Seven Things to Remember as seen in Deuteronomy – Part 7 of 7

The seventh and final thing God commanded the Israelites to remember is from Deuteronomy 24:9 which says, “Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt.” The story of Miriam’s sin is found in Numbers, chapter 12.

Numbers 12:1-2
Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it.

What we see happening in this story can and does happen to us as well. God has ordained certain people to serve Him in positions of leadership. And when they are truly ordained by God, then they speak and lead from His Word and God’s Word is the authority, for it is just that, God’s Word.

Just like Miriam, who harbored jealousy over Moses’ wife, became critical about his marriage, and rebelled against his leadership, we sometimes allow our own envy to lead us into rebellion. The church much too often, looks much like the world, especially inside ministry, where dissension and back-biting occur frequently. Why? Because we are a fallen people who still battle the ways of the flesh. And what are those ways?

Galatians 5:19-21
 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.

As we see in this list, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy are all acts of the flesh, sins that we still allow to exist in our hearts. These things slow down God’s work.

So, if we, like Israel, receive this commandment we will remember what happened to Miriam. Notice that God took notice of what was happening. Numbers 12:2 says that “And the Lord heard it.” God knows what is going on inside our hearts, our minds, and our lives. God would call Miriam, Aaron, and Moses out to the tent of meeting and deal with this sin. Listen to the results of this meeting.

Numbers 12:5-10
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.
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. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 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?” And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed. When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.

Leprosy in scripture is often the disease that parallels what sin does to man. The leper was shunned and kept separate from everyone else just as our sin will separate us from God. Spiritually speaking until the Blood of Christ has cleansed us and made us pure, we are like lepers to God, unable to approach Him, for He is too holy to be in the presence of sin.

The good news of the story of Miriam’s rebellion is that Moses, the very man whom she offended and rebelled against, cries out to God in her behalf.

Numbers 12:13
And Moses cried to the LORD, “O God, please heal her—please.”

God responds to this prayer of intercession by healing Miriam but only after she spends seven days outside the camp.

In this story, we find several truths we can and should remember as Christians. First of all, when God speaks and commands us through His authority and His Word, we should obey. If not, then we may find ourselves under the hand of God’s discipline.

But the second great news we must remember, is that when we repent and confess our sin, we can be restored. Restoration to God may include consequences of sin and in Miriam’s banishment we see that principle.

But the most important lesson of all we must commit to remembering is that in Moses, we see the story of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He is our leader now and when he speaks we must obey. But when we fail and fall back into the old fleshly ways, we have an advocate who intercedes for us, even though He is the very one we offend.

Hebrews 7:25
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

The life of a Christian sometimes involves failure. Therefore, we must read the stories of the Bible and remember them. We remember them because in the truth of the scriptures is the truth of our only hope, Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:11-13
 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

We can live a victorious Christian life. But we must learn from the past and the mistakes of those who went before us. We must learn from the past mistakes we have made. But we must also let Christ be our savior. He died for our sins and He took the penalty for us. Yes, there are consequences of our sin. But if our faith is in the finished work of Christ, we are restored to fellowship with our God.

This is why we remember.