Thursday, February 28, 2013

Miriam


Exodus 2:1-10, 15:19-21; Numbers 12, 20:1-2

Miriam protects Moses


Miriam who engineered Moses’ rescue would play a crucial role in Moses’ life. His mother’s name was JACHEBED (Ex.6:20) She so thoroughly instructed him that all the allurements of the palace never eradicated his faith. Moses would spend close to forty years in the palace but would never abandon his childhood faith.

Miriam was the sister of two powerful Old Testament men, Moses and Aaron. She served the Lord all of her life, remained steadfast in her determination to see the Hebrew people free from the pharaoh's oppression. Miriam was human, and not perfect. For her pride and insubordination to the power of God working through her brother Moses, she became afflicted with leprosy. (Numbers 12:10-13) It was of short duration, (only one week) but long enough for her to reflect on the error she made in criticizing her brother.

Jealousy caused Miriam to despise her brother. She blamed him for marrying a Cushite woman but that was not the real reason for her resentment. She hated the fact that the Lord spoke directly to her brother Moses. She hated the fact that Moses was more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. Bitterness, resentment, cynicism can creep into our lives. Mariam let it get the best of her. In Lent, we pray for a pure heart. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. –Psalm 51:10-12

Schnorr von Carolsfeld Woodcut used with permission © WELS 
Halley’s Bible Handbook An Abbreviated Bible Commentary Twenty-Third Edition, © 1962 Zondervan Grand Rapids, MI
The Offertory, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis


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