Learning to Follow God, Numbers 12

6 Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. 7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you, while you sit enthroned over them on high. 8 Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High. 9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure— you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts. 10 My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day. 12 If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. 13 He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows. 14 Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. 15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made. 16 The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads. 17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.

Prayer

Worship Set

Prayer

Worship Through the Word:

Learning to Follow God

Whenever someone famous died, my grandma would tell me to watch for more. She said disasters and deaths always happened in three. I know many people believe this, but I am not one. However, I do believe that spiritual warfare comes in multiple attacks. The enemy wishes to overwhelm us. You can feel like a tether ball being batted round and round a pole at times. As fast as you swing away from one hit, you get hit from another direction and it feels like each hit takes you closer and closer to the pole with less room to escape.

Last week we found the nation of Israel three days into their journey. The people are dealing with the hardships of the trip, and they are not taking it well. They begin to complain. Moses is trying to take care of business, but when the whining intensifies, Moses becomes overwhelmed by it all. God intervenes and takes care of this problem with a change in diet, discipline and increased leadership. Israel then moves from Kibroth Hattaavah a short distance to Hazeroth (map 40-50 miles) where they settle in once again. But before Moses can begin to relax, conflict comes again and this time it is within the family.

Numbers 12NIV

1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. 3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) 4 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 Lordcame 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, 6he 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. 7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. 8 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?” 9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them. 10 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, 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.” 13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!” 14 The Lordreplied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back. 16After that, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran.

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!

Father, please bless this Word which You have provided and which we now receive. Amen!

I. When Conflict Hits Home Numbers 12

I do not think I have mentioned it before, but you need to be aware that this trip was certainly wrought with every measure of spiritual warfare. These people were chosen by God. God’s enemy, Satan, hates and targets anything or anyone that has God’s name on it, and at the top of his list is Israel. The nation of Israel was and is, “God’s chosen people,” for better or worse. Their deliverance from Egypt and this trip are their maiden voyage as such, so you can count that Satan was desperately at work among them to destroy them.

One of the key identifying factors that you are experiencing Spiritual warfare is that...

A. Spiritual Warfare Occurs in Spiraling Clusters .

We all have times when something goes wrong. You are mowing the grass and the lawnmower breaks down. This may get even more frustrating as you have just found out that you need new tires. You are hit with two financial issues at once. But what I mean by spiraling clusters is that one thing is followed by another and another and they keep getting more personal. This is what we see happening in chapters 11 and 12. One thing leads to another until it literally walks in the door of his home. Follow my logic for a moment.

1. Spiritual warfare begins with circumstances . Numbers 11

In chapter 11, the people have finally begun their journey. However, it is not as much fun as they expected it to be. They are beginning to realize that this trip is going to be tedious, fatiguing, and difficult. Their feet hurt. Their backs hurt. They must constantly set up or tear down their camp. They have food to eat, but it is basic at best. How long will they have to endure all of this? They don’t know and they begin to worry about it. These are circumstances. Material and physical issues. Now, Satan uses these and prompts stage 2.

2. Spiritual warfare moves to outer conflict Numbers 11

What I mean about outer conflict is the people not too close to you. It may be a co-worker causing you issues. It may be a neighbor. For Moses, it is all these people beginning with those on the outskirts of camp and it is moving inward. This is frustrating, but there is something worse and that is what hits Moses now. That is when...

3. Spiritual warfare moves to inner conflict Numbers 12

Now, it is no longer the people in the camp, but it has just entered Moses’ home. His family is in this inner conflict, which causes even greater inner heart conflict. We love our family most of all and we do not like to feel at odds with them.

Satan loves to start outward and slowly move inward so that we are most affected by those we love the most. When we are rested and conflict occurs at home, we usually can think somewhat rationally and disarm it early. However, when we are tired and already feeling tension, the family hurts hit twice as hard. We can overreact and cause the conflict to grow.

So, we see this spiraling cluster of issues taking place in Moses’ life. Conflict has now arisen between him and his siblings. Evidently Moses’ has married again. We are not told what happened to Zipporah, but we assume she died, and Moses marries a Cushite woman. This has caused conflict between Moses, and Miriam and Aaron. We are told they are not pleased that he married a Cushite woman.

However...

B. Spoken Complaints Are Usually Rooted in Deeper Issues.

If the complaint is something minor, it will usually be dealt with fairly directly. If the complaint is more personal, people are reluctant to be direct. It festers and works on them, and they begin to get annoyed over more general things. These less personal things are what they will target. In this situation, Miriam and Aaron are complaining about Moses’s wife. She is not a Jew, but she is Cushite. Some teach that the issue was that she was a black woman from Ethiopia. This is a wrong translation in the New King James Version. Cush is associated with people on the borders of Egypt. The truth is that it was not so much about the woman as it was about something deeper. After all, Aaron and Miriam never complained about Zipporah, and she wasn’t a Jew either. The real issue was of a more personal nature that had to do with Miriam and Aaron. However, by deflecting it on Moses’ wife, they are stepping back from their own personal issues. Consider first, the…

1. The spoken complaint against Moses’s wife puts blame on Moses. V 1

Numbers 12:1NIV

1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.

