Tuesday, August 8, 2017

MIRIAM: The lovely guardian sister who was later destroyed due to her flawed character

MIRIAM
Bible References-      Exodus 15: 20,12; Numbers 12: 1-15; 20: 1; 26:56
                                    Deuteronomy 24: 9; Micah 6:4

Narrative:
Miriam was the eldest child of Amram and Jochebed and the sister of Aaron and Moses. She had godly parents and so she grew up to be loyal to God and her people. Her name variedly means ‘a drop of the sea’, ‘the Lady of the sea’, ‘bitterness’ or ‘rebellion’.  

Miriam lived in Egypt when the Israelites were oppressed by the Egyptian kings. However, despite oppressions, discriminations, exploitation and suppressions in all areas of their Hebrew lives by the Egyptians, Miriam played a very important role in the history of the deliverance of Israel.

When Miriam was around 8-10 years old, Pharaoh—the king of Egypt—commanded all the Hebrew male babies to be drowned in the river Nile. So Miriam’s mother hid her son for three months and when she could hide him no longer, she put her son in a basket and placed it among the reeds in a river bank. Miriam carefully hid herself in a distance to observe what would happen. Then, when Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to bathe and found the baby boy and took him, Miriam risked and seized the opportunity to step forward and approach the puzzled princess. Appearing to be curious, Miriam innocently asked the princess whether she needs a Hebrew nurse to take care of the baby. The princess agreed and even offered to give the nurse her wage. So, Miriam went and brought her mother to be the nurse and, thus, saved her baby brother—who, then, would liberate the Hebrews from the Egyptians’ bondage.

Miriam led the joyous acclamation of the multitude when Pharaoh allowed the Hebrews to go out of Egypt after the ten devastating plagues. She used her timbrel and led the women in singing: “Sing ye to the Lord, for He had triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea” (Exd. 15:21). So along with her brother Moses’ song, Miriam’s song has also been referred to as one of the oldest National Song in Hebrew Literature and one of the finest. Being gifted as a poet and prophetess, and also because of her leadership qualities, she eventually became an ideal female leader for the Hebrew women. Miriam remained unmarried which was also a very rare thing to do during those days when marriage was considered to be the glory of womanhood.  

However, despite all her qualities as a poet, prophetess and leader, which allowed her to serve God along with her brothers Aaron and Moses in leading their people, she failed in her character. Pride, jealousy and competition crept into her life and, along with her brother Aaron, she challenged the leadership of her brother Moses, whom God had chosen, by sarcastically saying: “Has the Lord spoken Through Moses?  Has He not spoken through us also” (Num. 12:1-2). Then God spoke to reaffirm Moses’ leadership saying, “My servant Moses is not so. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently and not in dark speeches.” Such was God’s elective sovereignty, and so Miriam’s sin was grievous because she had rebelled against what God had spoken when she questioned Moses’ leadership.

The rebellious Miriam and Aaron were reprimanded by God for speaking against His honored servant—Moses. So, God’s anger was kindled against them and Miriam, the chief instigator, was struck with leprosy. Even so, Moses prayed for his sister Miriam and, after her separation from the camp for 7 days, she was healed of her leprosy. Miriam repented but her strength was broken and God took back the gift of prophecy from her. Like most of the Hebrews who came out from Egypt, Miriam also could not enter the Promised Land because of her sin. She died before the entrance to Canaan at the age of 130 and was buried in Kadesh-Barnea where the Israelites mourned for her for around 30 days. She was given a costly funeral and buried on the Mountain of Zin. True to her symbolism with water, after her death, God opened spring of abundant water for the people, called Meribah.

Summary points:
1.      The young Miriam was innocent and devoted, protective and caring, courageous and takes up risks, careful and wise, obedient and exhibited great leadership qualities. All these qualities helped her to lay the foundation for the liberation of Israel.
2.      She remained unmarried and devoted her life in God’s service and her people as a poet, prophetess and leader. These qualities helped her to serve her people in the praise and worship of their LORD and also in supplementary leadership roles.
3.      Despite her great qualities, she had a major spiritual and character flaw when she was driven by pride and jealousy. She began to claim equality with Moses, who was the chief leader.
4.      God punished Miriam for her rebellion and although she was later forgiven, God withdrew His grace and strength from her life. She could not live to see the Promised Land.

Lessons for reflection:
1.      We can nurture our young daughters to be like Miriam who was innocent and devoted, protective and caring, courageous and takes up risks, careful and wise, obedient and exhibited leadership qualities.
2.      Single women may devote their lives in God’s service and in serving people in praise and adoration of the LORD and in other leadership roles.
3.      Women in leadership roles or in any other forms of service should guard their hearts from negative comparisons, being discontented, proud and jealously desiring a higher place of honour which another holds.
4.      Small acts of service and wise words can do wonders beyond our imaginations if they are done with pure and loving motives, and courageously and wisely for God’s glory.
5.      God is always sovereign. He is merciful and gracious and yet He is also a just God. So as long as we remain humble under His grace, He lifts us up beyond our imagination and abilities but if we try to rebel and challenge His sovereignty He will punish us and reduce us to nothing.
             
Reference

  1. The Pulpit Commentary.
  2. E. Thelma Johnson. Women of the Bible.  Delhi: Published by ISPCK, 2000.


  3. Herbert Lockyer.  All the women of the Bible. Grand Rapids Michigan: Zondervan, 1967.

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