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March 3rd
The bible reading today is in Numbers chapters 18,19,20.
The people of Israel had been wandering for years in the wilderness when we get to these chapters today. They are back to Kadesh where their rebellion began...where they said “no” to God. Where they refused to go up into Canaan and fight for their land of promise...right alongside God.
I wonder if anyone, (besides Moses), had a bad dream or a nightmarish flashback when they camped again on the southern edge of Canaan. Well, maybe family members who lost loved ones in the “fire”...the terrible presence of an angry God. ...Perhaps they did.
And the text tells us that it was in Kadesh that Miriam died...and was buried. She was the first of Moses’ siblings to die in the wilderness. I wonder what the brothers talked about at Miriam’s funeral. I kind of think they spoke of regret...sorrowful for Miriam not being able to see and experience the new land that God promised them.
So close...but so far away...she could taste it...(when they ate from the large cluster of grapes brought back by the spies...)but she would never taste it in the land of milk and honey...Miriam’s death must have demonstrated to Moses and Aaron that God would do what He said...
“No one from the generation that left Egypt (20 years old and up) would make it to the Promised Land”...would this prophesy include Moses and Aaron? This was the beginning of the end for this generation of God’s treasured ones.
Cant, you just imagine the conversations among the older Israelites, as more and more funerals take place. “I know that we dishonored our God and our families 38 years ago...we should have courageously gone on up and faced the Canaanites and our fears. God said He would be with us...”oh I wish we had believed Him...and just gone on in with Moses and Joshua and Caleb.”
“Grandson, Granddaughter, learn from Granddad’s mistakes....listen for God’s voice in the words of Moses...trust God always and when Moses is no more, follow Joshua as you would follow God into the new land...no matter what!”
Before we leave this story of Miriam’s death, I want to propose one more lesson.
Miriam, as a young Jewish girl showed great faith and courage and wisdom when she helped her little brother (baby Moses) escape death from the Egyptian massacre of Jewish baby boys.
Little did she know how great an action that was, not just for her parents, but especially for all of Israel.
Later, God made her a prophetess...and she spoke the words of God as she received them from the Torah. Scripture also tells us that Miriam took up a tambourine and led the congregation of Israel in praise to God for His saving them through the Red Sea.
She also assisted her brothers in serving the people. She was highly respected.
Jewish Rabbis say that she was used especially to teach the women of Israel the Torah..the laws of God.
Sounds like a Godly woman. I believe that she was.
But even the most devout people can stumble in their faith. And she did. Miriam disgraced herself before God and others by rebelling against Moses’ leadership. Like that...she had leprosy.
The story is a bit silent about Miriam after God severely judged her. But we do read that Moses interceded in prayer to God for his sister and God answered his prayer and healed her.
Was Miriam’s sin really that bad? God thought it was...
One more part of the text for just a minute.
After forty years of leading Israel from Egypt to the promised land...putting up with the complaining and grumbling and accusing and mutiny of the people, what was Moses’s reward?
God said, “You won't be going in, Moses.”
“Why? “ You ask “Because I told you to speak to the rock...not to strike it,” God said. You did not believe me...nor did you uphold the holiness of my word.”
Wow God was serious about sin...even in the lives of our heroes in the faith.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for sending the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts to convict us of sin and lead and empower us in Promised Land Living.
Have a great day
