Moses is arguably the most prominent prophet and leader in all of Scripture other than our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the chief human instrument JAH used to rescue the people of Israel from Egyptian bondage. After the Exodus, Moses then led God's people for the next four decades. Many people are not aware that Moses, this amazing and anointed leader of the Israelites, married an Ethiopian woman. It's true and it's recorded in the Old Testament book of Numbers, chapter 12. We can discover at least three powerful life lessons contained in this episode from the life of Moses:
Verses 1-2, "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."
Life Lesson #1: God is attentive to what we say and think. JAH is not some distant deity far far removed from humanity. JAH is close to us and He's attentive to us. I love that simple line: "And the LORD heard it." Of course JAH heard it! He hears all, and He sees all, and there is nothing hidden from His sight! But I have to ask myself: Do I conduct my conversations with the full awareness that God is listening to what I say? Do I direct my thinking with the full awareness that JAH is aware of my thoughts? Consider the following passage from the Gospel of Matthew:
"Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, 'Could this be the Son of David?' Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, 'This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.' But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: ... 'Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." Matthew 12:22-25a, 34-36 NKJV
Our first life lesson: God is attentive to what we say and think. Let's pick back up in the book of Numbers, chapter 12, verse 3, where the Bible makes an incredible statement about Moses:
"(Now the man Moses was very humble [or meek], more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)"
From this single verse we discover one of the most valuable life lesson of all: God exalts the Humble Man or Woman. In the long annals of human history, few people have been exalted like Moses! He is the great deliverer. He's the great intercessor of Israel, and the miracle worker! Deuteronomy 34:10-12, contains the Holy Spirit's eulogy to this great servant of God:
"But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel."
Moses was greatly used of God. And why did God use Moses in such a mighty way? Because according to Numbers 12:3, Moses was the most humble person on the earth!! The Bible says, "Be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." 1 Peter 5:5c-6 NKJV. Our second life lesson is: God exalts the humble man or woman.
The rest of the verses in Numbers 12 reveals our third life lesson: God deals harshly with those who seek to discredit His servants. Watch how JAH defends Moses from the insults of his older sister and brother. These two should have been Moses' strongest supporters but now they're speaking against him "because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married" and calling into question Moses' position as the spokesman for God. Check out JAH's response to Aaron and Miriam's rebellion:
"Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!" So the three came out. 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, ... 'Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?' So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 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 sinned. Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb!' So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, 'Please heal her, O 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 camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again.' So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again." Numbers 12:4-6a, 8b-15.
I can imagine the Israelites wondering why they stopped journeying in the wilderness. And I can hear someone saying, "We've stopped because Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because he married that Ethiopian woman, and God punished Miriam with leprosy! We have to wait here for a week until God heals her. So whatever you do, don't say nothing negative about Moses' wife!"
The conversation may not have gone down exactly like that, but the fact is JAH did not take kindly to Miriam and Aaron speaking against His servant Moses. The Bible states, "He permitted no man to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, 'Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.' "
1 Chronicles 16:21-22. Miriam and Aaron got off easy!
Let's recap: JAH is attentive to our words and our thoughts. JAH exalts the humble. And JAH deals harshly with anyone who attempts to discredit His servants.
Grace, Peace and Jahspeed!
