Numbers 12

“Then the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came forward, He said: ‘Listen to what I say: If there is a prophet among you from the Lord, I make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; he is the only one faithful in all My household. I speak with him directly, openly, and not in riddles; he sees the image of God. So why are you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?’” Numbers 12:5-8 (HCSB)

“Envy” is pride wounded in competition. Whenever I see someone consumed with envy, I start looking for where the competition is because somehow, they respond from that vulnerable place of realized or impending defeat.  

For Cain & Abel, the competition was over God’s favor of their offerings. For Jacob & Esau, it was over birthright and blessing. I’ve seen it between recording artists in the marketplace and between ministers and congregants. There was a serious competition going on between Moses’ siblings.

Moses’ brother, Aaron, was the oldest, and by birthright, it was his responsibility to lead the family spiritually. As High Priest, he was indeed leading Israel spiritually. Perhaps he also wanted to lead them militarily & administratively.  

Miriam was Moses’s older sister, and she followed Moses’s baby basket down the Nile, straight to Pharaoh’s daughter. Miriam negotiated for Moses’ own mother to nurse and raise him! It must have been hard for Miriam to submit to Moses without seeing him as a child who needed care.

God saw past their pseudo-righteous indignation and spoke directly concerning their envious hearts. Miriam & Aaron’s dispute wasn’t over Moses marrying an Egyptian woman. It was over his authority. God cut straight to the issue, never mentioning the Egyptian woman.

There is a profound lesson concerning prophecy and faithfulness in God’s pronouncement. There are several Biblical instances where people who aren’t particularly righteous prophesy. Even Balaam’s donkey prophesied! All that meant was that God wanted to send a message, and the righteousness of the messenger didn’t limit him.

Most profound is God’s statement about faithfulness. When we are faithful, God’s messages don’t come to us abruptly or untimely. He speaks directly and openly to the faithful. Paul says we should strive for such a relationship with God above all else! (1 Corinthians 14:1) Leadership is not necessarily about age or experience. It is a matter of faithfulness. Be faithful and keep seeking God’s “revelation” as you read His Word.