Numbers 12:1-2 (NKJV) Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it.
In this passage, Moses was on a mission to deliver the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. All they needed to do was to follow Moses, their leader appointed by God, but Miriam and Aaron started to speak against Moses and challenged his leadership and calling. It might have been difficult for an eloquent speaker like Aaron to follow a leader who stuttered. Therefore, if we don’t constantly remind ourselves of our roles, we may also slowly despise the leader whom God has placed over us.
However, God is absolutely clear regarding whom He has called and empowered to lead. He did not see Moses’ shortcomings because God showed Himself strong before him. Miriam and Aaron’s divisive work disrupted the plan of God, and God confronted them. The lesson for us here is not to speak against anointed leadership, because God backs His servants 100%.
Numbers 14:36-38 (KJV) And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord. But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
God also expected His people to have faith in His Word, the leaders that He has appointed and the fulfilment of His promise to them. Of the 12 spies who were sent, all 10 except Joshua and Caleb stirred up the crowd to murmur against Moses. They brought back a bad report by speaking words contrary to what the Lord had promised regarding a land flowing with milk and honey. They spread fear by saying that there were giants in the land. Eventually, all of them died by the plague and failed to enjoy good days. Their murmuring against Moses defeated them—they ate the fruit of their words!
On the other hand, Joshua and Caleb lived to enjoy the Promised Land because the report they brought back was in line with the Lord. While they did not deny the fact that there were giants in the land, they had faith and believed that they could conquer the land with God’s help.
Therefore, our word has power to bring life or death! If we want to enjoy good days, we should refrain from speaking against anointed leadership and speak in line with the vision that God has put in place.
Sermon Series: Cell Group Campaign (Session 3)
话语所带来的美好日子
民数记12:1-2摩西娶了古实女子为妻。米利暗和亚伦因他所娶的古实女子就毁谤他，说： 2「难道耶和华单与摩西说话，不也与我们说话吗？」这话耶和华听见了。
在这段经文中，摩西的使命是将以色列人民从埃及带到应许之地。他们所需要做的就是跟随上帝任命的领袖摩西，但米利暗和亚伦开始反对摩西，并挑战他的领导和呼召。像亚伦这样能说会道的人可能很难追随一个口吃的领导人。因此，如果我们不经常提醒自己的位份，我们可能也会慢慢鄙视上帝为我们所拣选的领袖。
然而，上帝绝对清楚祂所召唤和授权了谁来领导。祂不看摩西的缺点，因为上帝在他面前显示了祂自己的能力。米利暗和亚伦的分裂举动干扰了上帝的计划，上帝与他们对峙。我们在这里的教训是不要出言反对受膏的领袖，因为上帝100%支持祂的仆人。
民数记14:36-38 摩西所打发、窥探那地的人回来，报那地的恶信，叫全会众向摩西发怨言， 这些报恶信的人都遭瘟疫，死在耶和华面前。其中惟有嫩的儿子约书亚和耶孚尼的儿子迦勒仍然存活。
上帝也期望祂的子民对祂的话语有信心，相信祂所任命的领袖和对他们的承诺。被委派的12个密探中，除了约书亚和迦勒以外，其余10个都挑动民众，向摩西发怨言。他们带回了负面的报告, 所说的话，与耶和华所应许的关于流奶与蜜之地的话，是相反的。他们散布恐惧，说这片土地上有巨人。最终，他们都死于瘟疫，没能享受好日子。他们向摩西所发怨言击败了他们。他们吞下了自己言语的恶果！
另一方面，约书亚和迦勒活着享受应许之地，因为他们带回的报告是符合耶和华的心意。虽然他们不否认这片土地上有巨人，但他们有信心，相信在上帝的帮助下，他们可以征服这片土地。
因此，我们的话语具有带来生或死的力量！如果我们想享受美好的日子，我们应该避免出言反对受膏的领袖，并按照上帝赐予的异象说话。
讲章系列：细胞小组活动 (第三部分)
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