Brothers And Sisters

Last week we met Moses’ wife Zipporah, the outsider.  This week she will be mentioned again.  Now we turn our sights to Moses’ sister, Miriam.  She and Moses’ brother Aaron are becoming jealous of Moses.  In fact, they accuse Moses of marrying an outsider. (But, we already knew that.)

“While they were in Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on the pretext of the marriage he contracted with a Cushite woman.”  Exodus 12:1  The footnote is my Bible says the term Cushite might have been used to mean a “despised foreigner.”  See last week.

We learned last week that although Zipporah was not Hebrew, she was the one responsible for bringing her son into God’s covenant family.  Now Miriam is using Zipporah’s outsider status against her.

Let’s look at Miriam’s issue.  Sibling rivalry.  I can honestly say this is the one issue we will discuss that I don’t have.  Lest you think I am being holier than thou, I am an only child.  It is genetically impossible for me to have this issue.  Thankfully I can get a pass on this one.

Rivalry is described in the dictionary as “one of two or more striving to reach or obtain something that only one can possess.  Equal, match, competitor.”

Often times with sibling rivalry the children are competing for their parents love, time or attention.  The same holds true for Miriam.  She is jealous of Moses’ favored position with God.

“They complained, ‘Is it through Moses alone that the Lord speaks?  Does he not speak through us also?’”  Exodus 12:2

Miriam’s response angers God.  Look at how God describes Moses in Exodus 12:3 and 8b.  “Now, Moses himself was by far the meekest man on the face of the earth.  …face to face I speak to him, plainly and not in riddles.  The presence of the Lord he beholds.  Why, then, did you not fear to speak against my servant Moses?”

Miriam gets leprosy as a result of her jealousy.  Moses begs the Lord to heal Miriam in Exodus 12:13.  “Then Moses cried to the Lord, ‘Please, not this!  Pray, heal her.’”    This is probably evidence as to why God chose Moses over Aaron and Miriam.

Sibling rivalry boils down to jealousy.  We can learn two important things from Miriam about sibling rivalry.  The first is when children are jealous of each other and compete, it hurts the parents they are competing over.  Miriam wanted God’s attention, yet she hurt God by picking on Moses.

The second thing Miriam shows is that jealousy eats away at us.  This is symbolized in her leprosy.  When we allow jealousy in, it consumes us.  Miriam was sent away from the camp because she was unclean.  Our jealouys leads us away from others unless we deal with it.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Am I jealous of my brothers and sisters?

Do I compete with them?

Do I try to outdo them?

Has my sibling rivalry hurt my parents?

What can I do today to show my siblings that I love them?