Miriam: The Other One

Because my husband typed his chapel message for last Friday on MY computer - and because I edited it for him and thought it was one of his best messages yet, I am going to share his message with YOU!  Now, I'm not sure what my husband would think if he knew I was using him as my "guest blogger" today, but I'd hope he'd take it that I admired and respected what he had to say. 

It's a little long (as you'd expect from a chapel message that has to fill a class period) - but I was pretty impressed as he researched & wrote this in the throes of his recent illness! 
PS  If you don't have time, I won't be offended if you skip this post ;)  In fact, I probably won't even know!!  :)

MIRIAM - A Biography:

The last time I spoke in chapel we looked at the 23rd Psalm where David, the future king of Israel, wrote about God’s provision and protection. Many theologians believe that David was probably still a young man when he wrote that Psalm, but whether or not he was, he wasn’t just writing about his own experiences. Every young devout Israelite knew the books of Moses (the first five books of the Bible). Especially important was how God had provided for His people, taken them out of slavery in Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and brought them into the Promised Land. Central to that passage is Jehovah - as it should be and always is in the Bible. Beyond that there is one very important family of two brothers and one sister.

Moses: The one God chose to stand before Pharaoh and lead His people right up to the Promised Land; Aaron: His main assistant from the beginning and the one God chose to be the first High Priest.
Miriam: The leader of the women and a leader in worshipping God. This family had so many positive characteristics, but each one also had a major flaw and each of them faced consequences.

Moses was called the most meek (humble) man by God and was one of the ones chosen to be on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus when Jesus revealed some of His Glory to His three closest disciples. Yet he had an anger issue that caused him to kill the Egyptian, strike the rock, and eventually not be allowed to lead the people into the Promised Land. Aaron was the one who didn’t argue with God about going before Pharaoh, who stuck by Moses through thick and thin, who served as the High Priest and didn’t grow bitter against God when God killed his two oldest sons when they acted in disobedience. Yet he tried to hard to please others and was a peacemaker TOO much as he made the golden calf for the people when he thought Moses might not be coming back, and he sided with Miriam in going against Moses when she took the lead.

We could have a great biography chapel service about either of those two men and deal with the problems of anger or compromise, but instead I want to look at Miriam. Many of the traits that made Miriam a great leader and assistant also were the traits that caused her to sin. The Bible tells us both the good and the bad, and that is also what I want to share with you this morning.

 I. Miriam and the Baby in the Nile (Exodus 2:1-8)


A. We don’t know how old Miriam was at this point, but we know she was fairly young. As a slave girl, she would have been counted on to do work if she would have been older. Also, the Pharoah’s daughter would have reacted differently if she were a full grown woman. She could have been just about any of the students in this room’s age and possibly even younger. That points to some terrific traits.


1. She did what her mother asked and watched her baby brother


2. When the princess came, she must have been afraid, for the princess could have had her beaten or even killed. Staying by her brother took courage.


3. She thought quickly and suggested her own mother be the baby’s nurse.


B. It is interesting that she didn’t seem to hesitate in something that I might have bungled as an adult. She was sure that she was doing right and did it. She wasn’t afraid to approach authority or do what she thought was right. She was a strong personality.


II. The leader in praise (Exodus 15: 20-22)


A. The background is that Moses has just led the children over the Red Sea, but Moses tells the people who really did it… Jehovah. All glory and praise belonged to God and rightfully so. Miriam leads in the ensuing worship. Notice the flow of action. Miriam takes a timbrel in her hand. Moses doesn’t appear to have told her to; he doesn’t have to. She knows what needs to be done, and she does it. Then is says the women followed her. They didn’t have to be told to follow her… they seem to have done it because she was the leader. From the text we see that it was the right thing to do. God should be praised, and I am sure that He was pleased that the women praised Him.


B. The interesting thing to note though is that the Bible never speaks of Miriam asking anyone or even God what to do. The text doesn’t say, “and Miriam prayed and the Lord revealed to her…” or anything like that. We can’t say she didn’t pray either, but you don’t get the feeling that she ever hesitated when she thought that she was right. We can be that way to. How often do we pray? Like Miriam, do we think we already know the answer and don’t want to waste the time asking? Moses was known as a humble man because he was always asking and petitioning God. We see it again and again. Aaron was always following Moses and doing what Moses said God wanted them to do, but Miriam seems to go right ahead. I have never found a mention of Moses telling Miriam what to do. Of course what big sister wants to listen to her little brother? Therein lies the potential for trouble… her blind spot. You see, God had put her little brother in charge. Aaron knew it up until the time that she got him into trouble too.

 III. The crisis and fall of pride (Numbers 12:1-15)


A. In the first two verses we see a lot. Miriam and Aaron challenge Moses and his authority.


1. Miriam has her name listed first. This is not an accident. She is the leader here, and Aaron is again the follower. She must have pointed out about what she thought that Moses was doing wrong. She didn’t approach Moses in secret about it - at least not at this point. She didn’t ask God about it. She (and Aaron) spoke against Moses in a public way. Not only that, but she also questioned him as the one God was speaking through. The first was a challenge to Moses… the second was a challenge to God.


2. I find her lack of compassion and tact interesting. Her attack seems more to put Moses in his place and elevate herself. Of course, she uses an avenue that she thinks is backed up by tradition and commandment. It is also the one biggest weak point among some of the people, no doubt. “Did you hear? His wife is not even an Israelite. He thinks he is so great but I wouldn’t do that.” This fact wasn’t brought up in love by his sister and brother. It could have been a power move. It could have been done out of disgust by Miriam. It could be that she was following the pattern that she had used before and was working of her own heart and mind - but whatever the case, she hadn’t talked to God about it first. Now God will turn the situation back on her to teach her and all the people a lesson.


B. (vs. 6-9) God speaks. Moses has been faithful in all. Moses talks to God. Moses is the leader God chose. Miriam is the leader of the rebellion but not what God chose. She has elevated herself, and now the Lord punishes her alone. She is struck with the dreaded disease leprosy. That means separation from family, the temple, life.


C. Redemption and pardon do come. Moses pleads for it. Aaron does. God does agree to remove the leprosy, but there is still a price to be paid. She is to be put out of the camp for seven days. ALL of Israel will know why. You might think that her punishment was no big thing, but it was. Miriam was to be humbled in a public and strong way. We don’t hear more from Miriam after this point, but the lesson should be real to all of us. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and HE will lift you up”.

 Miriam was a great woman of God. The name Mary in the New Testament is taken from it. Miriam was used by God, but even now, she is humbled as we read her story. Ester, Ruth, and many other women are exalted most at the end of their stories, but not Miriam. She deceived herself, and for that brief period, she went against God. She who had been faithful to her duties, she who had led in the worship after the Red Sea, she whom God had put into such an important position lost sight that it was all about God and His Glory and sought some glory of her own. God won’t allow someone to steal His Glory. Young people, do right, worship God, lead others in His service, but while you do, don’t become the great judge who takes matters in their own hands without consulting God. Great men like King David, Peter, and Abraham have done that with just as great a time of humiliation and trouble.

 Many of you have taken a life verse or verses. As a college student I chose mine. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understandings. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.”