Instead of stating the real issue which reflects on them, they turn it into something they can use to place blame on Moses. So, what was the true issue?

2. The true issue is envy which puts blame on Miriam and Aaron. V 2

Numbers 12:2NIV

2 “Has the Lordspoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.

Okay, the root of the issue is seen in this statement. They are saying Moses shouldn’t be leader since he took a foreigner for a wife, but the real issue is that they want to lead. If you think about this, it is a typical problem. Remember, they are siblings, and Moses is the youngest. Do you see where I am going with this? Older siblings, even today, balk at taking orders from a younger sibling. Their day was no different, in fact, in their culture, the oldest (Aaron) usually was considered the head of the family once the father died was or incapacitated and unable to lead anymore. When they first left Egypt, there was so much going on and they were following God’s instructions. Now, things have settled down and are more normal. The ordinary-every-day has set in and why should they still be following little brother? It is a matter of status or standard. The older leads the younger.

The second issue is ego. God had established them as leaders as well. Why can’t they at least be equal in authority with Moses. We know God sent Aaron to Moses in the wilderness to help him. But scripture makes it clear that both Aaron and Miriam were called of God.

Micah 6:4NIV

4 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.

Unfortunately, this may have gone to their heads. Instead of considering why they were designated as leaders, they just took it as a stamp of approval of their ability as leaders. However, their call to leadership was due to their relationship with Moses. They may have been gifted as leaders, but God could have placed them in any number of positions of leadership. They are at the top because they are siblings to Moses. Now…

a. There are three evidences that Miriam is the initial antagonist.

i. Miriam is listed first . V 1

Numbers 12:1NASB95

1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman);

In the culture of that day, men were always listed first in most cases. The fact that Miriam is listed first here suggests it began with her.

ii. The word translated as “spoke” uses a feminine verb tense suggesting it was initiated by Miriam. V 1

To be honest, I hope I do not offend, but the very basis of the complaint feels more like something a sister would say than a brother, though Aaron was evidently involved. I am not saying that men do not gossip or complain. They do! However, woman have a reputation for “catty” and to me this seems to fit that. Once again, no offence. It is just my perspective.

As it plays out, it reminds me of last week’s situation. The complaints began with the rabble, but the Israelites listened and soon felt dissatisfied as well. Here we have a similar situation. Miriam begins harping at Aaron about it and before long he is stirred up as well.

And finally,

iii. Miriam is the one who is punished . V 10

Some commentaries suggest Aaron wasn’t punished so he could make atonement for Miriam, but I feel it is more likely that Miriam was punished as she was the one that began the problem. Her punishment was to suffer with leprosy outside the camp for seven days.

If you struggle with envy, just remember what James says about it in the New Testament.

James 3:16NIV

16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

So, Miriam is probably the source of the complaint but...

3. Aaron allows Miriam’s issue to become his issue. VV 1, 2

Numbers 12:10–11 NIV

10 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, 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed.

Aaron could have blamed Miriam, but he doesn’t. He freely admits that the sin belongs to them both. It may have been initiated by Miriam, but he fell into step alongside her. He listened to her complaint, and he allowed it to infect his heart as well.

I love this next part of the account because we see God’s parental nature as we witness...

C. God’s Parental Intervention V 4

Numbers 12:4NIV

4 At once the Lordsaid to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out.

Can’t you just picture this in your mind? Miriam and Aaron are picking on Moses. Moses is not defending himself; he is just taking it. I can say this because of the clue that the account gives us.

Numbers 12:3NIV

3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

Why is this inserted? Because it lets us know why Moses hasn’t gone tattling to God. Moses is not complaining or whining. He loves his brother and sister, and he is probably hurt by their disapproval. They are three siblings locked in conflict and then God, the Father, steps in and we find...

1. God calls all three to meet with Him. V 4

Notice the order God calls them in.

Numbers 12:4NIV

4 At once the Lordsaid to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out.

Moses is listed first. The one with the top authority is always listed first. This should have been a clue to Aaron and Miriam what is about to take place. Also notice that Aaron is listed before Miriam here, unlike before when she was listed first.

Now, picture it this way. They are at Moses’ tent. Moses is sitting with Aaron and Miriam standing over him making accusations. Then from the center of the camp a deep voice cries out, “Moses, Aaron and Miriam, come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you!”

Can you see their faces? Oh boy, we are in for it now! Can you imagine their conflicting thoughts? Are we in trouble? Will God give Moses what for or what will He say to us? Then they arrive and guess what?

