But the Lord heard

| February 23, 2010

Scripture: Numbers 12-13, Psalm 90, Mark 2

Numbers 12:2 Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses. They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us too?” But the Lord heard them.

Observation:

The Lord was very angry with Miriam and Aaron for criticizing Moses; He called them out and told them so (5-8) and then left Miriam leprous for a week (9-16). God told them that He speaks face to face with Moses, unlike anyone else, even the prophets who hear from God in a dream or a vision.

Did God speak to and through others? Yes. In Numbers 11, God puts His Spirit on 70 selected leaders in Israel and they prophesy. And when Joshua protested that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp, Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them all!” (11:29).

Later, Joel prophesied that the Lord would do this very thing (Joel 2:28-29) and that promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when the Lord sent His Spirit to fill all the new Christians. So today, God can speak to and through any believer—His Spirit is on us!

But in Numbers 12, God was doing something unique through Moses; God was giving the Law and it came through Moses; God was forming a nation, His chosen people, and using this man to do it.

Numbers 12:1 says that they criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman (most likely Zipporah). What was behind their criticism? Was it jealousy of Zipporah (a non-Israelite) who had Moses’ ear? Was it jealousy of Moses who had God’s ear? Whatever the motive, they were wrong, and God took issue with them.

Application:

“But the Lord heard them.” I want to remember that when I criticize someone, the Lord hears me, and the Lord knows that person and their heart and their motives (far better than I do). And the Lord loves that person. And that person may be closer to God than I am! So be cautious, be careful about criticizing others.

Prayer:

Lord, set a guard over my tongue, a watch over my mouth; let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, oh Lord my Rock and my Redeemer.