Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 9 NLV; Ch. 10 NET; Ch. 11 NKJV; Ch. 12 GWT

Podcast Introduction

Today is  the Law Monday. We’ll read Numbers 9-12. I’m calling this episode “Sibling Rivalry.”

Summary

Numbers 12 provides an intriguing account of Miriam and Aaron’s criticism of Moses, particularly regarding his marriage to a Cushite woman. While the exact translation of Cushite varies among versions, it generally refers to someone from Ethiopia or Sudan. Miriam, likely the instigator, and Aaron seemed to take issue with Moses’ wife’s background and possibly her skin color.

However, the problem ran deeper than the surface-level complaint. Their true motivation was rooted in jealousy and a desire for authority. They challenged Moses’ position as the chosen leader, claiming that God spoke through them as well. But Moses, known for his exceptional humility, did not seek power or attention.

God swiftly summoned the three to the tent of meeting. From a column of smoke, God rebuked Miriam and Aaron, emphasizing that His communication with Moses was direct and unique. Miriam was struck with leprosy as a consequence of her actions, serving as a visible sign of her wrongdoing.

Aaron, fearing the same fate, pleaded with Moses for mercy. Remarkably, despite the false accusations, Moses interceded for Miriam’s healing. She was eventually healed but had to spend seven days outside the camp, facing the consequences and shame of her actions.

This chapter reminds us of the destructive nature of jealousy, pride, and discrimination. It also highlights Moses’ humility and forgiveness, showcasing his qualities as a true leader. We are called to learn from this account, cultivating humility, unity, and respect for others, regardless of our differences.

Listen to the episode for more!

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The Team

Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise: Transcript Correction
Michael Haner: Podcasting: 2.0 Chapters
Scott Snider: Show Art
Jason Paschall: Show Art
Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney: Newsletter Publisher

Transcript

Download .txt file.

Transcript corrected by Sister Denise

Steve Webb 0:00
That’s not the real problem.

Steve Webb 0:09
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring! One Year Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. Today is Memorial Day here in the U.S., the day we remember those service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedoms. We honor them. And I’d like to take this opportunity to implore you to do everything you can to stand against those who would take our freedoms away so that these brave men and women did not die in vain. I’m reminded of Ronald Reagan’s words:

Ronald Reagan 0:42
Our founding fathers here in this country brought about the only true revolution that has ever taken place in man’s history. Every other revolution simply exchanged one set of rulers for another set of rulers. But only here did that little band of men, so advanced beyond their time that the world has never seen their like since, evolved the idea that you and I have within ourselves the God-given right and the ability to determine our own destiny. But freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. The only way they can inherit the freedom we have known is if we fight for it, protect it, defend it, and then hand it to them with the well-taught lessons of how they in their lifetime must do the same. And if you and I don’t do this, then you and I may well spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children, what it once was like in America, when men were free.

Steve Webb 1:40
That would be sad indeed. Today is The Law Monday, we’ll read Numbers 9 through 12. The website is lifespringmedia.com, and I’ll have contact information at the end of today’s show. Before we get started, let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, we thank you for the men and women who fought and died so that we could be free. Help us, Lord. Strengthen us. Embolden us so that we will defend it as well and pass the knowledge on to the next generation. It is said that you Lord, shed your grace on this country. I beseech you, Lord, do not withdraw your blessing on the United States. Forgive us for our sins, Father. Many of us, Lord still look to you. Help us to be salt and light to a lost generation. I thank you for our time together here, Lord, to study your word. Bless our time as we read. Teach us, Lord. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Let’s begin.

