March is Family Month, and we are constantly reminded of the value of this institution and of its importance to God. During his message on Sunday, March 13, 2022, Presiding Bishop Dr. M. Raphael Massiah addressed common issues faced by families today.
This message takes into account the story of Miriam and Aaron colluding against Moses because he was remarried to a woman from a different ethnicity, as depicted in Numbers 12. According to this scripture, Moses, a Hebrew, married a Cushite woman after his first wife, Zipporah, a Midianite, died. In those days, Cushites were from the Northern and Southern Regions of modern-day Sudan and Egypt.
Moses’ siblings questioned the legitimacy of God’s call on Moses to lead the people of Israel given his union with the Cushite. The Lord heard it, rebuked Miriam, the instigator and she immediately became leprous. She had to be shut out of the dwelling for seven days after which she was declared clean to return to the camp.
From this account, Bishop Massiah highlighted the following three issues, drew parallels to current families, and cautioned that these are strongholds that must be avoided.
First, the account in Numbers 12 highlights jealousy. Bishop Massiah calls this a “frightening sin”. Moses was the only one who communicated with God face to face, the hand of God was upon him and God trusted him to lead the people of Israel. Miriam convinced her brother Aaron that God can use them similarly, just as he did Moses. The second issue is rebellion. From the moment Miriam questioned Moses’ ability to lead as a result of his marriage to the Cushite, she rebelled against the will of God and was immediately summoned by God, confronted of her wrong-doing, and punished.
Lastly, the longstanding societal issue of racism was highlighted. Miriam made her brother’s marriage to a Cushite an issue when really it was God who allowed it through Moses’ leadership. Bishop Massiah explained that today, racism is more than just the difference in ethnicity or colour of the skin. It is when people choose to segregate by class, characteristics and abilities.
To this end, he prayed specifically for these and similar issues that exist within families today. “God is watching over and protecting you, even when in error he is going to minister to you and your family. I pray that as we continue to celebrate family month, think about how we can avoid family conflict, and if you can’t avoid it, resolve it. In the case where there are those coming against you, God’s grace will protect you.
