‘Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife…And the Lord heard this.’ – Numbers 12:1-2 (NIV)
As a young girl, Miriam showed fortitude and wisdom. She played an instrumental role in the deliverance of God’s people, a nation she loved.
Nevertheless, Miriam was struck with leprosy because of her pride and insubordination and was denied entry into the Promised Land. As an eyewitness of the many past events in Egypt and the wilderness, Miriam only had to close her eyes and relive those moments – hear the cries of mothers whose children were murdered (Exodus 1:19-22) or the moans of her brethren as they worked themselves to death (Exodus 2:23), see the wall of water, the soldiers chasing them through the sea, the sound of their noisy drowning, and, finally, the silence and the peace (Exodus 14). She must have missed the singing she led that day, dancing at the sea’s edge, praising God for hurling their enemies into the deep waters (Exodus 15:20).
In spite of these experiences, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses. Brother and sister were summoned to stand before God at the Tent of Meeting – the Lord spoke. When the cloud of His presence finally lifted, Miriam was a leper. Were her enemies buried in the sea only, or in her own heart as well?
Perhaps Miriam and the nation itself needed a shocking rebuke in order to recognise the seriousness of a sin that threatened the unity of God’s people.
Strong as Miriam was, she, like all of us, sinned against God and suffered a punishment designed to bring her to repentance. Miriam’s account offers an extraordinary example of God’s willingness to forgive those who sin.
What liberating forgiveness is available to us! God looks with judgement at our sin, waits patiently for our repentance, and then eagerly offers His forgiveness and acceptance. We re-
enter fellowship with Him renewed, clean, and forgiven. Our repentance turns a legacy of judgement and punishment into a legacy of forgiveness and worthiness before God.
Read: Psalm 103:2-3; Micah 7:18
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 5:21-30; Acts 16:16-40; I Kings 14:21-31; I Kings 15; I Kings 16:1-7