Steve Webb 2:36
Numbers, chapter 9. The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt. The Lord said, “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at the time given for it. Keep it at its given time, in the evening of the fourteenth day of this month. Keep it by obeying all its Laws.” So Moses told the people of Israel to keep the Passover. And they kept the Passover in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month, in the Sinai desert. The people of Israel did all that the Lord had told Moses. But there were some men who were unclean because they had touched a dead person. So they could not keep the Passover on that day. They came to Moses and Aaron that day and said to Moses, “We are unclean because we touched a dead person. But why are we kept from giving the Lord’s gift at its given time among the people of Israel?” Moses said to them, “Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will tell me to do with you.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘If anyone of you or your children touch a dead person and become unclean, or if you are traveling far away, even so, he may still keep the Passover to the Lord. They will keep it in the evening of the fourteenth day of the second month. They will eat it with bread without yeast and with bitter tasting plants. They must not leave any of it until morning. And they must not break a bone of the lamb. They must obey all of the Law of the Passover. But if a man is clean and is not away traveling, yet does not keep the Passover, he must be cut off from his people. For he did not give the Lord’s gift at the time he was to do so. That man will be guilty of his sin. If a stranger staying with you wants to keep the Passover to the Lord and obey the Law of the Passover, he may do so. You will have one law, both for the stranger and for the one who was born in the land.’” On the day that the meeting tent was set up, the cloud covered the meeting tent, the tent of the law. In the evening it was over the meeting tent. It looked like fire until morning. It was like this always. The cloud would cover it during the day. What looked like fire would cover it during the night. When the cloud was lifted from over the meeting tent, the people of Israel would move on. Where the cloud rested, there the people of Israel would set up their tents. The people of Israel would move on as the Lord told them. And they would set up their tents as the Lord told them. They stayed in one place as long as the cloud rested over the meeting tent. Even when the cloud rested over the meeting tent for many days, the people of Israel would obey the Lord and not leave. Sometimes the cloud stayed a few days over the meeting tent. But they obeyed the Lord and stayed in that place. Then they would leave when the Lord told them. Sometimes the cloud stayed from evening until morning. When the cloud lifted in the morning, they would leave. If the cloud stayed during the day and the night, when it was lifted, they would leave that place. Even when the cloud stayed over the meeting tent for two days, or a month, or a year the people of Israel would stay in that place and not leave. They would leave when it was lifted. They set up their tents as the Lord told them. And they moved on as the Lord told them. They obeyed what the Lord had told them to do through Moses.

Steve Webb 6:06
Numbers, chapter 10. The Lord spoke to Moses: “Make two trumpets of silver; you are to make them from a single hammered piece. You will use them for assembling the community and for directing the traveling of the camps. When they blow them both, all the community must come to you to the entrance of the tent of meeting. “But if they blow with one trumpet, then the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Israel, must come to you. When you blow an alarm, then the camps that are located on the east side must begin to travel. And when you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that are located on the south side must begin to travel. An alarm must be sounded for their journeys. But when you assemble the community, you must blow, but you must not sound an alarm. The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets; and they will be to you for an eternal ordinance throughout your generations. If you go to war in your land against an adversary who opposes you, then you must sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. “Also in the time when you rejoice, such as on your appointed festivals or at the beginnings of your months, you must blow with your trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, so that they may become a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.” On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle of the testimony. So the Israelites set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud settled in the wilderness of Paran. This was the first time they set out on their journey according to the commandment of the Lord, by the authority of Moses. The standard of the camp of the Judahites set out first according to their companies, and over his company was Nahshon son of Amminadab. Over the company of the tribe of Issacharites was Nathanel son of Zuar, and over the company of the tribe of the Zebulunites was Elion son of Helon. Then the tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle. The standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their companies; over his company was Elizur son of Shedeur. Over the company of the tribe of the Simeonites was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, and over the company of the tribe of the Gadites was Eliasaph son of Deuel. And the Kohathites set out, carrying the articles for the sanctuary; the tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived. And the standard of the camp of the Ephraimites set out according to their companies; over his company was Elishama son of Ammihud. Over the company of the tribe of the Manassehites was Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, and over the company of the tribe of Benjaminites was Abidan son of Gideoni. The standard of the camp of the Danites set out, which was the rear guard of all the camps by their companies; over his company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. Over the company of the tribe of the Asherites was Pagiel son of Ocran, and over the company of the tribe of the Naphtalites was Ahira son of Enan. These were the traveling arrangements of the Israelites according to their companies when they traveled. Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel, the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things for Israel.” But Hobab said to him, “I will not go, but I will go instead to my own land and to my kindred.” Moses said, “Do not leave us, because you know places for us to camp in the wilderness, and you could be our guide. And if you come with us, it is certain that whatever good things the Lord will favor us with, we will share with you as well.” So they traveled from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord was traveling before them during the three days’ journey, to find a resting place for them. And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they traveled from the camp. And when the ark traveled, Moses would say, “Rise up, O Lord! May your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate you flee before you!” And when it came to rest he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!”

Steve Webb 10:21
Numbers, chapter 11. Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them. Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it. Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!” So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. Then you shall say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?”’” And Moses said, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?” And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again. But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my Lord, forbid them!” Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” And Moses returned to the camp, he and the elders of Israel. Now a wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground. And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague. So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving. From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, and camped at Hazeroth.

