Numbers 12; A Prophet Like Me ~ 20260301 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
2026 03/01 Numbers 12; A Prophet Like Me; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20260301_numbers-12.mp3
By Numbers 10, the Lord’s army is numbered, purified, organized, and sets out on march to occupy the promised land. But already in Numbers 11, the people begin to grumble. They complain about their hardships. They complain about the Lord’s provision of food; even Moses is overwhelmed and complains that the leadership the Lord has entrusted to him is too much for him to bear. The Lord sent his Spirit out on seventy of the elders of Israel to share the burden of spiritual leadership alongside Moses. The Lord gave them meat until it came out at their nostrils, and sent a plague among them. The Lord sent a burning into the outlying parts of the camp.
Personal Attack; The Cushite Woman
In chapter 12 we see another complaint arise:
Numbers 12:1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
This is personal. This is painful. When someone who is supposed to have your back sticks a knife in it, that cuts deep. The people who are closest to us have the ability to injure us most deeply. Miriam is Moses’ older sister (Nu.26:59), who cared for him as a baby (Ex.2:3-7). She objects to Moses’ wife, it seems because of her ethnicity. Could it be that she is seizing this opportunity after chapter 11, where it was the rabble, the mixed multitude that came with the Israelites out of Egypt, who initiated the complaint about the lack of meat and vegetables in the Lord’s provision of food? Cush is traditionally identified with Ethiopia, although there is some evidence that the Midianites may have been known as Cushites as well.
We know nothing about Moses’ marriage to a Cushite woman. All we know is that Moses married Zipporah, one of the daughters of Reuel or Jethro, the priest of Midian, after he fled Egypt, and he had two sons by her. At some point, likely during the confrontations with Pharaoh, he had sent her back to her father, who then brought her and her sons back to Moses at Mount Sinai. It could be that Moses took a second wife at some point, either after Zipporah died, or while she was still alive, or it could be that this is a derogatory reference to Zipporah herself. The text simply doesn’t answer all our questions. What is clear, is that this was not the main objection, because this is not brought up again or addressed by the Lord in the narrative. It seems this was a smokescreen, an ad hominem argument, a personal attack, attempting to undermine or discredit Moses’ character.
Perspectives on Power; The Lord Speaks Through Us Too!
The real issue was the unique office and authority of Moses.
Numbers 12:2 And they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it.
In the last chapter, Moses had complained to the Lord ‘that you lay the burden of all this people on me ...I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me’ (11:11,14). The difference in perspectives is instructive; the ones who don’t have the primary position of authority are jealous and jockey for more power, and the one who has been entrusted with that position of authority feels overwhelmed and inadequate and is glad to share it with others.
This may also have been a reaction to what happened just before; the Lord poured out his Spirit on 70 of the elders of Israel, and they prophesied. This may have felt like a threat to their positions, as Miriam was called a prophetess in Exodus 15:20, and leads the women of Israel in a song of worship. Aaron was the high priest of Israel, responsible to oversee the entire tabernacle and everything related to it. The later prophet Micah refers to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam as the ones who led Israel out of Egypt (Mic.6:4).
Why did Moses feel overwhelmed if he had Aaron and Miriam by his side? Did their jealousy prevent them from doing what they could to help Moses bear the burden of the people, because they didn’t have the primary role? Did they feel threatened in their own positions when God poured out his Spirit on the 70 elders and enabled those men to prophesy? Or were they leveraging this opportunity to give credibility to their allegation that Moses is not unique and should not be given exclusive authority?
Moses’ Humility
We are not told who they spoke to; only that they spoke against Moses, spreading rumors to anyone who would listen. We are not told if they ever spoke to Moses or if he had even caught wind of what they were doing. If Moses did hear of it, he did nothing to defend himself,
Numbers 12:3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.
Moses was very meek. This word can mean ‘humble, lowly, meek, poor; depressed in mind or circumstances; even afflicted or miserable’ We see this word in the Psalms and Proverbs and the prophets of those who look to the Lord alone because they cannot defend themselves. Those who are weak and destitute must depend on another.
The Lord Spoke
Moses did not defend himself. But YHWH heard. And he came quickly to Moses’ defense.
Numbers 12:4 And suddenly the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. 5 And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.
Miriam and Aaron said: ‘Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?’ Now the Lord called them out, spoke to them directly, gave them a talking to.
Numbers 12:6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”
Prophets Prophesied Beyond Themselves
YHWH defends the uniqueness of Moses. He is not like any other prophet. The Lord speaks to Moses directly, mouth to mouth, clearly, he beholds the form of YHWH. Prophets are given visions, dreams, sometimes riddles; it is not direct, and it is not always clear. This helps us understand the prophets. Sometimes they see things, they describe what they see, but they may not even fully understand what it all means. Peter says, talking about the salvation in Jesus we now enjoy:
1 Peter 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
Prophets prophesied beyond what they understood. They had to study. They asked for understanding. Sometimes they were told ‘this is not for you or your time’ (Dan.9:2; 12:8-9).