2. God only addresses two . VV 5-9

Numbers 12:5–9NIV

5 Then the Lordcame 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, 6he 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. 7 But this is NOT true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you notafraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.

Ouch! That didn’t go so well! Have you ever noticed that when we get our eyes set on ourselves, we often miss the obvious? Here Miriam and Aaron are demanding what they feel they deserve as leaders, but they fail to miss the obvious. If God wanted them to have that leadership role, He would be calling and talking to them, but He is not! It is Moses and Moses alone that God speaks to in such a personal tone. Moses didn’t take this position; it was given to him. This speaks for itself! God is the one in charge and He places in leadership whom He chooses! God made this clear in Deut 18.

Deuteronomy 18:15 NIV

15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.

Moses was that “fellow Israelite” that God chose, and He proved it every day by speaking to him directly. In fact, it is documented that Moses was a type of “Christ.” Essentially, he was the Christ of the Old Testament, and his life was pointing to the true Christ who was yet to come! There is no greater honor than this!

Now, we come to my third point about this tete-a-tete that God has with these three.

3. God punishes only one . VV 10-12

Miriam, the one who instigated the whole situation. Why leprosy? Well perhaps Proverbs helps us understand that one.

Proverbs 14:30NIV

30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

We do not like it when we hear accounts of God disciplining or punishing people, but we need to understand that even in discipline we see...

D. The Measure of God’s Love .

Proverbs 3:11–12 NIV

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

When we witness children that are well-behaved, we know that some discipline has gone into their upbringing. Discipline demonstrates parents who care about their children and want the best for them. Parents know that people will like and treat well their children if they are well disciplined. Their love desires to see their children received and respected in society.

When we witness children that are not disciplined and who run around like little hooligans, we suspect they have parents who do not care about them. Their lack of discipline shows their lack of concern in the best interests of their children.

This account reveals God’s love for each person within it.

1. God’s love for the Cushite woman: God judged her heart not her nationality .

God showed no concern over Moses’ marriage. Unlike Miriam and Aaron who complained about her. God has never done anything but demonstrate that His love is for all peoples of all nations. The nation of Israel were His chosen people for one purpose, to show to the world His love for all peoples. Israel was and is to be witnesses of God’s goodness! They just needed to trust Him so He could demonstrate His ability with them. However, you cannot do your best for someone who is fighting against you!

God had nothing against the Cushite woman. I suspect He was proud that Moses cared for this woman and perhaps God even provided her as a help mate to Moses.

Next, we see...

2. God’s love for Miriam: God’s discipline healed her heart.

Hebrews 12:6, 10-11 NIV

6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”…10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Proverbs tells us that envy rots the bones. The leprosy gave Miriam a visual of how damaging that is. God loved Miriam. He wanted her to be the best leader she could be, and she was a leader. God called her to be one in a culture where women were typically subordinate. But she could only be a great leader if she was also willing to follow. She needed to keep her selfish ambition in check.

Next, we see...

3. God’s love for Aaron: He was taught that even high priests sin .

Just because someone is a spiritual leader does not mean they are perfect. Leaders are tempted and they need to practice self-control like everyone else. Leaders fail sometimes and when they do, they need to be humble and confess it. God made it clear that the priests were to be compassionate of others who sin, by remembering their own sinful nature. (exact OT scripture?)

Hebrews 5:1–4NIV

1 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

This event was a reminder for Aaron and something he would remember when he offered up the sin sacrifices for the people (This was not Aaron’s first weak moment. Remember the Golden calf?). These moments would help Aaron have empathy for his people.

4. God’s love for Moses: God dealt mercifully with those Moses loved.

What a lesson for all of us. God loves who we love. I promise you that God keeps this in mind when he disciplines those we love. When we pray for our loved ones, we can have full confidence that God loves them even more than we do, because our love is so fickle, but His love is perfect. God wants the very best for each of us and that extends to those we love because their lives touch us.

5. God’s love for Israel: God did not remove their leading family.

New leadership creates chaos. It is far better to work through difficulties and retain the current leadership. Of course, this only works if the leaders in place are humble and teachable. This account seems to indicate that all three were. They repented. They took their punishment. They moved on and retained their roles. God knew what He was doing when He chose them.

Conclusion

You cannot separate the complaints of the people last week and the conflict among the leaders this week. There are two critical reasons why this is so.

1. Spiritual warfare was at the core. Satan was manipulating things. He does not want Israel to succeed because then God succeeds. Satan wants Israel destroyed as he hopes to prevent God from gaining other followers.

2. Complaints are like wildfire in that it spreads and creates heat. Perhaps that is why God sent a fire to their outskirts. It was a visual of the problems complaints create. Just like leprosy was a visual of what envy does to the heart. Fire was a visual of their destructive behavior.

Complaining and conflict are used by the enemy to destroy God’s people and God’s church. So, we need to guard ourselves against both.

Prayer

Worship Set

Benediction

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.