WE all know that Moses was a type of the Lord Jesus. He himself is inspired to say, “A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me;” and he was seen on the Mount of Transfiguration, when Peter spoke unadvisedly, not knowing what he said, but really putting Moses and Elias on an equality with the Lord. The Father would not have that, so the giver of the law and the restorer of the law had to disappear, and only Jesus was seen, while the Voice came from heaven, “This is My Beloved Son, hear ye Him.”
All the time the Lord was here of course He was the anointed Prophet, the Servant―Son; and now in glory He is the anointed Priest (“if He were on earth He should not be a priest”); by and by He will be the anointed King.
We do not stand in that relationship. He is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords; but He is not the King of the church. He is our Lord, the Head of the body. He is the (not our) Prophet, Priest, and King. There is a wonderful precision in the word of God, and this ought to arrest our attention, that we may hold fast the form of sound words. If we do not take note of the way the Spirit speaks of the Lord we shall be ignorant of the form of sound words.
It is quite clear in the address of Stephen to the Sanhedrim he was led of the Spirit to use two of the most prominent types of the Lord Jesus Christ, Joseph and Moses; and in each case they had a Gentile bride. Joseph was sent of the father, concerned about the welfare of his brethren; rejected; sold to Midian taken down to Egypt, practically dead to them, they lost sight of him. When he was again made known to them, he had a Gentile bride. So with Moses. He saw one of his brethren ill-treated by an Egyptian; he stood up for his brother and slew the Egyptian, and buried him. The next day he would be a peacemaker between two of his brethren, but they said, “Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?” So he fled to Midian, rejected by them; though he “thought that his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.” He was forty years too soon; but as a type, while lost sight of by his brethren, he married Zipporah. When he came back to be their deliverer, and God used him to that end, he had a Gentile bride.
In each case it was the mind of God being set forth typically, ―God’s grace going forth to the Gentiles. The Jews always resented that, and the words of Paul, in the first Epistle he wrote, are, “Ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, as they have of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always; for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost” (1 Thess. 2:14-1614For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: 15Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: 16Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. (1 Thessalonians 2:14‑16)). Several things correspond with that; ―for instance, when Paul was permitted to speak from the stairs to his brethren in Acts 22, they listened attentively because he spoke in Hebrew, till he said, “Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” Then see how exasperated they were, they were mad with rage. That is what we get here in type.
And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had taken; for he had taken a Cushite as wife (12:1).
I take it to be, (though all sorts of things have been said about this Ethiopian woman), that it was Zipporah. He had been married to her about forty years, and she was a Midianite. The country of Arabia is called Cush, the word used in the margin of our Bibles; and some translations give “Arabic” instead of Ethiopian. At any rate she was a Gentile, and not one of their nation.
Before the seventy elders were appointed, Aaron and Miriam, being brother and sister of Moses, would have had a place of prominence. It would almost appear as if they had not been consulted about the choice of the seventy elders, so they seized on this.
And they said, Has Jehovah indeed spoken only to Moses? has He not spoken also to us? And Jehovah heard it (12:2).
Moses does not say a word. But perhaps we ought to finish considering it as a type first. As a result, we read in 1 Thessalonians 2, “the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” So we get Miriam, who seems the leader in this rebellion, struck with leprosy. Then we see she could not come into the presence of Jehovah, and had to be kept outside seven days. So the whole camp was affected (vs. 15). It was a complete cycle of time, and represents the present interval now going on. Then she is brought in, through the intercession of Moses, purely on the ground of mercy. So Israel. It is purely on the ground of mercy they will finally be brought in, and through the intercession of the Mediator.
It is very solemn to speak against a servant of the Lord. I have wondered myself, for I have known many excellent brethren in other aspects who seem quite blind as to the teaching of this chapter, and how solemn it is to speak against God’s servants. If we turn to the New Testament, such have to do with God, and the Lord Jesus. He says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged.” If these brethren take a pleasure in disparaging the servants of the Lord, they get disparaged. We ought to be very careful.
“The Lord heard it.” We would rather be among the company in Malachi 3, who, “feared the Lord and thought upon His name.” They “spake often one to another,” but they did not disparage others. Though things looked exceedingly gloomy, and as if the testimony of God was an almost expiring spark, they knew the name of the Lord was sufficient. That was delightful to God’s heart, and He said they should be numbered among His jewels. They are quite a contrast to this. Let us too speak often one to another, and let our subject be Christ.
If we were in a right condition of soul anything wrong among brethren would be a source of sorrow; and if it dishonored the Lord’s name it would be callous and unholy if we allowed it to pass unnoticed. Look at Paul when writing to the Philippians. There were those who professed the name of Christ who were thoroughly worldly, and instead of glorying in the cross were enemies of the cross; so he says of them, “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, who mind earthly things.” Paul was on one cross and the world on another: there was a moral distance between them. But it was a real sorrow to him. “I tell you even weeping.” They were professors, yet enemies; “whose end is destruction,”―lost eventually. Exceedingly solemn, and it made Paul broken hearted to have to speak of it.
But the man Moses was very meek, above all men that were upon the face of the earth (12:3).
