A carefully made, covered cradle of rushes, with a helpless baby in it, rocking among the reeds of the ancient Egyptian Nile, is the object of God's deep interest and solicitude, of a mother's steadfast faith, and of a sister's watchfulness. God's purposes with regard to the future of His chosen people, their release from bondage and their safe conduct to the land of promise are centered in that little three-month-old baby.
He was to be Israel's deliverer and leader, and his mother Jochebed seems wonderfully taught of God when she accepts for her child what so vividly spoke of death, putting full confidence in the God of resurrection and power. In the dignity of faith she commits her little son to the waters of death and calmly waits for God to work. There is no nervous hurry, worry or excitement. Her trust is in Jehovah, and nothing seems to shake it.
Miriam, Moses' elder sister, was standing "afar off" to see what would happen to her little brother. Although perhaps she possessed not the far-seeing faith of Jochebed that pierced the gloomy clouds of oppression and cruelty weighing so heavily upon God's people at this time, she was not too far off for God to use her in the furtherance of His purposes, and she is ready when the moment comes for her to act.
It is a very great honor to be used of God in the carrying out of the smallest part of His all-wise plans, and for this we need to have His mind about things and to take stock of everything from the divine standpoint. By nature we have a warped, exaggerated vision. How much we need to be taught of God-even how to stand and wait.
Miriam stands and waits to some purpose. She watches the finding of her baby brother by the Egyptian princess, and then, with a God-given thought, she hastens to the royal lady's side. May she find a nurse for the child among the Hebrew women? This is God's ordering, and the hearts of all are in His hand, so a ready assent is given. Miriam's heart directs her feet and she hastens to fetch her mother, which results in the fact that her dearly-loved babe is given back to her tender nurture and training, and with him the wages- that which will provide for every temporal need.
That is how God rewards faith-faith being His own gift. Oh! to have to do with such a God of love, for He is the same today-"Changeless through all the changing years."
Miriam, having fulfilled her part, disappears from view, and many years elapse before we meet with her again. Doubtless all this time she was being taught by God for the part she had yet to fill, which was by no means an unimportant one. She had evidently linked herself with the people of God in a marked way and was looked up to by them, for she is introduced to us in Exodus 15:2020And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. (Exodus 15:20) as "the prophetess, the sister of Aaron."
From this we gather that she was used of the Lord to reveal His mind to, and instruct in His ways, at least the women of Israel, over whom she seemed to have influence.
When Moses and the children of Israel, exulting in their wonderful deliverance from Egypt and from their enemies the Egyptians, sing that beautiful song of triumph to the Lord, it is Miriam who, stirred by the glorious words, leads forth the women to join the wondrous song and swell the chorus, "Sing ye to the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously."
Thus, at the outset of the wilderness journey, in company with the Lord's redeemed people, with their enemies dead behind them, the deep waters of the Red Sea between them and the land of their bondage, with the Lord's presence with them in the visible pillar of the cloud to be their guide and protection, she can lead the Lord's praises in notes of triumphant song.
If we know what it is in our souls to be in Miriam's position of victory, we too shall have to sing His praises, not with voice only, but from the depths of our adoring hearts.
The beautiful song itself we cannot here consider in detail, but the close of it is grand-the inheritance, the sanctuary and the Lord's everlasting reign. Oh, that this might have been the closing act of Miriam's life!
But there is another picture, and a very sad one, portrayed for us in Numbers 12. Miriam and her brother Aaron speak against Moses for an act which they consider to be unseemly, throwing doubt on his God-given leadership, thus manifesting jealousy and insubordination in a very sad way.
What a sad example to the congregation, and how their conduct added to the burden of their brother's already strenuous life!
This was most displeasing to God, who would not allow this evil spirit to continue for a moment. It is very beautiful to see how the Lord comes in and vindicated Moses as His servant above reproach.
As a mark of His deep displeasure the Lord afflicted Miriam, the instigator of the evil speaking, with leprosy, thus showing her and all the congregation how sinful her action was in His sight. It was only upon Aaron's confessing and judging the sin, and Moses' earnest prayer on her behalf, that the Lord healed her.
The solemn impress of the Lord's hand of chastisement was felt by the whole congregation, for they "journeyed not" until Miriam was again restored to the camp in health. How deep and far-reaching is the effect of sin!
How careful we should be to have everything open to the sight of "Him with whom we have to do." "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23, 2423Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23‑24).