefore” were they not afraid to criticize Moses? Criticizing God’s chosen servant is dangerous conduct. It will get you in big trouble with God. Church dissidents have shown great disrespect of God in their criticizing God’s chosen servants. “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (Psalm 105:15) expresses the principle that should stop much unjust criticism in the church about God’s chosen servants.
C. THE CHASTENING FOR THE CRITICISM
Numbers 12:10–16
The criticism of Moses was not only rebuked by Divine counsel but it was also condemned by Divine chastisement.
1. The Retribution Upon Miriam (Numbers 12:10, 15)
“Behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow” (Numbers 12:10). This retribution upon Miriam was severe.
• The degree of her leprosy. “White as snow.” That says her leprosy was “the most virulent and incurable of all” (Poole); it was leprosy “nothing short of a living death” (F. C. Cook). Attacking God’s servants unjustly can and often does result in severe judgment.
• The discrimination of her leprosy. “Miriam became leprous.” This does not exonerate Aaron in his fault in the case, but it shows, as we noted earlier, that Miriam was the leader of the criticism of Moses. Divine judgment points out who was the leader in the sin.
• The disgrace of her leprosy. “Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days” (Numbers 12:15). To have leprosy was a great dishonor to a person who had it. It shut them out from society and filled them with shame. Miriam’s envy and pride caused her to want high position in the camp, but God punished her with shame and disgrace by giving her leprosy. Those who are more anxious about honor for themselves than God will lose the honor they do have.
2. The Repentance About Miriam (Numbers 12:11)
“Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned” (Numbers 12:11). God’s punishment is intended to bring us to confession of our sins. Aaron got the message and confessed the folly of their sin of criticizing Moses. Aaron not only confessed his sin but forsook his sin. This is evident in his calling Moses “my lord” which is a distinctly different attitude than the one expressed in the criticism. Too bad he and Miriam had not called Moses “my lord” sooner, for it would have eliminated this episode of leprosy.
3. The Request for Miriam (Numbers 12:13)
“Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God I beseech thee” (Numbers 12:13). How magnanimous of Moses to so quickly and so earnestly pray for one who had so unjustly and unkindly attacked him. Moses was ever praying for those who treated him poorly. Christ commanded us to do the same when He said, “Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). But that is not easy to do! We want those who mistreated us to be punished. However, had God done to us what we often want done to our enemies, we would never have hasted of the cup of salvation.
4. The Restriction of Miriam (Numbers 12:14–16)
Miriam’s leprosy brought some severe restrictions upon her and also the camp of Israel.
• The debarring in her restriction. “Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days” (Numbers 12:15). Because of her leprosy, Miriam had to be shut out of the camp (Leviticus 13:46). Even though healed, she still had to be shut out of the camp for a week (Leviticus 14:8).
• The defending of her restriction. “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days” (Numbers 12:14). After Moses had prayed for Miriam, God healed Miriam, but she was still required to stay shut out from the camp for seven days. This restriction was defended by God who said a lesser offense would have also caused a week’s restriction.
• The days of her restriction. “Let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again” (Numbers 12:14). According to the rules of leprosy, she had to be shut out of the camp (Leviticus 13:46). Even when healed she had to remain out of the camp seven days (Leviticus 14:8). This would be very hard on Miriam.
• The delay because of the restriction. “The people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again” (Numbers 14:15). Miriam’s sin hindered the progress of the Lord’s work. Sin hurts others and it hurts the work of the Lord. Sin may be forgiven, but it leaves its mark and scars. Never take a light view of sin, for it will always hurt you and others even though it be forgiven.