They say, “When it rains, it pours”? If so, Moses should have been pulling out his hip waders!
Numbers 10 ends with high hopes. The Lord led His people day by day, then joined them each evening in the camp. What could go wrong? Just about everything! Chapter 11 begins when “the people complained” (v 1), causing a fire that consumed many (vv 1-3). Then the mixed multitude began grousing about the manna, if you’ll forgive the pun (vv 4-10). Before that could be resolved, Moses complained about the heavy workload he had (vv 11-17), even suggesting it might be best if God killed him! The Lord commissioned 70 to help, but then Joshua panicked because others—who were Spirit-led but not officially recognized—were speaking God’s word (vv 24-29). Then came the quail delivery and God’s judgment for that—another big graveyard (vv 31-34). What next? “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married” (12:1). But that wasn’t the real reason. It was jealousy! “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” (v 2). It seems to be Miriam’s complaint, with easily-led Aaron going along. At this point, the Holy Spirit reminds us, “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all…on the face of the earth” (v 3). The Lord responded quickly, calling Miriam and Aaron to task, saying, Yes, I may speak to prophets through dreams or visions, but to Moses I speak directly! Weren’t you afraid to speak against My servant? Suddenly God withdrew and Miriam became leprous! So meek Moses pled with God for his sister. Seven days later, she was healed, and the camp moved on. You see the pattern? Obedience means progress; unbelief stops us in our tracks. So let’s move out with faith in God today!