Miriam’s Leprosy; Aaron’s Confession
Not so my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. Why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
Numbers 12:9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed. 10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother's womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the LORD, “O God, please heal her—please.” 14 But the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
The Lord withdrew his presence. Sin has consequences. Sin causes separation. But why single out Miriam? Wasn’t Aaron equally guilty? In the first verse, Miriam is named before Aaron, and the verb in that sentence is feminine, so we could translate it awkwardly ‘Miriam and Aaron, she spoke against Moses’. It seems that Miriam initiated the complaint and persuaded her brother (who it seems was easily persuaded; remember the golden calf incident?) to go along with her. But Aaron owns his own sin in it all; he is quick to confess. ‘We have done foolishly and have sinned’. Remember, God is always just, and the punishment fits the crime. When we feel like a punishment God gives is too severe, we would do well to look back at what we have done in light of how God sees it. If her Cushite comment was an ethnic slur, her own skin became white and flaky like snow, flesh half eaten away. She was seeking glory, claiming equal access to God, and the Lord withdrew, and she would be put outside the camp, far away from the place where God revealed his presence. Later (2Chr.26) a good king of Judah presumed to offer incense in the temple and the LORD struck him with leprosy for his pride.
Both Miriam and Aaron are humbled. Aaron now addresses the one they sought to undermine as ‘my lord’, and he pleads with him to intercede for Miriam. Aaron is the high priest of Israel, and as priest he is authorized to examine and diagnose leprosy, to isolate the one with a skin disease, and to pronounce them clean if it goes away, but he is powerless to heal (Lev.13:4, 45-46).
Moses doesn’t hold a grudge; he isn’t glad she is getting what she deserves. He immediately cries out to the Lord for healing. And we assume she was immediately healed, but still required to follow the seven day cleansing period for one who came in contact with the dead (Num.19) as her own flesh was ‘as one dead’. We are not told if she was required to go through the elaborate cleansing procedure for one healed of leprosy as outlined in Leviticus 14.
Miriam was still a respected leader, and the camp didn’t move until she was restored to them.
My Faithful Servant/ The Faithful Son
Hebrews 3 quotes Numbers 12:7 twice; “Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house.” Hebrews is comparing and contrasting Moses and Jesus.
Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
Moses was a faithful servant entrusted with overseeing all God’s house; but Jesus has greater glory; he is the Son over God’s house.
Moses is unique among the prophets, as one to whom the Lord spoke mouth to mouth, who beheld the form of the Lord. But even that had limits; when Moses asked to see God’s glory, he was allowed to see his form, his back, ‘But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live”’ (Ex.33:20).
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Jesus is:
Hebrews 1:3 ...the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power….
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
YHWH spoke clearly to Moses, but Jesus is the very Word of God made flesh;
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, ...
Moses was not only a prophet, but the sole mediator of the old covenant, who stood between God and man. Moses predicted in Deuteronomy 18 that ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me.’ Jesus is ‘the mediator of a new covenant (Heb.12:24).
Hebrews 8:6 ...Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Moses was very humble, lowly; ‘more than all people who were on the face of the earth’; Jesus said:
Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Moses did not speak in his own defense. Jesus:
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
1 Peter 2:23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
We see Moses regularly interceding for sinners; here he prays for his sister Miriam. Jesus
Isaiah 53:12 ... bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus
Hebrews 7:25 ...is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Moses consistently points us beyond himself to the one who was to come, to Jesus.
If speaking against Moses brought serious consequences, how much greater if we speak against the Son of God.
Cults and false teachers speak against Jesus; they dishonor him, bring him down. Some say he is a created being, a mere angel. Some say he is just like us, merely human, an exalted man, our brother. They may use his name and say they honor him, but they redefine him in such a way that they speak against him.
***
2026.03.01 Sermon Notes - Numbers 12; A Prophet Like Me
A personal attack; Miriam and Aaron are family
Exodus 2:3-7; Numbers 26:59; Micah 6:4
Perspectives on power; we are prophets too!
Numbers 11:11,14; 12:2; Exodus 15:20; Micah 6:4
Meek: humble, lowly, poor, afflicted; those who look to the Lord alone because they cannot defend themselves
Psalm 9:12, 18; Proverbs 16:19; Isaiah 11:4
Prophets are given visions, dreams, riddles, less clarity
Numbers 12:6-8; 1 Peter 1:10-12; Daniel 9:2; 12:8-9
Sin separates; the punishment fits the crime
2 Chronicles 26:18-21; Leviticus 13:4, 45-46; Numbers 19:11
Moses was faithful in all God house as a servant;
Jesus is faithful over God’s house as a Son
Hebrews 3:1-6
Moses saw God’s form but not his face;
Jesus is the image of the invisible God
Exodus 33:18-23; John 1:18; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15
God spoke to Moses clearly;
Jesus is the Word of God made flesh
John 1:1, 14
God will raise up a prophet like Moses; a mediator
Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant
Deuteronomy 18:14-16; Hebrews 8:6; 12:24
Moses was very humble;
Jesus is gentle and lowly in heart
Matthew 11:28-30
Moses did not speak in his own defense;
Jesus was silent before his accusers
Isaiah 53:7; 1 Peter 2:23
Moses interceded for sinners;
Jesus always lives to make intercession for us
Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 7:25
***
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org