Pride and Prejudice | Numbers part 13

This week we continue our study of Numbers. By way of review, we read the first 10 chapters which were preparation for Israel to leave Mt. Sinai and head towards the Promised Land. Then, in chapter 11, we read where the people immediately began complaining in the desert. They grew tired of the manna provided by the Lord and asked for meat. The Lord told Moses they would get meat and so much that it would flow out their noses.

In the midst of these complaints, Moses was also told to gather 70 elders from Israel who would help bear the burden of the people. These 70 men would receive a portion of the Spirit that was on Moses and prophesy. That’s exactly what happened, and then in 11:31-35, we read how the Lord stirred up a wind that brought quail from the sea. The people were able to eat the quail meat, but sure enough, those who ate the quail found themselves sick from plague.

The complaints of leadership are one thing when they come from the congregation or mass of people. It’s another when it comes from family. In chapter 12, Moses will face another set of complaints, but this time they will come from his own siblings.

Jealousy and Sedition | Numbers 12:1-9

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.

Numbers 12:1-9

The identity of Moses’ Cushite wife is a bit of a mystery. From Exodus, we know Moses married Zepporrah the Midianite. Scholars have debated whether Zepporah could be considered Cushite based on the varying meanings of the word, but the essential thrust of verse 1 is that Miriam is annoyed Moses married outside of Israel. That said, his wife’s ethnicity is not even the real problem. That she is a Cushite of some sort is simply a smokescreen for what is really bothering her.

Notice the name order in verses 1 and 2. In verse 1 it’s “Miriam and Aaron” which points us to Miriam being the instigator. Additionally, the Hebrew verb of “spoke” is also feminine. Miriam is doing the talking. Then, in verse 2, the subject is “they” and the verb shifts to masculine. While it could simply be a grammatical necessity, this shift to masculine may also indicate that Aaron is primarily doing the talking in verse 2 as opposed to verse 1

What these two verses show us is Moses’ siblings have grown jealous of Moses’ position in Israel.

“The Lord spoke through us too! Where’s our recognition?”

Jealousy is a bizarre emotion. It can cause to say very foolish things, and yet we won’t recognize just how foolish until the damage is done. We don’t have a direct description of Moses’ reaction, but based on the following verse, he may have taken a more passive stance than he should. Undoubtedly, a later scribe added the part about Moses being the most meek in the world. If he said that himself, it would lose the effect. That’s kind of like bragging how humble you are.

The narrator may be alluding to Moses unwilling to correct his siblings himself. Regardless, the Lord hears and the Lord intervenes.

Recognition of service to the Lord is fine, but it’s not the goal of service.

Before we address the punishment for their attitudes, this is a good point in the story to pause and consider jealousy among God’s people. How do we deal with those times when someone else seems to get more recognition or status than we think they deserve?

Pastors are especially prone to this trap. Why does so and so get the bigger church? The higher budget? The cooler (fill in the blank)?

Congregations can be just as guilty. I knew of two churches in Arkansas (neither of which I served) that gained the reputation for being in competition with each other. They literally were built side by side, and so when one went under renovation, the other would soon follow. The peak of their competition occurred when one decided to add giant bronze doors to the front of their building. They were so large and impractical, the entrance stopped being used. I’m sure there’s a bit of poetic justice in the fact their front doors were shut because of this endeavor. I know there has to be more to the story since I was just an outside observer, but regardless, it’s an old story of congregations or pastors trying to outdo one another.

So, how do we respond to this desire we have to do well when it gets in the way of service to the Lord? Or worse, when we think we are serving the Lord…just not seeing the blessing right away?

Obedience begins with what we already have, not what we want.

The first truth to recognize is the Lord does not deal in equality. Each person’s blessings are individually given and measured. This truth is certainly not one our modern world appreciates. Shouldn’t the Lord be fair? Well, He is and He isn’t. “He isn’t” in that every act of grace is someone getting what they don’t deserve. Salvation isn’t fair to begin with, and praise God it isn’t. Even more, the Lord does not give beyond our current ability. As we grow, He will give more, but if we don’t grow, He will give less. Consider the parable of the talents. At the end of the parable, Jesus says,

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Matthew 25:29

Luke records Jesus’ teachings in a slightly different context. Jesus is speaking of the coming of the end of the age and how we should be prepared. In Luke 12, he says,

Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Luke 12:48b

The first passage has to do with money and abilities; the second has to do with knowledge. In both cases, the burden of responsibility is on the one who has more. If you have more, you should do more with it. Again, this isn’t equality, but it is fair. Whether you find yourself as someone with 5 talents, 2 talents or 1, it is up to you to be faithful with what you have.

And as far as recognition is concerned:

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:6

And also

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you

James 4:10

Jealousy happens sometimes. It’s inevitable someone will receive what you want. But we can respond with humility. We may not have the thing yet, and may never, but how can we be faithful with what God has given us? Some of the best advice I received as a young youth pastor was “bloom where you are planted.” We can’t always control our situation in life, but we can control our response.

Punishment and Restoration | Numbers 12:10-16

When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother's womb.” And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.” But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” So Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

Numbers 12:10-16

Miriam’s punishment is quick and visible. Because she is first to start the complaints, she receives the punishment first. Aaron is quick to humble himself. He calls Moses “my lord” and asks for help. The three of them have seen enough Israelites punished with death, they are all afraid what this disease may lead to. Moses asks the Lord to heal her, and His response is telling.

This disease will not lead to death, but it is an opportunity for correction. “If her father had but spit in her face” does not reference a particular law in the Torah, but rather a cultural practice. Her path to restoration will be the same. She is to stay out of the camp for seven days to be cleansed of her leprosy. The seven day period is the same mentioned elsewhere as the customary period for waiting outside the camp.

Miriam and Aaron will learn humility through this disease. Their station in Israel does not excuse them from the necessity to humble themselves before the Lord and being submissive to whom God has put in charge of Israel. In fact, Jesus had this to say when asked who the greatest in the kingdom of heaven would be.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:1-4

Greatness in the Kingdom of God is measured in humility, not position.

No one is above the proverb, “Pride comes before the fall” nor “God opposes the proud.” Again, pastors and congregations can be the most susceptible to this trap. Once we start thinking we’ve got this whole “following Jesus” thing figured out, there will come another test. Sin is always crouching at the door waiting for us. It’s not always some debauchery. Sometimes sin comes as self-assured righteousness.

Miriam and Aaron held positions in Israel second only to Moses, but their positions did not keep them from the trap of pride. We must be careful to never let our position—whether in our family, our church, our country, or whatever else—keep us from believing our egos can get overinflated.

But there is a path of restoration. Seven days, Miriam is to remain outside the camp to reflect and restore her health. The seven days away from camp was the path of restoration for Israelites who were ceremonially unclean. For their day, this is how their faith and repentance was exercised. In our day, Jesus has already fulfilled the law. We do not need to separate ourselves from the church for an extended period of time, but we do need to exercise our faith by going to Jesus for cleansing.

If we find ourselves in a place of pride, then it’s time to step back a bit. Maybe a week is long enough, but maybe longer is needed. Regardless the length of the break, the point is to spend a purposeful time of reflection and repentance to seek restoration—both in our relationship with God and with others. Sometimes the thing that has become a great source of pride isn't necessarily bad, it’s just getting in the way of hearing from the Lord and serving well. Spend time away in order to learn humility and obedience.