38 LETTING GOD HANDLE IT

It was not right for Aaron and Miriam to speak against Moses as verse 1 says, “Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.” If Moses, who received so much honor from God yet received so many insults from men experienced this, when this happens to us do we think such trials are strange or exceptional? No. It happens to leaders. And who created this disturbance? It was the very ones that were themselves serious and good, even outstanding leaders along with Moses, Miriam a prophetess and Aaron the high priest, and both of them serving with Moses for the deliverance of Israel? Micah 6:4 places all three siblings together, “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.” The rebellion was from two who were his nearest relations, his own brother and sister, who shone so much just by receiving and reflecting the rays coming from him? Song of Solomon 1:6 says, “Do not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun. My mother’s sons were angry with me and made me take care of the vineyards; my own vineyard I had to neglect.” Quarrels among relations are grievous in a special way. A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. Yet this helps to confirm the call of Moses, and shows that his advancement was purely by the divine favor, and not by any special agreement with his  relatives, who themselves  were jealous of his advancement. John 7:5 says the same thing happened to Jesus, “For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” It seems that Miriam began the quarrel, and Aaron, not having been employed or consulted in the choice of the seventy elders, was for the present also somewhat disgusted with Moses, and so was soon drawn in to identify with his sister. It would grieve one to see the usually righteous hand of Aaron involved with a golden calf and now in this evil project, but there is a hidden lesson even here. It shows that the law made men priests of men who were not perfect. Satan prevailed first with Eve, and by her with Adam and now we see Miriam leading Aaron astray. See what need we have to take heed of being drawn into quarrels by our relations, for we do not know how great a matter a little fire may kindle. Aaron ought to have remembered how Moses remained his good friend when God was angry with him for making the golden calf and not to have rendered him evil for good. Two things they quarrel about with Moses.The first one was regarding his Cushite/Ethiopian wife. Remember in an earlier less we learned that Moses married an Ethiopian while he was on a military campaign in Ethiopia? If that is the Cushite wife about which this narrative speaks, rather than criticize her, she should be congratulated that she wanted to travel with the Israelites, that she too loved the God whom Moses loved. Zipporah, Moses Midianite wife, was not distressed with the Cushite wife; jealous Miriam was! If Moses’ Cushite wife had opinions which she shared with Moses and Moses listened to her, who was Miriam to criticize Moses for listening to the good advice of his wife like any wise man would? The second thing Miriam and Aaron object to was Moses monopolizing the administration of the government; not so much how he led, but that he did not consult them.

Why consult them when he had direction from God? Verse 2 says, “‘Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?’ they asked. ‘Hasn’t he also spoken through us?’ And the Lord heard this.” Must Moses alone have the choice of the persons on whom the spirit of prophecy shall come? “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” As though to ask, “Might not we have had a hand in that affair, and preferred our friends, as well as Moses his?” They could not deny that God had spoken by Moses, but it was plain he had sometimes spoken also by them and they intended to make themselves equal with Moses, even though God had in so many ways distinguished him more than them. Striving to be greatest is a sin which easily attacks Christian leaders themselves, and it is sinful. Even those that are well preferred are seldom pleased if others are more preferred. Those that excel are commonly envied. This happens among humans including christian leaders. We should be careful.

Notice the wonderful patience of the self-controlled and meek Moses under these accusations as he overlooked their insults as verse 3 says, “(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)” Moses surely saw it, but it was the Lord who did something about it as verse 4 says “At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, ‘Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.’ So the three of them went out.” Here are two important things. (1.) It was the Lord, not Moses, who acted and (2.) God called all three of them to come forward. God had plenty of reason to resent the affront led by Aaron and Miriam. It was ill-natured and ill-timed, when the people were already considering mutiny, and had lately given Moses a great deal of criticism. When God’s honor was concerned, as in the case of the golden calf, no man was more zealous than Moses; but, when his own honor was in question, no man was more meek. He was as bold as a lion in the cause of God, but as mild as a lamb in his own cause. Here is the way to receive protection from the Lord as Moses did. It is found in Zephaniah 2:3 which says. “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.” Some are more remarkable than others for the grace of meekness. Some, as Moses, who are in this way well fitted for the work to which God has called them can be strong and still let God fight for them. Sometimes the unkindness of our friends or families is a greater trial of our meekness than the malice of our enemies. In Matthew 11:29 we see a record of Jesus’ meekness, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Meekness is far from weakness. Meekness is power under control. God will enable us to be quiet, controlled and gentle with people while at the same time powerful, dynamic and powerful in prayer. We can learn to let God handle it.

Moses apparently either did not resent the injury done him or controlled his emotions very well this day. He did not complain of it to God, nor make any appeal to Him; but God resented it. He hears all what people say in their passions, and is a swift witness of their hasty speeches. This is a good reason why we should resolutely bridle our tongues, that we speak not ill of others, and why we should patiently stop our ears, and not take notice of it, if others speak ill of us. Learn the wisdom of Psalm 38:13. which says, “I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak; I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.” The more silent we are in defending our own cause, the more God is engaged to plead it. The accused innocent person needs to say little if he knows the Judge Himself will be his advocate. Let God handle it.

