Aaron and Miriam Speak Against Moses. Numbers 12_1-16. Sunday's, Sunday School Bible Study.

Praise the Lord everyone. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Amen. I want to thank each of you for joining with us for Sunday's Sunday School Bible Study coming from Charlene's Outreach Ministries. We have a great and wonderful lesson for today. Miriam and Aaron opposes Moses. Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses. And we're talking about the response to opposition. Amen. Our aim facts for today to learn to see God's faithfulness in the face of pettiness and betrayal even of even close friends and family. Amen. Our lesson is coming from Numbers 12 verses 1 through 16. Our lesson is talking about, number one, Aaron and Miriam speak against Moses, Numbers 12 verses 1 through 9. Second, Moses intercedes for Miriam, Numbers 12 verses 10 through 16. Our related scriptures for this Sunday's lesson, Numbers 5 verse 1 through 4, 2 Chronicles 26 verse 16 to 21, Deuteronomy 34 verse 5 through 12, Exodus 33 verses 12 through 23, Hebrews 3, 1 and 6, time between 1444 BC, place Desert of Paran, golden text, 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, Numbers 12 and 6. Our questions for this Sunday's lesson, number one, we have 10 for today, number one, what reason does the text give initially for Miriam and Aaron's resentment of Moses? Number two, what was the real reason behind their resentment? Number three, what did God do immediately in response to Miriam and Aaron's words against Moses? Number four, how did the Lord show his presence to Aaron, Miriam, and Moses? Number five, how did God say he typically spoke with the prophets? Number six, how did God say he spoke with Moses? Number seven, in what way did God punish Miriam? Number eight, how did Aaron respond when he saw Miriam with leprosy? Number nine, how did God answer Moses' prayer on behalf of Miriam? And number 10, how was God gracious to Miriam even in her judgment? Amen. This is a great and wonderful lesson, but we're going to get ready to move into our lesson, but first I want to ask if anything you see touches your heart, soul, or spirit, or you have any questions or comments, please feel free to jot them at the bottom of the screen below and I will get to them as soon as possible. Also, if you would, subscribe to my channel and join with us as we gather together to study and meditate on the word of the Lord. Amen. We're going to get ready to move into our lesson, but first we're going to have prayer. Dear God in heaven, we thank you, Father. We thank you for watching over us, leading and guiding us, strengthening us, building us up where we're weak, Father. We thank you for all the many things that you have done, that you is doing and you shall do in each of our lives, Father. We give you the glory, the honor, and the praise. Father, we thank you for being with us when we go out and when we come in. We thank you for watching over us up and down the dangerous highway day and night, Father. Thank you for watching over our family, our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephew, mother, father, brother, sister, all that is connected to us, Father. We give you the glory and honor and give you the praise that we are still here in the land of the living, Father. We ask you to take care of, touch, and guide those that have lost loved ones during this time in the mighty name of Jesus. We ask you to touch their heart, soul, and spirit in Jesus' name. Lord, as we get ready to go into your word, we thank you, Father, that our eyes is open and we see, our ears is open and we hear, and we gain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding from on high in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray, amen. All right, as we stated our lesson, Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses, amen, and we are speaking, coming from Numbers 12, verses 1 through 16, and we're coming from the New King James Version. Aaron and Miriam speak against Moses first in Numbers 12, verses 1 through 9, amen, verses 1 and 2 says, then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married, for he had married an Ethiopian woman. So they said, has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also? And the Lord heard it, amen. As we look at the rebellion of Aaron and Miriam, we first, I first want to bring out the fact that I cannot believe that Moses got married and his sister and brother did not know he was getting married. So now, why all of a sudden would they be upset about him marrying somebody after the fact, amen? I don't believe that's the reason either. Why would they be upset after they then got married, amen? And we see that two of the leaders of the people, which was Miriam and Aaron, first of all, Miriam was chose after the fact. Aaron was chose by choice of Moses, but Moses was the one that was chosen by God. Though they were Moses' sister and brother, they spoke against him for marrying an Ethiopian woman. At least that was their pretext, but the real reason seemed to be given as we see in verse two, amen. Moses received so much honor from God, yet he received so many slights and affronts from men. They, uh, shall any of us think such trials either strange or hard and be either provoked or discouraged by them. As we see Moses, out of all the stuff that he had did for the Israelite people, they all spoke against Moses at one time or another. Now his brother and sister speaks against Moses and Aaron really should have backed him up because on many occasions, especially on the occasion where Aaron made the golden calf for the people, Moses spoke up for him and saved his life. So, you know, you would think that at least they would, you know, stand up for you at that time, but no, they did not. Amen. People, no matter who you are, will come against you. Amen. I said, uh, Moses was very bold when it came to, uh, speaking up for God and what God stood for and what it was