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Numbers Chapter 12   (ESV)

1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 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?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.

10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.”

REFLECTION:

• Read quietly twice trying to capture Moses’ feelings.
• God punished Miriam and Aaron when they criticized and challenged Moses’ authority. But when Miriam became a leper, Moses did not rejoice in her fate.  Rather, he felt compassion toward her and cried out to God on her behalf.  He was humble, tender, and very loyal.  And he was a man of prayer, a faithful leader for God’s people.
• God’s statement that He speaks to Moses face-to-face is evoked by the jealousy of Miriam and Aaron over Moses’ special relationship with God.

PRAYER:

Have I ever been jealous of a person who has received clear, unmistakable guidance from God?  What was this a symptom of?  Ask the Holy Spirit to light up all the dark corners in my heart and to cleanse me clean.

HYMN:

Change My Heart Oh God – youtu.be/IlSmG-_eJTU