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September '21, 1913.
A PA.M1LY PAPER,
own work. Moreover a simple, siincere
statement of one's lowdiness of spirit may be
iu accord with their meakness. It was from
Cbrist's own lips that we have the words: "1
am meek and lowly in heart."
2nd. By Jehovahi. Miriam and Aaron together
with Moses were summoned to the
tabernacle and there the Lord met them, and,
callino' the others, apart from Moses, said to
them that while he had spoken to them in
dreams or visions yet \\'it!hi Moses be 'had
spoken in plain terms mouth to mouth. And
besides this, he saiid that Moses had been a
tnistworthy servant i-n the performance of all
his duties and that he was above reproach.
And therefore that it must have been that they
were blinded with presumption when they
.had come before bim with railing accusations.
"'Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak
against my servant Moses?"
III. THE PUNISHMENT OF MIRIAM
FOR HER ENVY AND JEALOUSY TO-
W.\RDS MOSES, (v. 9-16.)
Aaron seems to have escaped punishment
for his part in envying Moses. Possibly he
vvas spared the punishrnent on account of
the duties which devolved upon bim' as priest
in the congregation. But it is more likely that
lliriam received the puniish.ment because she
seems to have been the instigator of this trouble.
She led and Aaron followed. And he was
punished in seeing the suffering which befell
her and realizing his guilt in the matter. Yet
it was on Miriam that the punishment fell
with! the full impact of the blow.
i9t. God's anger was kindled against her.
"In this Aaron also suffered as it says: 'And
the 'anger of the 'Lord was kindled against
them.' The Lord's anger needs be enkindled
but a little to. endanger them- of perishing
from the way."
2nd. God's presence departed from the
congregation. "And the cloud departed from
off the tabernacle." Envyings and jealousy
among thie members of one family may stir
up enough of trouble in a congregation to
(irive away the presence of the God O'f Israel.
So those who are envious may have
fearful reckonings in the day of judgment.
3rd. A fearful malady befell her. "And
beliold Miriam, became leprous, white as
snow.'' Leprousy, whichi was a rotting of
tlie flesh, was in Israel a type of the deadening
and loathsome effects of sin upon the
®ul. And what was typified in Miriam's
punishment with leprousy is the realization
of every one w!ho is envious of another.
4thi. She was shut out of .the fellowship
°f the congregation for a time. "And Miri-
^w was shut out from the camp seven days."
" tWs punishment we may see that envy is
a very heinous sin, and when it breaks 'out
'" railing accusations against the servants of
^^ the chuiich is expected to exercise disci-
P'ine upon the offender.
5th. She became the cause of delaying
Me 'whole congregation of Israel in their
march. "And the peoiple journeyed not until
Miriaan was broug-'ht in again." Thte progress
of the whole kingdom of God may be
greatly retarded or; delayed through the
jealousy of one person.
GLEANINGS.
I. Every sinful lust should be rooted
out of the heart in youth,. If they are not
they will abide in the life and show themselves
sooner or later. Miriam was about
ninety years old when this outburst of envy
occurred.
2. It often occurs thait a man's foes are
those of 'his own household.—Matt. 10:36.
3. Criticisms on the Lord's servants which
come from envy or jealousy, return upon the
head of those who express them.
4. The Lord arises as the defender of the
meek.
5. That punisihment wihliich Miriam suffered
in t'he congregation of Israel for her
assault upon Moses, the servant of God,
shows thie( heinousness of this sin in the
s,ight of God.
6. "Every one that exalteth himself sh'all
be abased; and he that 'humbleth himself shall
be exalted."—Luke 18:14.
7. "The better you are, the more you will
be hated. The ripest fruit is most pecked by
the birds."—Spurgeon.
Eskridge, Kansas.
Lesson II. October 12, 1913.
LESSON FOR THE CHILDREN.
By Anna Pritchard George.
Jealousy and Envy Punished.
Number 12.
Elmer, why did Cain kill his brother? "He
was jealous of Abel." You see what jealousy
did for Cain—he became the flrstmurderer. If
Cain had really loved Abel, would he have killed
him? No, but Cain allowed jealousy to linger
in his heart, and it made him hate Abel. Today's
lesson is about jealousy again.