Steve Webb 15:36
Numbers, chapter 12. Miriam and Aaron began to criticize Moses because he was married to a woman from Sudan. They asked, “Did the Lord speak only through Moses? Didn’t he also speak through us?” The Lord heard their complaint. (Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on earth.) Suddenly, the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “All three of you come to the tent of meeting.” So all three of them came. Then the Lord came down in the column of smoke and stood at the entrance to the tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. He said, “Listen to my words: When there are prophets of the Lord among you, I make myself known to them in visions or speak to them in dreams. But this is not the way I treat my servant Moses. He is the most faithful person in my household. I speak with him face to face, plainly and not in riddles. He even sees the form of the Lord. Why weren’t you afraid to criticize my servant Moses?” The Lord was angry with them, so he left. When the smoke left the tent, Miriam was covered with an infectious skin disease. She was as white as snow. Aaron turned to her and saw she was covered with the disease. So he said to Moses, “Please, sir, don’t punish us for this foolish sin we committed. Don’t let her be like a stillborn baby that’s not completely developed.” So Moses cried to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!” The Lord replied to Moses, “If her own father had spit in her face, wouldn’t she be excluded from the community for seven days? She must be put in isolation outside the camp for seven days. Then she can be brought back.” So Miriam was put in isolation outside the camp for seven days. The people didn’t break camp until she was brought back. After that, the people moved from Hazeroth and set up camp in the Desert of Paran.