There need be no discussion about this verse, and what some speak of as the impropriety of anyone so speaking of himself. But I do not regard this as Moses speaking of himself. He was inspired: he had no choice. I believe the very words were given by the Holy Ghost. That is sufficient proof; ― “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
But there is a very important scripture in 1 Corinthians 2. First, a quotation from Isaiah (vs. 9): “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” The things that are seen are God’s shallow things, and temporal; and man cannot get a line long enough to fathom even them. But the “things of God knoweth no man,” no matter how scholarly. All acquirements are a hindrance to a Christian man, if he has not got them under his feet. “But the Spirit searcheth all things;” and it is only because the Holy Spirit knows all things, and we have the Holy Spirit, that it can be said of us, “Ye know all things.”
“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (vs. 13). Not only the truths but the very words Paul received from the Spirit. So verse 3 is inspired, and it is a wonderful mercy to have God-given faith in the plenary inspiration of the word of God.
Then Jehovah spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting. And they went out, they three (12:4).
We have this lesson, needed by every one of us, that we can always afford to be yielding, and need not stand up for our rights. If we stand up for our rights, God will stand aside; and if we contend, we may be defeated. The Lord Jesus now is our great Example: “Who when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.” If we always follow that Example we shall always have God on our side.
Take Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus, and Martha bustling about, cumbered with much serving; thinking her sister, perhaps, selfish, and not so thoughtful as she ought to be. But Mary does not say a word. “Not he who commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” So Martha commended herself, practically, and disparaged her sister. The Lord commends Mary. Again when Mary anoints the Lord they complain of the “waste.” “It could have been sold for 300 pence.” What she used was quite expensive. Mary does not say a word. “Let her alone. She hath wrought a good work on Me.”
It is just similar to what we have here. It has been said by one of the best-taught saints: “Mary was the only one that understood the Lord.” She was not at the grave. Mary Magdalene was, but not Mary of Bethany.
So here, Moses does not say a word. None of us are naturally meek. Every one of us has a proud heart inherited from our first parents. Man, in his very essence, “the carnal mind is emnity against God,” and has a desire to do his own will, and be somebody. This is sin, really. “Sin is lawlessness;” that is, man doing his own will. So if we are meek we must give the Lord Jesus the credit for teaching us, as He says in Matthew 11:2929Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29). It is imparted to us, by bearing His yoke and learning of Him.
And Jehovah came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth (12:5).
So Jehovah takes up the cause of Moses entirely. That was a tremendous rebuke to Aaron, for he had access to the tabernacle at any time. Not to the holiest of all, except once a year; but even that restriction was not made till the failure of the priesthood in Nadab and Abihu.
And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak to him in a dream (12:6).
Not so my servant Moses: he is faithful in all my house (12:7).
So God’s testimony here about Moses is taken up there. It refers specially to God impressing upon him to make everything according to the pattern shown him. That is acknowledged by God right through Exodus 40. I do not know how often the words, “as the Lord commanded Moses” occur. That is where his faithfulness comes in.
Mouth to mouth do I speak to him openly, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah doth he behold. Why then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses (12:8).
The principle here is that conveyed to Eli: “Them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” It is a blessed thing to have grace to honor the Lord. So here Moses gets a present reward for his faithfulness. God made Himself known in a distinct way to him; but we must not think there is any contradiction with other passages. In Hebrews, even about Moses, it is said, “He endured as seeing Him that is invisible.” God is invisible; “Who dwelleth in the light unapproachable, whom no man hath seen or can see;” but One has been here who is the Image of the invisible God; and we know Him as our Saviour and our Lord. And we see Him. Not with natural sight, but by the eye of faith. “We see Jesus... crowned with glory and honor.” We have no doubt He has that place. But that does not contradict 1 Peter 1:7,7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1 Peter 1:7) “Whom not having seen, ye love.” There it is natural sight.
And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them, and he went away; and the cloud departed from off the tent. And behold, Miriam was leprous as snow; and Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. Then Aaron said to Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not this sin upon us, wherein we have been foolish, and have sinned! Let her not be as one stillborn, half of whose flesh is consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb. And Moses cried to Jehovah, saying, O God, heal her, I beseech thee! And Jehovah said to Moses, But had her father anyways spat in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? She shall be shut outside the camp seven days, and afterward she shall be received in [again]. And Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days and the people did not journey till Miriam was received in [again] (12:9-15).
Evidently Aaron had been led by his elder sister, so he says: “Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not this sin upon us.” Then I think we get the difference between the grace and the government of God. We frequently have them contrasted in the word. Miriam’s sin was forgiven, and she was healed, but she was shut out.
The most striking case is that of David. When Nathan came to him with the story about the one pet lamb, it angered David very much: he thought it downright mean; and the prophet says: “Thou art the man.” It all came out in David’s conscience; repentance was wrought, and true confession: “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned.”
There is no such thing as a little sin, because there is no little God to sin against; but there is great sin, and “greater sin” (John 19:1111Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (John 19:11)). Therefore any sin can only be met by atonement. God has received the atonement; we receive the reconciliation. There is no such thing as a reconciled God and Father. It is an enemy that needs reconciling; and God was never the enemy of man. It is the sinner that needs reconciling.
The prophet says to David: “God also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” But “the sword shall never depart from thy house:” that is government. So here, it is grace that healed and forgave; and then government shut her out for seven days.