or was not going to do that God said. He was very bold in that, but when it came to himself, he did not feel that he should speak up for himself. So he didn't say anything when Miriam and Aaron was doing all this talking about this. And so they resented Moses' leadership and wanted to share it. They wanted the prominence of being the head leader because they actually was second and third in line, which is still considered very high, but yet still they wanted, no matter what people get, they always going to want more. They was jealous. At this time, there was no law against marrying an Ethiopian, though when they came to the land, uh, that God had for them, the Israelites were forbidden to marry a non-Jew. Uh, verse three says, now the man, Moses was very humble more than all men who were on the face of the earth. Well, Moses was very humble. He never did speak up for himself concerning this, but he would speak up for himself when it concerned God. And we look at Aaron here, we know, I feel more than likely that, uh, uh, Miriam was the one that, that initiated, pushed it forward and, and caused a whole lot of mess with it because Aaron wasn't very bold in anything. He wasn't bold when, uh, the people told him to, to make the golden calf. He didn't try to go against telling them not to do it. He went along with whatever anybody said do. And then when, uh, Miriam, uh, brings up, uh, going against Moses because he is the leader and he's in head, then he goes right along with her, whatever other folks that do Aaron follows behind him. Amen. As a Moses did not try to vindicate himself, but trusted God who had placed him in the position of leadership, his family in and ultimately the whole congregation, uh, uh, number 16, 41 to 42 disputed his authority. Yet when the judgment of God fell upon his adversaries, Moses did not gloat, but interceded for them. He was indeed very humble more than all men who were on the face of the earth. The fact that he wrote this about himself does not deny his humility. Rather it illustrated as stated in second Peter one in 21 and a portion B, which he said he wrote as he was moved by the Holy spirit versus four through eight reads. Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, come out. You, there to the tabernacle of meeting. So the three came out the, then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. Then he said, here now, my words, if there is a prophet among you, I, the make myself known to him in a vision. I speak to him in a dream, not so with my servant Moses. He is my faithful and all my he's faithful in all my house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly and not in dog sayings. And he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And man, as we look at this, uh, uh, that, uh, um, Aaron and with them was not afraid to say something. They didn't realize that they was truly in, in bad territory by speaking against God's servant, because God thought a lot of Moses for him to even be able to be willing to stand up and say, Hey, he is my, my servant. And he is the one that I choose to do this with, with, and, and, uh, he spoke to, as the, as the scripture says, he spoke to Moses as to say face to face much more, uh, absolute than he did with the, uh, the prophetess and the prophets that, that would work with, with Moses. Uh, he would come to them in visions and in dreams, but with Moses, he, he, uh, you know, had a dialogue with him on a regular basis. Amen. God summoned Moses, Aaron and Miriam to the door of the tabernacle of meeting rebuke Miriam and Aaron and reminded them that Moses held a position of nearness to God that no other prophet ever held. Number one, you, first of all, you see God immediately calls Miriam and Aaron to the door of the tabernacle. Never has he, uh, you know, called them to come to the door of the tabernacle. They, uh, Moses has went into in the tabernacle with him, uh, and, and, and on the mountain top with him, but never did he say, you know, me meant the door and, and, and, you know, I'm gonna take care of it there. Uh, uh, he calls Moses, Aaron and Miriam to the door of the tabernacle to let you know, this is, you know, my decision. I choose who I want, uh, to be under me. And he is the one that I have chosen. Amen. And so he might speak to others directly by visions and dreams, but he spoke to Moses directly face to face. The word plainly in verse eight means directly without a go between the form of the Lord means some manifestation of visible representation. Although Miriam herself was a prophetess in Exodus 15 and 20, the Lord made clear the difference between his relationship with Moses and other prophets. The only other thing recorded about Miriam after this incident was her death in numbers 20 and verse one. Amen. Uh, we see that, that God was truly upset with Miriam for what she had did and how she had behaved. Amen. And, uh, Aaron, you see, he said nothing. Uh, Miriam is the only one that's, that speak this being spoken up and, and, and, and carrying on. And so the Lord is dealing with the situation himself as he comes, uh, to the door of the tabernacle and he'd get Moses. Then he let them know, this is how I deal with Moses, but I deal with you and them in a totally different manner. Amen. So as they see this, they could continue to, uh, go on and, and, and, and hear what God has to say for them. And so the anger of the Lord was roused against them and he departed. Now God is angry. He didn't come up to brought you to the doorway, which he didn't do at any time previous. He done brought you to the doorway and said, gave you as the old folks that gave you a talking to, uh, pull you to the side Now he is leaving. Moses was tried in his own family as well as by the people. The pretense was that he had married a foreign wife, but probably their pride was hurt and their envy stirred up by his superior authority. Opposition from our near relations and from religious friends is most