Deuteronomy
. The
Second Giving of the Law
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* The Neglect
One does not hear many sermons on
the Book of Deuteronomy these days
! Although, back in 1555-6, John Calvin preached 200 (!) consecutive
sermons on this particular book.
* The Importance
It has been described as the
most spiritual Book in the Old Testament! (Scroggie.)
It is quoted 80 times in the New Testament. And it is the key to the whole history of
Israel.(Pawson)
* The Background. Deuteronomy takes place some 40 years after the Israelites left Egypt. They are on the plains of Moab about to cross back into the Land God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The older generation had died in the wilderness because
of their disobedience , now Moses
re-instructs the
new generation concerning the laws of God.
.
In the Book of
Genesis
we saw the promises to Adam and the patriarchs that
one day the Seed
of the woman would come to bruise the serpents head.
In the Book of
Exodus
spoke of Pardon
the Israelites were set free
from Egyptian
bondage by the blood of the lamb.
In the Book of
Leviticus spoke of the Purity God demanded of His people.
In the Book of
Numbers described their Pilgrimage from Mnt. Sinai to Moab.
In the Book of
Deuteronomy will give us the Lords Precepts , given
in three sermons,
through His servant, Moses.
* The Authorship.
The Lord Jesus said Moses
wrote
( John 5:46) and Deuteronomy 31:22, 24, speak of Moses doing so. Critics, however, usually date the book as
being written during the days of King Josiah ( or his predecessor)
600 or 800
years later !
..
* Key Thought
Obedience brings blessing , Disobedience results in Gods curse
!
The
words obey, do, observe keep
appear over 150 times in these chapters.
For example
.
Deuteronomy 6: 1 "These are all the commands, laws,
and regulations that the
LORD your God told me to teach you so you may
obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, ()
and so you and your children and grandchildren might fear the LORD your
God as long as you live.
If you obey all his laws and commands,
you will enjoy a long life.
()Listen closely, Israel, to everything
I say. Be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will
have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey,
just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors,
promised you.
.
() You must diligently obey the
commands of the LORD your God
all the
stipulations and laws he has given you.
.
() And the LORD our God commanded us to
obey all these laws and to fear him for our
own prosperity and well-being, as is now the
case. () For we are righteous when we obey
all the commands the LORD our God has given
us.' ( Living Bible )
..
* The Relevance
We are specifically told that these Old Testament events and
teachings contain lessons for New Testament believers. They are written for our admonition.
(1 Corinth. 10:11)
As the hymnist
puts it :-
Trust and
obey
for
theres no other way
to be
happy in Jesus
but to
trust and obey !
..
OUTLINE
1:1-4:43
A Review of the Past.
4:44-26:19
A Repetition of the Law.
27:1-30:20
A Revelation for the Future
31:1
34:12
Goodbye Moses !
.
* The Promise
God promised to restore them to the Land of Canaan ... as promised to
their forefathers.
Deut 1:
6 "When we were at Mount Sinai, the LORD our God said to us, `You
have stayed at this mountain long enough. 7It is time to break camp
and move on.
.. Go to the land of the Canaanites and to
Lebanon, and all the way to the great Euphrates River.
8I am giving all this land to
you! Go in and occupy it, for it is the land the LORD swore to give to your
ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to all their descendants.'
Deut. 6:
23 He brought us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had
solemnly promised
to give our ancestors.
..
* The Problem God had made this promise to Abraham
Genesis 15: 18So the LORD made a covenant
with Abram that day and said, "I have given this
land to your descendants, all the way from the
border of Egypt to the great
Euphrates River--
and the problem
is
Does that promise still apply
to the Jewish people today?
Do these questions matter? Yes! For our interpretation to scores of Old Testament chapters will depend upon our answer we give.
The Dispensationalist view Israel has never possessed the land promised to Abraham.
It will be theirs in a future millennium !
The Traditional View Israel has possessed the land promised to Abraham. (1 Kings 4:21; 6:65)
.
* The Prohibitions
Some nations are not to be
warred against. (2:4-5)(2:8-9) (2:17-23)
.
