Always a Critic
Scripture: Numbers 12:1-2, 8-9
While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them...5 Then the Lord descended in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle...8 So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?” 9 The Lord was very angry with them, and he departed. 10 As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy."
Observations:
After observing the way God had been using Moses to lead God's people and after experiencing the Holy Spirit begin to work though the elders of the people, Aaron's brother and sister began harboring a little jealousy in their ambitious statement, "hasn't [God] spoken through us too?" (vs 2). What's interesting is that God had in fact already spoken through both of them in powerful ways and used them to play a signficant role in leading God's people. However, on this occasion, Aaron and Miriam's criticism of Moses didn't start out as something spiritual but as merely a matter of opinion (vs. 1). The end result of what began as a disagreement over personal preference quickly escalated into a jealous dispute under the guise as a purely spiritual matter. Even if they genuinely thought that Moses had done something wrong that God should have addressed him about, the fact that they started criticizing him for selfish gain showed that their motives were not pure to begin with. God's contrast of Aaron and Miriam's statment (vs 2) and Moses' humility (vs 3) make it clear that their real motives were nothing more than personal pride.
What's crazy about this story is the way God supernaturally came to Moses' defense (vs. 5) and flat out rebuked Aaron and Miriam and was angry enough to give one leprosy and only a few chapters later kill the other (Numbers 20) for taking a shot at Moses' leadership. You'd have thought that these people would have learned their lesson by now about complaining in general, however one more time, God felt it necessary to envoke His judgment upon those who directly or indirectly oppose Him.
Application:
We can't be too quick to fault Aaron and Miriam for what they did because deep down we have all probably been there ourselves and felt jealous, overlooked, unrecognized, and experienced sibling rivalry. But in reality many of the criticisms we have towards other people are really less about trying to please God and more about our own bias, jealousy, and personal pride than anything else no matter what kind of spin we try and put on it. It's really easy, especially in church, to call our criticism "spiritual discernment" as an excuse for people to recognize us when someone else is getting the attention. One thing we cannot afford to do, however, is to allow our motives in such instances to go unchecked. Whenever we feel compelled to criticize others, Jesus instructs us to first take a close look at ourselves first (Matthew 7:1-6). This is especially true when it comes to dealing with our own jealousy, pride issues, and selfish ambition. The book of James goes so far as to say, "if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind." (James 3:14-16). No doubt anyone would ever want to think of their actions as "demonic" but when allow the seeds of jealousy, pride, and selfishness to take root, the end result always evil; and where evil is tolerated, God's judgment will enevitably fall.
Prayer:
Father, search our hearts today and expose every attitude of jealousy, and selfishness that lies underneath our motives and wash us from the residue of sin. Forgive us for comparing ourselves with others and for criticizing others out of our own pride. We humble ourselves today and ask You to guard our hearts from wrong motives in every relationship, especially among Your people. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them...5 Then the Lord descended in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle...8 So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?” 9 The Lord was very angry with them, and he departed. 10 As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy."
Observations:
After observing the way God had been using Moses to lead God's people and after experiencing the Holy Spirit begin to work though the elders of the people, Aaron's brother and sister began harboring a little jealousy in their ambitious statement, "hasn't [God] spoken through us too?" (vs 2). What's interesting is that God had in fact already spoken through both of them in powerful ways and used them to play a signficant role in leading God's people. However, on this occasion, Aaron and Miriam's criticism of Moses didn't start out as something spiritual but as merely a matter of opinion (vs. 1). The end result of what began as a disagreement over personal preference quickly escalated into a jealous dispute under the guise as a purely spiritual matter. Even if they genuinely thought that Moses had done something wrong that God should have addressed him about, the fact that they started criticizing him for selfish gain showed that their motives were not pure to begin with. God's contrast of Aaron and Miriam's statment (vs 2) and Moses' humility (vs 3) make it clear that their real motives were nothing more than personal pride.
What's crazy about this story is the way God supernaturally came to Moses' defense (vs. 5) and flat out rebuked Aaron and Miriam and was angry enough to give one leprosy and only a few chapters later kill the other (Numbers 20) for taking a shot at Moses' leadership. You'd have thought that these people would have learned their lesson by now about complaining in general, however one more time, God felt it necessary to envoke His judgment upon those who directly or indirectly oppose Him.
Application:
We can't be too quick to fault Aaron and Miriam for what they did because deep down we have all probably been there ourselves and felt jealous, overlooked, unrecognized, and experienced sibling rivalry. But in reality many of the criticisms we have towards other people are really less about trying to please God and more about our own bias, jealousy, and personal pride than anything else no matter what kind of spin we try and put on it. It's really easy, especially in church, to call our criticism "spiritual discernment" as an excuse for people to recognize us when someone else is getting the attention. One thing we cannot afford to do, however, is to allow our motives in such instances to go unchecked. Whenever we feel compelled to criticize others, Jesus instructs us to first take a close look at ourselves first (Matthew 7:1-6). This is especially true when it comes to dealing with our own jealousy, pride issues, and selfish ambition. The book of James goes so far as to say, "if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind." (James 3:14-16). No doubt anyone would ever want to think of their actions as "demonic" but when allow the seeds of jealousy, pride, and selfishness to take root, the end result always evil; and where evil is tolerated, God's judgment will enevitably fall.
Prayer:
Father, search our hearts today and expose every attitude of jealousy, and selfishness that lies underneath our motives and wash us from the residue of sin. Forgive us for comparing ourselves with others and for criticizing others out of our own pride. We humble ourselves today and ask You to guard our hearts from wrong motives in every relationship, especially among Your people. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
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