painful, but this is to be looked for. And it will be well if in such circumstances, we can preserve the gentleness and meekness of Moses. Moses was thus fitted to the work. He was called to God, not only cleared Moses, but praised him. Moses had the spirit of prophecy in a way, which he, which set him far above all other prophets. Yet he, that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he and our Lord Jesus infinitely Miriam and Aaron didn't consider whom it was. They insulted. We have reason to be afraid of saying or doing anything against the service of God. But those are presumptuous indeed, who are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Second, Peter two and 10, the removal of God's presence is the surest and saddest token of God. Displeasure woe to us. If he depart, he never departs till by seeing and folly. We drive him from us. Amen. As we look at this, we see, uh, where, uh, we see where the, uh, let me see. We see where, uh, this is, uh, cause and Miriam and, uh, Aaron, a lot of trouble. Amen. Uh, our second portion, Moses intercedes for Miriam numbers 12 versus 10 to 16. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous as white as snow. Then Aaron turned to more Miriam. And there she was a Miriam was smitten with leprosy since Aaron was not punished. Some suggest that Miriam was the ring leader, which probably was true. Also, they believe that Aaron's punishment was to see his sister become a leper. Aaron was the high priest and he would have been unable to function on behalf of the people. If he had been made leprous, his position might have saved him from the humiliation that Miriam had to go through. Amen. Uh, versus 11 through 16 says, so Aaron said to Moses, Oh my Lord, please do not lay this sin on us in which we have done foolishly. And in which we have seen, first of all, you see right here, Aaron, he didn't go to God. He went to Moses and said, Oh my Lord, please, please take this away. Is it verse 12 said, please do not let her be as one day whose flush is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb. So Moses cried out to the Lord saying, please heal her. Oh God. I pray. Then the Lord said to Moses, if her father had, but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days, let her be shut out of the cap seven days. And afterward, she may be received again. She was going to take that punishment one way or the other. She's going to take, even if it was for a short time, she was going to go through that punishment. Amen. So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days. And the people did not journey to Miriam was brought in again. And afterward, the people moved from Hezroth and kept in the wilderness of Paran. I really don't think God moved because he knew they didn't want to go. But if God had moved the cloud head of, uh, the cloud, uh, had a went forward, they would have had to follow the cloud. I mean, uh, Aaron confessed his sin to Moses and asked that Miriam should not be like a stillborn child. He, uh, Aaron's sin was number one, not being a man that spoke up, uh, for anything, uh, anyone which can be composed in response to Moses in a session, God healed Miriam of the leprosy, but insisted that she should go through the usual seven day period of the cleansing of a leopard. The Lord reminded Moses that she would have been barred from the camp as unclean. If our father has spit in her face, if it had been an actual, uh, actual, uh, spitting in her face from a father, then she wouldn't have been able to come back. But God let them know that he was giving her a second chance because Moses has had asked, not because Aaron had cried out, but because Moses has asked and said the cloud departed and Miriam became leprous. When God goes, evil comes expect no good. When God departs her foul tongue, as Bishop Bishop Hall says was justly punished with a foul face. Aaron as priest was judged of the leprosy. He could not pronounce her leprosy without trembling, knowing himself to be equally guilty. He didn't try to stop what she was doing. He went along with it, like everything else he did. But if she was thus punished for speaking against Moses, what will become of those who sin against Christ? Aaron, who joined his sister in speaking against Moses, is forced for himself and his sister to beseech him and to speak clearly and to speak highly of him whom he had so lately blamed. Those who trample upon the saints and servants of God will one day be glad to make court of them. It is well when rebukes produce confession of sin and repentance. Such offenders, though corrected and disgraced, shall be pardoned. Moses made it appear that he forgave the injury done to him to this pattern of Moses and that of our Savior who said, Father, forgive them. We must conform and for forgiveness of them. Moses didn't look at it, didn't say anything about it because he knew that he didn't want anything to happen to them. Amen. And so he did not want them to do anything against them. So that's one reason he didn't say anything about what Miriam and Aaron had did. Moses really hadn't said nothing against the people even when they did was against him. Amen. The only time Moses read up is when they did against God. Amen. A reason is given for Miriam being put out of the camp for seven days because thus she ought to accept the punishment of her sin when under the token of God's displeasure for sin, it becomes us to take shame to ourselves. This hindered the people's progress in their march forward towards Canaan. Many things oppose us, but nothing so hinders us in the way to heaven as sin. Today's aim concludes with to affirm that each of our roles in God's plan is determined by God alone. And how do we apply this to our life? We have to acquire the focus and determination to not be distracted from seeing God's faithfulness by the ungodly acts of those around us. Amen. This is a wonderful and powerful lesson. I pray you meditate on this lesson and have a.