On our table pile up the sand for Mt. Sinai,
and hollow out the two arms of the Red Sea,
forming the Sinai Peninsula. The arm on the
left is the Gulf of Suez and the right arm is
the Gulf of Akabah. The Jews have traveled
twenty-five or thirty miles northeast ol Sinai to
Hazeroth, which is near the Gulf of Akabah.
Place all these sticks here. on the table northeast
of Sinai near the Gulf of Akabah, for the
children of Israel, with clothes-pins for Moses,
Aaron and Miriam. These tiny tents are where
they camp, and this long tent is for the Tabernacle.
Who are Miriam and Aaron, Bud? "Moses'
sister and brother." And they are older than
Moses too. Which one of the three has God
chosen to lead the Jews, May? ".Moses." Would
it be easy, Alvin, for you to let Ellsworth take
the lead—even should your father place him in
charge with you to help—when you drive cattle?
No it would not, because Ellsworth is younger
than you. But God shows us that we must be
willing to submit without envy, even in such
a case.
Well, long before this time God chose Moses
to lead the Children of Israel from Egypt to
Canaan, and gave him Aaron and Miriam, his
older brother and sister, to help him—Aaron as
high priest and Miriam to lead the women.
Moses' wife was not with him at the beginning
of the journey. She remained with her lather
among the mountains. But she joined Moses
probably at Sinai, and now naturally takes the
lead among the women. Miriam may not have
met her before this time.
Tommy, do you love your brother Francis?
"Of co'urse I do." Did it make you angry because
Francis received the prize. Instead of
you? "No, I never thought I'd get it. I wanted
Francis to." Helen, were you angry because
Doris (—and not you—) was made captain of
the basket ball team? "No, I like Doris, and
voted for her myself." When we really love
people we are always glad when something good
happens to them. Now Miriam and Aaron should
love Moses and Moses' wife. But do they? At
first they loved Moses. But when Moses and
the people begin to give the leadership of the
women to Moses' wife instead ol to Miriam,
Aaron and iMiriam become jealous, and they do
not drive this jealousy out of their hearts. So
it grows till they become jealous of their brother,
too. "Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by
Moses? hath he not spoken also by us?" Jealousy
casts out their love. Are they only sinning
against Moses, George? No, they are sinning
against God too, for God has chosen Moses
to be their leader.
Is Moses afraid of anything, James? "No.
•He wasn't even afraid of Pharaoh and
all his army." Do you think, then, that he
is alraid of Aaron and Miriam? "No." Would
you not think he would be angry when they
talk like this against him? But he says not one
word. He has learned to control his temper.
This is what God says of him because he does
not resent the jealousy of Miriam and Aaron:
"Moses was very meek, above all the men which
were upon the face of the earth". Yes, Moses
is the meekest man. It is hard to keep our
anger down, but God particularly loves those
who do. Now see how God takes Moses' part.
He hears the complaints of Miriam and Aaron,
and speaks suddenly to them and to Moses.
"Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the
congregation." They come to the Tabernacle.
The Lord comes down in the pillar of
the cloud and stands in the door. He calls to
Aaron and Miriam who stand forth. "If there
be a prophet among you, I the Lord will speak
unto him in a dream. My servant Moses Is not .
so, who is faithful in all mine house. With
him will I speak mouth to mouth, and the similitude
of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore
then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant
Moses?" God is very angry with them.
When the cloud lifts, "Behold, Miriam became
leprous, white as snow"—a disease almost incurable.
She and Aaron are afraid now and sorry
for their sin. They see how much in the wrong
they have been. They cast out their jealousy
and love ent^i-s their hearts again. Aaroa cries
to Moses, "Alas, my lord—lay not the sin upon
us—wherein we have sinned. Let her pot be
as one dead. ' Moses' heart is full of lov« for
this sister and brother. He forgives them and
calls to God: "Heal her now, O God, I beseech
thee." God again answers the .prayer of Moses
and heals Miriam. She must remain shut out
from the camp seven days. When she returns
she is cured. Miriam feels the love and forgiveness
of her brother and of God, and with
love in her own heart in the place of jealousy,
she is happy once more. No, jealousy and love
can never live together. Fill your hearts with
love for all and there will be no room for jealousy.
You will always be glad over another's
joy, and in their joy rejoice. That is -the way
to be happy.
Montclair, N. J.