* The Partitioning of the Land. Two and a half tribes receive the land East
of Jordan river. (3:12)
Deuter.
3:12 "When
we took possession of this land, I gave the territory beyond Aroer along the
Arnon Gorge, plus half of the hill country of Gilead with its towns, to the
tribes of Reuben and Gad.
13Then I gave the rest of Gilead
and all of Bashan
to the half-tribe of Manasseh.
This land was taken, by warfare, from three pagan nations. ( 2:24-27) (3:1-3) (3:10)
..
* The Prescription for Blessing.
Deuter. 4:
39
remember
this and keep it firmly in mind: The LORD is God both in heaven and on earth,
and there is no other god!
40If you obey all the laws and commands that I
will give you today, all will be well with you and your children. Then you will
enjoy a long life in the land the LORD your God is giving you for all
time."
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Deuteronomy
. The Second Giving of the Law
(Study No. 2 )
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INTRODUCTION
.
Two archaeological discoveries shed some light on the book of Deuteronomy.
(a) The Law-Code of Hammurabi. Discovered in 1902, this inscription
consisting of hundreds of lines of cuneiform writing
several hundred years before
the time of Moses. (Discoveries
from Bible Times by A.Millard p. 81)
These laws have a similarity to the Mosaic law showing that Deuteronomy was written around that time and not 800 years later, and showing, too, that Moses was able to write such laws,(thus silencing the critical argument that Moses could not write !) However, the Mosaic law sets a higher value on man than Hammurabis.
(b) The Suzerainty Treaties ! Discovered in 1931 but not published until 1954 was the fact that Royal treaties from Patriarchal times all followed the same basic pattern. (p. 64) This same pattern, or outline, is evident in Deuteronomy and is also an argument in favour of the traditional Mosaic authorship.
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(1)
THE SECOND SERMON
A Repetition of the Law ! ( Chapters 5-26)
Beginning with a recital of the Ten Commandments, ( 5: 5-22) Moses now enlarges upon the other God-given laws concerning Israels Religious, Civil and Social duties. Remember, he is addressing a new generation. Their parents, who received the Law at Mnt. Sinai, had died during the 38 years that followed. Refusal to enter the Promised Land had resulted in their death.
2:14So thirty-eight years
passed from the time we first arrived at Kadesh-barnea
until we finally crossed Zered Brook! For the
LORD had vowed that this could not happen until
all the men old enough to fight in battle had
died in the wilderness. 15The LORD had lifted
his hand against them until all of them had
finally died.
(a)
Religious Laws
.
*Idolatry
7: 3 Do not intermarry with them, and don't let
your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters. 4They will
lead your young people away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the
LORD will burn against you, and he will destroy you.
..
25"You must burn
their idols in fire, and do not desire the silver or gold with which they are
made. Do not take it or it will become a snare to you, for it is detestable to
the LORD your God. 26Do not bring any detestable objects into your
home, for then you will be set apart for destruction just like them. You must
utterly detest such things, for they are set apart for destruction.
12 : 3 Break down their
altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down
their carved idols. Erase the names of their gods from those places!
4"Do not worship the LORD your God in the way these pagan
peoples worship their gods.
* The Altar
12:13Be
careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere.
14You
may do so only at the place the LORD will choose within one of your tribal
territories.
There you must
offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you.
* False
Prophets
. 18:20But any prophet who claims
to give a message from another god or who falsely claims to speak for me must
die.' 21You may wonder, `How will we know whether the prophecy is
from the LORD or not?' 22If the prophet predicts something in the
LORD's name and it does not happen, the LORD did not give the message. That
prophet has spoken on his own and need not be feared.
Deuteronomy 13
:1"Suppose there are prophets among you, or those who have
dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, 2and
the predicted signs or miracles take place. If the prophets then say, `Come,
let us worship the gods of foreign nations,'
* Tithing 14: 22"You must set aside a tithe of your crops--one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year.
(b)
Civil Laws
* Death Penalty
17:
6But never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness.
There must always
be at least two or three witnesses. 7The witnesses must throw the
first stones,
and then all the people will join in. In this
way, you will purge all evil from among you.
*Priests
17: 8"Suppose
a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide--for
instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a
difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such
cases to the place the LORD your God will choose, 9where the
Levitical priests and the judge on duty will hear the case and decide what to
do. 10The decision they make at the place the LORD chooses will
always stand. You must do exactly what they say.
* Kings
17: 14"You
will soon arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, and you will
conquer it and settle there. Then you may begin to think, `We ought to have a
king like the other nations around us.' 15If this happens, be sure
that you select as king the man the LORD your God chooses. You must appoint a
fellow Israelite, not a foreigner. 16The king must not build up a
large stable of horses for himself, and he must never send his people to Egypt
to buy horses there, for the LORD has told you, `You must never return to
Egypt.' 17The king must not take many wives for himself, because
they will lead him away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate vast amounts
of wealth in silver and gold for himself.
18"When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy these laws
on a scroll for himself in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19He
must always keep this copy of the law with him and read it daily as long as he
lives. That way he will learn to fear the LORD his God by obeying all the terms
of this law. 20This regular reading will prevent him from becoming
proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent
him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. This will ensure
that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.
( C.f. 1 Kings 10:26:11:2 !!)
(c
) Social Laws
*Concerning
Soldiers
20: 5"Then
the officers of the army will address the troops and say, `Has anyone just
built a new house but not yet dedicated it? If so, go home! You might be killed
in the battle, and someone else would dedicate your house! 6Has
anyone just planted a vineyard but not yet eaten any of its fruit? If so, go
home! You might die in battle, and someone else would eat from it!
7Has anyone just become engaged?
Well, go home and get married! You might die in the battle, and someone else
would marry your fiance.' 8Then the officers will also say, `Is
anyone terrified? If you are, go home before you frighten anyone else.'
*Concerning
Honesty
22:
1 "If you see your neighbor's ox or sheep wandering away, don't
pretend not to see it. Take it back to its owner. 2If it does not
belong to someone nearby or you don't know who the owner is, keep it until the
owner comes looking for it; then return it.
3Do the same if you find your
neighbor's donkey, clothing, or anything else your neighbor loses. Don't
pretend you did not see it.4"If you see your neighbor's ox or
donkey lying on the road, do not look the other way. Go and help your neighbor
get it to its feet!
*Concerning
Buildings
22: 8"Every new house you build must
have a barrier around the edge of its flat rooftop. That way you will not bring
the guilt of bloodshed on your household if someone falls from the roof.
*Concerning
Farming
22:
10"Do not plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together.
* Concerning Hygiene 23: 12"Mark off an area outside the camp for a latrine.
All these laws mentioned above are but a few examples of the many given by God for the welfare of His Old Testament people.
..
(2) THE THIRD SERMON
A
Revelation for the Future .( 27:1-30:20)
Now Moses gives instructions concerning the entry into Canaan.
(a) The Law is to be Written
27:2When
you cross the Jordan River and enter the land the LORD your God is giving you,
set up some large stones and coat them with
plaster. 3Then write all the terms of this law on them.
I repeat, you will soon cross the river to
enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and
honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4When
you cross the Jordan, set up these stones at Mount Ebal and coat them with
plaster, as I am commanding you today.
(b) The Law is to be Recited
After entering Canaan six tribes will assemble on Mnt Gerezim and six on Mnt. Ebal and the Laws of God will be read to them by the Levites.
27: 12"When
you cross the Jordan River, the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,
Joseph, and Benjamin must stand on Mount Gerizim to proclaim a blessing over
the people. 13And the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan,
and Naphtali must stand on Mount Ebal to proclaim a curse. 14Then
the Levites must shout to all the people of Israel:
15`Cursed is anyone who carves or casts idols and
secretly sets them up. These idols, the work of craftsmen, are detestable to
the LORD.' And all the people will reply, `Amen.'
There is to be a resounding AMEN!! to the curses as well as the blessings promised by God. ( 27:15-26!) There are blessings for those who obey His laws, curses for those who do not. ( Ch. 27:14-30:20)
For example
Deuteronomy
28: 1"If you fully obey the LORD your God by
keeping all the commands I am giving you today, the LORD your God will exalt
you above all the nations of the world. 2You will experience all
these blessings if you obey the LORD your God:3
You will be blessed in your towns and in the country.
4You will be blessed with many children and productive fields. You
will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks.
5 You will be blessed with baskets overflowing
with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread.
6 You will be blessed wherever you go, both in
coming and in going.
7"The LORD will conquer your enemies when
they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter
from you in seven!
Deuteronomy 28
15"But if you refuse to listen to the LORD your God and do not
obey all the commands and laws I am giving you today, all these curses will
come and overwhelm you:
16
You will be cursed in your towns and in the country.
17 You will be cursed with baskets empty of fruit,
and with kneading bowls empty of bread.
18 You will be cursed with few children and barren
fields. You will be cursed with infertile herds and flocks.19
You will be cursed wherever you go, both in coming and in going.
20"The LORD himself will send against you
curses, confusion, and disillusionment in everything you do, until at last you
are completely destroyed for doing evil and forsaking me.
This ceremony of reading the Law from the valley between Mnt. Gerezim and Mnt. Ebal takes place in the days of Joshua. . ( Joshua 8:30-35)
.
CONCLUSION Goodbye Moses !! ( Ch. 31-34)
(a) The Successor to Moses !
Joshua is appointed to lead the Israelites into Canaan.
31:23Then
the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words: "Be strong and
courageous!
You must bring the people of Israel into the
land I swore to give them. I will be with you."
(b) The Song of Moses !
31:22So
that very day Moses wrote down the words of the song and taught it to the
Israelites.
It is interesting to note that this song follows the same pattern as those Suzerain treaties ! ( Evangelical Comm. on Bible. p.127) It is a song that emphasises both the mercy and judgement of God. (32:1-43)
First we have Gods goodness to Israel ( vs1-14)
But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked !! ( 32; 15 K.J.V.) i.e. Israel grew prosperous and rebelled against Him . Therefore judgement will come ! ( 32: 19-34) But those who trust Him will be saved .
32: 43
"Rejoice with him, O heavens,
and let all the angels of God
worship him,
for he will avenge the blood of his
servants.
He will take vengeance on his enemies
and cleanse his land and his
people."
(c) The Blessing of Moses
upon the twelve tribes. ( Chapter 33)
(d) The Death of Moses ( Chapter 34)
The aged man of God climbs Mnt. Nebo
sees the promised
Land from his vantage point east of Jordan
and dies. And God buries him !
34:6He was buried[1]
in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact
place.
.
Whilst it is true the many laws of Deuteronomy were given to Israel centuries ago, yet there are principles here that are lessons for every child of God today and warnings for those who are still in rebellion against Him
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Deuteronomy
. The Second Giving of the Law
(Study No. 3)
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INTRODUCTION The study of typology is neglected in many pulpits today. But it is a legitimate study. 1 Corinth. 10: 11 speaks of some events that happened to the Israelites during their wilderness journey and describes them as examples for us i.e. types.
A type is an Old Testament incident or person that is
confirmed by a New Testament reference. It is a Divinely ordained illustration
of spiritual truth.
There are also many illustrations in the Old
Testament that are not specifically mentioned in the New Testament. It is
probably best not to speak of them as types.
In this study we
will notice how Moses is a type of the Lord Jesus.
.
In Deuteronomy 18:
17-18 we read the Lords promise to Moses
17 The LORD said to me: "What they say is good. 18
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from
among their
brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I
command him.
This text is quoted in the New Testament as a Messianic reference.
John 6 12When
they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the
pieces
that are left over. Let nothing be
wasted." 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets
with the pieces of the five barley loaves
left over by those who had eaten.
14After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they
began to say,
"Surely this is the Prophet who is to
come into the world."
Again , in John
7: 40On hearing his words, some of the people said,
"Surely this man is the Prophet."
41Others said, "He is the Christ."
The Jews of that day were looking forward to the fulfilment of Deuteronomy 18:18. And some were thinking it might be Jesus, the Nazarene.
Peter quotes this text in his second sermon and applies it
to the Lord Jesus
..
Acts 3: 19Repent, then, and
turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing
may come from the Lord, 20and that
he may send the Christ, who has been appointed
for you--even
Jesus. 21He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to
restore everything,
as he promised
long ago through his holy prophets. 22For Moses said, 'The Lord your
God will raise
up for you a prophet like me from among your
own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.
Dr. I. M. Haldeman wrote
.
"The life of Moses
presents a series of striking antitheses. He was the child of a slave, and the
son of a king. He was born in a hut, and lived in a palace. He inherited
poverty, and enjoyed unlimited wealth. He was the leader of armies, and the
keeper of flocks. He was the mightiest of warriors, and the meekest of men. He
was educated in the court, and dwelt in the desert. He had the wisdom of Egypt,
and the faith of a child. He was fitted for the city, and wandered in the
wilderness. He was tempted with the pleasures of sin, and endured the hardships
of virtue. He was backward in speech, and talked with God. He had the rod of a
shepherd, and the power of the Infinite. He was a fugitive from Pharaoh, and an
ambassador from Heaven. He was the giver of the Law, and the forerunner of
Grace. He died alone on mount Moab, and appeared with Christ in Judea. No man
assisted at his funeral, yet God buried him. The fire has gone out of mount
Sinai, but the lightning is still in his Law. His lips are silent, but his
voice yet speaks"
Moses
a prophet like unto the Lord Jesus
! ( Deut. 18:18)
..
His Infancy
. He was descended
from Abraham
was born into a nation oppressed by Gentiles
and was in danger of being put to death in infancy
all of which is also true concerning the
Lord Jesus.
His Brethren
Acts 7: 23-25 reminds us of the compassion
Moses had for his brethren and his
rejection by them.
His Seclusion
. Fleeing to
Midian, Moses became a shepherd
sat
down by a well ( Exodus 2:15) (c.f. John 4:4-6)
and marries a Gentile bride. ( Exodus 2:21)
His Mission
Moses is
sent by God to deliver Israel
from bondage
and miracles will be his Divine credentials. ( cf. Luke 7:19-22)
His Confrontation
A pronouncement of judgement is made upon
those who reject his word
he causes the Red Sea to obey him
the Israelites
cross the Red Sea ( baptized unto Moses 1 Corinth. 10: 2)
And a memorial supper is instituted
to remind them of this deliverance from bondage.
His Leadership
Moses is threatened
with stoning ( Exodus 17:4),
his
leadership is challenged
(Numbers 16:1-3)
he grieves over their ingratitude (Numbers
11:11-15)
He prays for these people many, many times
and expresses a
willingness to die for them if it will be the means of their salvation. (Exodus
32:31-32 ) Being a sinner, like all men
, the sacrifice of Moses could never atone for sin. But the Lord Jesus, Sinless
Son of God , was able to make that perfect sacrifice.
His Provision
Moses gave the nation of Israel a Law
from Mnt. Sinai . The Lord , thru Moses , fed them with
bread and sated their thirst with water. ( Exodus 16, Ex. 17)
His Offices
Moses is spoken
of as a Prophet ( Deuter. 18:18)
he
acted as a Priest ( Lev. 8:15-16; Psalm
99:6)
he was their Mediator ( Deuter. 5:5) and their
Judge ( Exodus 18:13)
His Ministry
He fasted 40 days
and nights on a mountain
he washed his people clean ( Lev. 8:6) , he worked
numerous miracles, he erected the Tabernacle, Gods dwelling place ( like the Lord Jesus is building His church
) He sent forth 12 men
and later appointed 70 ( Numbers 11:24) (Luke 10:1)
he appointed a successor
.
His Death
Until Moses died the people could not enter the Promised Land. ( Joshua
1:2) And even after his death he was
seen again !! ( Matthew 17:3 !)
All of these are comparisons with the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. Arthur Pink in Gleanings in Genesis gives 75 (!!) such comparisons and adds that there are another 25 he did not mention !
The writer of Hebrews draws this contrast
twixt Moses and the Lord Jesus
.
Hebrews 3:1And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God[1] and are bound for heaven,
think about this Jesus whom we declare to be God's Messenger
and High Priest. 2For he was faithful to God, who appointed him,
just as Moses served faithfully and was entrusted with God's entire house.
3But Jesus deserves
far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a fine house deserves
more praise than the house itself. 4For every house has a builder,
but God is the one who made everything.
5Moses was certainly faithful in God's house, but only as a servant.
His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal
later. 6But Christ, the faithful Son, was in charge of the entire
household. And we are God's household, if we keep up our courage and remain
confident in our hope in Christ. 7That is why the Holy Spirit says,
"Today you must listen to his voice.
.
Conclusion
The study of
typology will open up the Old Testament in a new and exciting manner and cause
the student of such to be filled with wonder and with awe.
..
The Sad,Sad,
Story of Moses Sister !
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TEXT Deuteronomy 24:9
Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam along the way after you came out
of Egypt.
INTRODUCTION Our
study commences with the Israelites suffering hardship and cruelty during their
days of Egyptian bondage. Pharaoh
issues a decree that all new-born males are to be put to death. But the parents
, Amran & Jochebed, hide their baby in an ark among the reeds of the river
Nile.
.
(1) THE CARING
SISTER ( Exodus 2:1-10)
Miriam , their eldest child ,
watches over her baby brother. She sees
an Egyptian Princess find the child and suggests that a Hebrew woman be found
to nurse it for thee. ( Exodus 2:7) As a result Jochebed is given the
task of rearing her own child
and getting paid for it ! ( Ex. 2: 9)
The Princess names the child , Moses
(Ex. 2:10) and he is reared in all the ways of Egypt.(Acts 7:22-3).
.
(2) THE JUBILANT SINGER
(Exodus 15:21-22)
Exodus 15
21 Miriam sang to them:
"Sing to the LORD ,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has hurled into the sea."
It is 80 years later . The
deliverance from Egypt has taken place. Pharaohs army is drowned beneath the
waters of the Red Sea. The Israelites praise God ! And Miriam, the
prophetess, ( Exodus 15:20) leads the ladies in happy rejoicing .
.
(3) THE FOOLISH SINNER
( Numbers 12:1-16)
1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because
of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 "Has the
LORD spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also spoken
through us?" And the LORD heard this. ( Numbers 12:1-2)
It seems that Miriam
who takes
the lead in this rebellion
is
provoked by the marriage of her brother
to criticize his leadership qualities.
As a result the LORD smites Miriam with a skin disease
9 The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left
them. 10 When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood
Miriam - leprous, like snow. Aaron
turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy; 11 and he said to
Moses, "Please, my lord, do not hold against us the sin we have so
foolishly committed
..13 So Moses cried out to the LORD , "O
God, please heal her!"
The intercession of Moses results in the
restoration of his sister. After seven days she re-enters the camp of Israel. (
Numbers 12:15) But the final mention of Miriam is simply that she died and
was buried in Kadesh. ( Numbers 20:1) There is no eulogy , no mention of
national mourning. Alexander Whyte, famous Scottish preacher, suggests that she died of a broken heart.
It is a solemn reminder that we
are to take heed how we stand , lest we fall. ( 1 Corinth . 10:11-12)
Even in ones old age ( as Miriam was ) there is no immunity from the attacks
of the Evil One.
Her self-seeking and jealousy
resulted in her being removed from the place of ministry which God had given her. ( 1 Corinth. 9:27)
.
(4) THE
WONDERFUL SAVIOUR
Moses foretold that the Messiah would be a prophet like unto me (
Deuter . 18:15) and Peter makes it clear that this was fulfilled by the Lord
Jesus. ( Acts 3:20-22). Both were threatened by death at the time of their
birth; both were watched over by a
Miriam ( for Miriam is the Hebrew form of Mary.); both have their childhood
and early manhood obscured in the Scriptures ; both delivered Gods people
from bondage which resulted in their followers singing praises to God; both
married a Gentile bride (!)
which provoked the hostility of their own people
!; but both plead for the rebellious
to return to be healed and reconciled.
..
Deuteronomy 24:9 Remember what
the LORD your God did to Miriam along the way after you came out of Egypt