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Miriam |
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Ask older brothers or sisters what their greatest trial in life is, and
they will often answer, "My younger brother [or sister]!" This
is especially true when the younger sibling is more successful than the
older. The bonds of family loyalty can be strained to the breaking point.
When we first meet Miriam, she is involved in one of history’s most unusual baby-sitting jobs. She is watching her infant brother float on the Nile River in a waterproof cradle. Miriam’s quick thinking allowed Moses to be raised by his own mother. Her protective superiority, reinforced by that event, must have been hard to give up as she watched her little brother rise to greatness. Eventually Moses’ choice of a wife gave Miriam an opportunity to criticize. It was natural for her insecurity to break out over this issue. With Moses married, Miriam was clearly no longer the most important woman in his life. The real issue, however, was not the kind of woman Moses had married. It was the fact that he was now the most important man in Israel. "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?" No mention is made of Moses’ response, but God had a quick answer for Miriam and Aaron. Without denying their role in his plan, God clearly pointed out his special relationship with Moses. Miriam was stricken with leprosy, a deadly disease, as punishment for her insubordination. But Moses, true to his character, intervened for his sister so that God healed Miriam of her leprosy. Before criticizing someone else, we need to pause long enough to discover our own motives. Failing to do this can bring disastrous results. What is often labeled "constructive criticism" may actually be destructive jealousy, since the easiest way to raise our own status is to bring someone else down. Are you willing to question your motives before you offer criticism? Does the critical finger you point need to be pointed first toward yourself? 1- Strengths and accomplishments
2- Weaknesses and mistakes
3- Lesson from her life
4- Vital statistics
5- Key verses "Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women in rhythm and dance. And Miriam sang this song: ‘I will sing to the Lord , for he has triumphed gloriously; he has thrown both horse and rider into the sea’" (Exodus 15:20, 21). Miriam’s story is told in Exodus 2; 15; and Numbers 12; 20. She is also mentioned in Deuteronomy 24:9; 1 Chronicles 6:3; Micah 6:4.
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Miriam 1. Sister of Aaron and Moses: she is emphatically called ‘Miriam the prophetess.’ She was probably the sister who watched the ark in which her brother Moses was laid. In after years she headed the procession of women, when, with timbrels and dances, they answered the song of Moses, on their deliverance out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. With Aaron she took the lead in murmuring against Moses, on the plea that he had married an Ethiopian woman. Moses was very meek, but the Lord did not allow His servant, who was faithful in all God’s house, and to whom he spake mouth to mouth, to be spoken against. God was angry with them and Miriam was smitten with leprosy, white as snow. Aaron humbled himself and confessed their sin, and Moses prayed for the restoration of Miriam. She was made to go outside the camp seven days. This rebellion was typical of Israel in the character of prophet and priest uniting against Christ as King. Miriam died at Kadesh and was buried there. #Ex 15:20,21 Nu 12:1-15 20:1 26:59 De 24:9 Mic 6:4. 2. The sister of Moses and Aaron #Ex 2:4-10 1Ch 6:3 Her name is prominent in the history of the Exodus. She is called "the prophetess" #Ex 15:20 She took the lead in the song of triumph after the passage of the Red Sea. She died at Kadesh during the second encampment at that place, toward the close of the wanderings in the wilderness, and was buried there #Nu 20:1 |