Steve Webb 17:37
Let’s take a look at chapter 12. Verse 1 said, “Miriam and Aaron began to criticize Moses because he was married to a woman from Sudan.” Okay, so as a reminder, Miriam and Aaron were the brother and sister of Moses. And because of the way this sentence is constructed in Hebrew, and the fact that Miriam is listed first, she’s probably the instigator of this confrontation. We’ll talk more about that in a moment. Out of the thirty-five translations I checked, this translation, the God’s Word Translation, is the only one that says that Moses was married to a woman from Sudan. Most other translations say she was a Cushite woman. Others say she was Ethiopian. The original language says Cushite. What’s a Cushite? Well, the Cushites were descendants of Cush or Cush, as some people might say. Cush was the oldest son of Ham. Ham was the son of Noah. So Cush was the grandson of Noah. And get this, one of Cush’s sons was Nimrod who was thought to be the ruler of Babel when the Tower of Babel was built. So the great-grandson of Noah probably built the Tower of Babel. There’s just another reminder that it’s imperative to teach faithfully each generation the Word of the Lord. Just because you’re a believer is no guarantee that your children will be or their children. Be diligent in living in such a way that your children see that God is real. Now the land of Cush might very well be and probably is synonymous with Ethiopia, though the Ethiopia of the Bible is not exactly the same as the Ethiopia of today. However, the Ethiopia of the Bible included an area of what is Sudan today, so you can see how it all just kind of came together there. Given this background, it’s probably not going to surprise you when I tell you that the Cushite people were dark-skinned. As a matter of fact, the word “Cush” means “black.” One last thing about Cush, I found this at gotquestions.org. I’m quoting them here: “Significantly, Cush is also a nation that received the gospel and will be involved in the millennial kingdom. The evangelist Philip gave the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch, who would have been referred to as a Cushite in Hebrew, and the eunuch was one of the first converts of Ethiopia to Christianity.” We learned that in Acts 8, verses 26 through 39 and continuing gotquestions.org, “He undoubtedly took the gospel back to his land, where he had great influence as a royal official to Queen Candace.” We learned that from Acts 8:27. And, “During the millennial reign of Christ, Jesus will receive honor from Cush [or] Ethiopia.” We know that from Zephaniah 3:10 “From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people will bring me offerings.” Pretty interesting, huh? So the fact that Moses was married to a Cushite woman is the reason Miriam and Aaron gave for their complaint. So why the complaint? Well, it was not forbidden for Israelites to marry Cushites. So that’s not likely to be the basis for their complaint. It is possible and maybe even probable that their reason was because of the color of her skin, something she had no control over. So it wasn’t really fair to criticize her for that. But that’s not the real problem. We’ll find out as we read what the real problem was. There was a deeper problem, as is often the case. Verse 2 says, “They asked, ‘Did the Lord speak only through Moses? Didn’t he also speak through us?’” Okay, so they come and they say, “Hey, we’re not happy because Moses married this Cushite woman. And, by the way, did the Lord speak only through Moses? Didn’t he also speak through us?” Can’t you just hear her? “Who do you think you are Moses? You think you’re so special because God speaks through you? He speaks through me and Aaron too.” Well, in a way she was right. God spoke through Aaron in Exodus 4:30, and he spoke to Aaron in Exodus 12:1. And Miriam spoke God-inspired words in Exodus 15:21. But the fact is, God spoke through Moses in a very unique way. And he selected Moses as the leader of Israel. Miriam and Aaron were just plain jealous of Moses. They wanted to have some of that authority and attention. And they thought that by bringing Moses down, they would be elevated. And then verse 2 ends with this, “The Lord heard their complaint.” Of course, he did. And what he heard was them accusing Moses of the sin they themself were guilty of, pride. But Moses wasn’t prideful. He didn’t need to be brought down. Verse 3 says, “Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on Earth.” Okay, now, I have no reason to doubt the truth of this verse. But at the same time, I have to chuckle a little bit. It makes me think of a joke I heard from my brother-in-law, Steve O’Brien. He’s a pastor, and I love him very much, and he can be a kidder. He talks about a book he wrote (not really), but he talks about this book he wrote called “Humility and How I Achieved It.” Cracks me up. Listen, the book of Numbers is one of the first five books of the Bible, right? Commonly called the Pentateuch. You know who wrote the Pentateuch, right? Moses. So Moses wrote that he was the most humble person on earth, but really, maybe not. It’s entirely possible that somebody added this comment after Moses died. A very likely possibility is that Joshua wrote it. You see, Joshua was the man appointed by God to lead Israel after Moses died, and Joshua knew Moses very well. So I can very easily see him taking the scrolls that Moses wrote out and added that in the margin or something. I get that. Continuing, verse 4 says, “Suddenly, the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, ‘All three of you come to the tent of meeting.’” Notice the order of the names here: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. We go from the one who is in the right, to the one who is most in the wrong. God is not happy, and he takes quick action. Makes me think of the parent who’s had enough of a child’s bad behavior and says, “Go to your room.” “Suddenly, the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, ‘All three of you come to the Tent of Meeting.'” So they go to the Tent of Meeting and it says, “Then the Lord came down in the column of smoke and stood at the entrance to the tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.” Can’t you just see this? By now I think they know they’re in trouble. Heads were probably hung low. Shoulders were probably slumping. And they probably very timidly stepped forward. And then God speaks to them from the column of smoke. I’m paraphrasing here, “Listen up. When I’ve got something to say to prophets, I do it through dreams and visions. But with my boy here, Moses, I talk directly to him. I tell him like it is. He even gets to see me as much as the human body can stand, and you have the nerve to criticize him.” We’re told God was angry, so he left and that left the three of them standing there. Talk about an awkward silence. But when the smoke cleared, literally, Miriam was covered with an advanced state of leprosy. The skin being “white as snow” tells us that. And then Aaron seems a bit weaselly here. As soon as he sees Miriam, he says to Moses, “Please, my lord, don’t punish us for this foolish sin we’ve committed.” Now remember, Aaron is the guy who let the people build a golden idol while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the tablets with the Ten Commandments from God. And Aaron tagged along with his sister today. But as soon as he thinks that his goose is cooked, to save himself, he begs his big brother, Moses, for his help. I don’t know maybe he truly saw that the accusations they made against Moses were foolish and sinful, but maybe he just didn’t want to end up covered in leprosy, you think? And then now for the very first time in this chapter, Moses cried to the Lord, “Please God, heal her.” He was falsely accused, yet he passionately prayed for her healing. Yeah, Moses had a good heart. The Lord did heal Miriam, but not until she was put out of the camp for seven days, during which the nation became aware of the shameful thing she had done in bringing petty and false charges against God’s faithful servant in the hopes of elevating herself. If you have a comment or a question, contact information is just a moment away. Tomorrow will be History Tuesday, and we’ll read 1 Chronicles 15 through 19.

Jingle 27:36
Lifespringmedia.com/support.

Steve Webb 27:45
Our next time of prayer together here on the show will be Wednesday, so if there’s a praise we should know about, or if there’s something you’d like us to pray with you about, be sure to let me know. Thanks to Sister Denise, Michael Haner, Scott Snider, Jason Paschall who did today’s show art, and Sister Brittaney. To send a comment a question, or prayer request, or a praise report, you can call the Lifespring Family Hotline at +1-951-732-8511. Or if you prefer, for prayer requests and praise reports, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. For comments or questions, go to comment.lifespringmedia.com and my email address is st***@*************ia.com. Obviously, I love to get your boostagrams with your comments or questions or praise reports, or prayer requests. Thank you, Beloved, for inviting me to be with you today. Have a great Memorial Day. And now, until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.

Steve Webb 28:42
Lifespring! Media bringing the message of hope, love, and good news since 2004.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai