BE CAREFUL WHO YOU CRITICIZE
Moses often had to endure the grumbling of the people, but it must have been even more painful when they spoke against his new wife. Even his own sister and brother, Miriam and Aaron, spoke behind his back concerning the “Cushite” woman (She was probably from Ethiopia or Sudan). And the Lord heard them.
Miriam seems to have been the leader in the backbiting. Aaron just followed along as usual, as he had with the golden calf incident. Miriam was, after all, the older sister. The one who had watched over baby Moses as he floated down the Nile and saw him taken up by the princess of Egypt. She was a prophetess in Israel. Perhaps she had risen to a position of influence with Moses after the apparent death of his first wife. And now, with this Ethiopian woman in his life, she felt a loss of influence with Moses.
Or perhaps she was upset that he had chosen a Cushite to marry. If Miriam and Aaron were against Moses marrying her because of her nationality or skin color, then God’s response to their racism was soon made clear. They were against Moses because of his wife, “so the LORD’s anger burned against them” (Num. 12:9).
A couple of takeaways: 1) Don’t speak against someone’s marriage because of skin color. God is listening. 2) Don’t speak against God’s man. It makes God angry.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we confess our tendency to criticize others, yet You are the only true Judge. Forgive us. Especially where the sin of racism is involved. Help us to see others as You do, through the eyes of love. In Jesus’ name, amen.