Today in the Word – May, 11 2017

Moses led God’s people with love, even though they often acted in unlovable ways. He interceded for them when they incurred God’s wrath. He was not a control freak; he had taken his fatherin- law’s advice about delegating more responsibilities (see Exodus 18), and he was glad when the Spirit came on the 70 new elders. He was a humble man, demonstrating how humility and leadership can be intertwined. He was clearly God’s chosen leader!

The attempted coup in Numbers 12 came from the same rebellious, complaining spirit on display in Numbers 11. It must have hurt Moses especially that it was led by his sister and brother. The pretext was their displeasure with his Cushite wife (v. 1). Scholars are unsure if this was Zipporah (Ex. 2:21–22) or someone else, but in any case the real reason was that his siblings were jealous of Moses’ special relationship with the Lord and his status as leader and prophet of Israel. Miriam and Aaron may also have been afraid that their authority had been weakened by the commissioning of the 70 new elders.

God Himself condemned their mutiny and explicitly affirmed Moses’ close relationship with Him (vv. 4–8; Deut. 34:10). Aaron confessed and repented for both himself and Miriam. She, apparently more at fault, was judged with leprosy, which was healed in response to Moses’ forgiving, intercessory prayer (vv. 9–15).