By Shirley Rosemarie Evans
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. 3 (Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.)
4 So immediately the Lord called to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “Go out to the Tabernacle, all three of you!” So the three of them went to the Tabernacle. 5 Then the Lord descended in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle. “Aaron and Miriam!” he called, and they stepped forward. 6 And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say:
“If there were prophets among you,
I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions.
I would speak to them in dreams.
7 But not with my servant Moses.
Of all my house, he is the one I trust.
8 I speak to him face to face,
clearly, and not in riddles!
He sees the Lord as he is.
So why were you not afraid
to criticize my servant Moses?”9 The Lord was very angry with them, and he departed.
Numbers 12:1-9 (NLT)
“I speak to him face to face, Clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the Lord as he is.”
Wow! To have this relationship with God, to be singled out by God for “face-to-face” conversations. And for the Lord to say that He doesn’t speak to you in riddles like he does to others. Moses a man known for his humility, in fact, the Scripture says he was more humble than anyone else on the earth. It was this humility that marked him as the man God not only used but spoke to “face to face.”
I so often hear believers pray “Lord make me humble,” and I often ask myself if we truly understand what it means to be humble. sometimes it is mistakenly applied to individuals who are of a quiet disposition and generally lacking in confidence. Other definitions focus on genuine gratitude and lack of arrogance, and whilst this is part of it is still not the full story. To be humble before God is about putting complete confidence and trust in God, it’s about trusting in God’s wisdom alone and always trusting in God to lead us. It about recognising our desperate need for and total reliance on God. It’s where we come to an end of ourselves and put every area of our life under the control of God. Proverbs 3:5 sums it up this way. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding.”
This is the type of humility exemplified by Moses. Despite his nature or perhaps because of it, he still managed to attract the jealousy of others and who were the others, none other than his own brother and sister. A life sold out for the Kingdom of God will not go unmarked by God, but it will also get the notice of men, and not always for your good. The beauty of this episode is to know that when you work for the applause of heaven, heaven will have you covered. If others choose to criticise and malign you, they do so at their own peril. God will defend your cause. “God resists the proud. But gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
Ask –What caused Miriam and Aaron to speak against Moses?
Seek – Are you truly humble before God?
Knock – In what areas of your life are you still leaning on your own knowledge and understanding?
(Upper Photo by Kai Pilger on Unsplash)
(Inner Photo by Marvin Esteve on Unsplash)