The parties in this conflict are summoned to the door of the tabernacle as verses 4 and 5 say, “At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, ‘Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.’ So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward,” Moses had often shown himself jealous for God’s honor, and now God showed himself jealous for Moses reputation; for those that honor God He will honor, nor will He ever forsake or abandon any who appear for Him. Judges and kings of old sat in the gate of the city to try causes, and so here we see God in the cloud of glory standing at the door of the tabernacle, and Aaron and Miriam, as delinquents, called to the Judge’s bar. As we watch God defend Moses, let us learnt trust Him to defend us too. Let’s let God take care of it. He can do it much better than we can. Since He can, we don’t need to.

Aaron and Miriam were made to know that great as they were, they must not pretend to be equal to Moses, nor set themselves up as rivals to him. Verses 6 - 8 make this clear. “he (God) said, ‘Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”” Miriam and Aaron prophets of the Lord? Of Moses it might be truly said, He more so. It was true that God put a great deal of honor on the prophets. However men mocked them and misused them even though they were the favorites of heaven. God made himself known to them, either by dreams when they were asleep or by visions when they were awake, and by them made Himself known to others. And those are happy, those are great, truly great, truly happy, to whom God makes Himself known. Now He sometimes still does it by dreams and visions, as of old, but also by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, who makes known those things to babes which prophets and kings desired to see and could not. Yet the honor put on Moses is far greater to affirm and reward him for meekly and patiently bearing Miriam and Aaron’s attack. God not only cleared him, but praised him. Moses said and did everything in the management of this affair as becomes an honest good man, that strives for nothing but the honor of God and the welfare of Israel. Moses was honored with clearer discoveries of God’s mind, and a more intimate communion with God, than any other prophet. He hears more from God than any other prophet, more clearly and distinctly. By other prophets God sent to His people reproofs, and predictions of good or evil, which were properly enough delivered in dark speeches, figures, types, and parables, but by Moses He gave laws to His people, and the institution of holy policies, which could by no means be delivered by dark speeches, but must be expressed in the plainest and most intelligible manner.  Moses saw more of God than any other prophet as we learned from Exodus 34 when God uniquely revealed His glory to Moses as He passed by. Miriam and Aaron were wrong to criticize him.

Now let Miriam and Aaron consider who it was that they insulted: Were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? This was as though to say, “How dare you abuse any servant of mine, especially such a servant as Moses, who is a friend, a confidant, and steward of the house?” How dared they speak to the grief and reproach of one whom God commends so much? Might they not expect that God would resent it, and take it as an affront to Himself? We have reason to be afraid of saying or doing anything against the servants of God. It is at our peril if we do, for God will plead their cause, and reckon that what touches them touches the apple of His eye. It is a dangerous thing to offend Christ’s little ones as Matthew 18:6 says, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Not only little ones, however, it is also wrong to offend Christian leaders. I have wanted in this lesson to urge leaders to let God handle their problems and not try to get revenge or defend themselves. However, the other side of this teaching is also important, the truth that we should not attack leaders. God will not  happy with that.

God, having shown them their fault and folly, next shows them His displeasures verse 9 says, “The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.” The cloud life and departed. That would be a clear enough physical evidence of God’s displeasure. The removal of God’s presence from us is a very sure and sad indication of His displeasure against us. Woe to us if He depart; but He never departs till we, by our sin and folly, drive Him from us.

God judged Miriam for her wrong (and for our learning) as verse 10 says, “When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease.” God’s displeasure is shown in that Miriam became leprous. When God goes, evil comes; expect no good when God departs. Leprosy is a disease often inflicted by the immediate hand of God as punishment of some particular sin, as on Gehazi for lying to Elisha and on Uzziah for invading the priest’s ministry in the temple, and here on Miriam for criticizing Moses.

Aaron shows a submissive spirit when this happened as verses 11 and 12 express, “and he said to Moses, ‘Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.’” This too is for our learning. Quick confession of sin is the best we can do if we have sinned. Aaron humbles himself to Moses, confesses his fault, and begs his pardon. He that just a moment ago joined with his sister in speaking against Moses is here forced for himself and his sister to make a penitent apology and confession to him. To his credit, Aaron does the right thing after all.

In verse 13 we notice that Moses willingly makes intercession for Miriam. The verse is short and quickly to the point, “So Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘Please, God, heal her!’” He cried to the Lord because the cloud, the symbol of God’s presence, was removed and stood at some distance, and to express his fervency in this request, “Please, God, heal her!” By a short and evidently intense prayer Moses made it appear that he did heartily forgive the injury Miriam had done to him, and that he does not accused her to God, nor call for justice against her. So far from that, when God, in care of Moses’ honor had punished her prideful attack, he was the first that spoke up for reversing the judgment. By this example we are taught to pray for those that despitefully use us; and not to take pleasure in even the most righteous punishment inflicted either by God or man on those that have injured us.

Verse 15 shows us an honor given to Miriam in that the entire camp waited until Miriam’s punishment was over before they moved on. “So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.” God did not move the cloud, and therefore they did not move the camp. Many things oppose us in our march towards our heavenly Canaan, but nothing hinders us as sin does.

Glory, Jesus, glory, You do the fighting for us. Praise you, Jesus, praise you; with You there’s always victory.

Many times the Israelites complained against Moses. The rebellion led by Korah surely also was a great attack on his leadership. The lessons to be learned through all these rebellions and complaints are one and the same as we can learn from this chapter. We must learn to let God handle it. He will, if we let Him. He will not, if we try to handle it ourselves. If we try to handle it ourselves, then God has two problems; the original attack and our poor response to it.