The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-10-08
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Jealousy and Envy Punished
- BIBEEe sTUDY.ON :

| St Paul includes envy, and therefore
Jealousy. in his enumeration of the works
OF the flesh and the devil-together with
anger, malice, ia tired and strife. These
are works of the devil In that they are
characteristics of Satan. They are works
of the flesh in that the dying process
includes evil works, evil desires of every
kind More and more our race has be-
come subject to these adverse influences
as 1t has become weak. dying. unbalanced
st. Pau urges the Lords people to put
off these Satanic characteristics and TO
adopt instead those which have the divine
approval, and which make us more ana
more Godlilxe. These are meekness. gem.
tleness, peace. long-sunering, brotherly
kindness, and love. st. Peter indicates
that those having these characteristics
/ well developed will be granted an alum
dant entrance into the Kingdom Peter
I'LL.
Nliriam's Jealousy and Envy
Todays Bible study tells of a serious
! error made by Aaron and Miriam, broth
| er and sister of Moses, both his seniors
That Miriam was the leading spirit is
fully justified by the outcome, which
shows that Gods punishment rested upon
] her, and not upon Aaron.
/
Cushite. woman At this time she came
to live with him In the camp of Israel,
and thus became. wife of the leader,
the first lady of the nation. Previous to
this. Miriam had undoubtedly filed this
office. It was but natural that she should
feel the loss of her position and the in
! fluence which went with it, especially as
she reflected that her sister-in-law was or
an alien race.
This fact seemed to give Miriams jeal-
ousy religious footing; and she undoubt-
eddy convinced herself that her hostility
| to her sister-in-law was based, not upon
| Jealousy. but upon a high moral ground.
affecting the honor of God and of His
nation. and the future possibilities OF
| Abraham's seed in the land of promise.
| When we remember Miriam's prominence
in the affairs of Israel, there Is what
might be called an excuse for her jeal-
ousy. No good people can harbor jeal-
ousy, envy. etc, without In some manner
deluding themselves into thinking that
| the peculiar circumstances of their case
fully justify their attitude.
! Miriam became more and more con-
WINGED that God would not think of using
| especially one who had thus lost caste
| with herself. Her poiosned mind began
| to see evidences that the Lord had for
saken Moses, that otherwise he would not
| have fallen into what she considered a
| great mistake. She communicated her
! fears to Aaron and the two doubtless
| thought seriously and prayed much re-
| speeding the sad fall of Israers leader and
the necessity laid upon them to make
good his dereliction.
! Apparently Aaron was a weak charac-
| ter, merely used and useful as Moses
mouthpiece. He showed much weakness
on this occasion, as also when in response
| to the persuasion of the lsraelltes he
made the golden calf and assisted In
| their idoatrous worship. Miriam prob
| ably assented at that time that such
was the only course to satisfy the rebel
lious spirit of the people.
| The text implies that Miriam began to
spread her seditious suggestions through
out the camp. The people were to be
prepared and the Lord helped, of course.
by the primary suggestion that Moses was
not the only leader of the people, that
Marian and Aaron were also prophets
and in relationship with the Lord in
exactly the same manner and degree as
Moses This insidious preparation would
, make ready for the expected time When
God would disown Moses and speak en-
: tirely through Miriam, Aaron being her
mouthpiece.
And the Lord Heard 1t
The Lord npped the conspiracy in the
bud by suddenly calling Moses, Aaron
and Miriam into His presence before the
Tabernacle. All three obeyed the sum-
mons, Miriam doubtless supposing that
now the moment had come when the
Lord would show that she had rightly
OWNED His intentions In ousting Moses
from the leadership and appointing her.
self
The denouement. however, was very
different God did, indeed, declare that
Miriam and Aaron had to some extent
occupied the place of prophets. in that
God had been pleased to use them; put
with equal distinetness the Lord pointed
out that His dealing with Moses was on
a very much higher plane 10 MN uoo
| had spoken directly, not through dreams
and Visions but I'm plain language. Thus
the ambitions which were the grounds OF
| the jealousy, envy, conspiracy ana eNli
speaking God promptly set aside
| Additionally also God gave punish
ment AS the Divine Presence, repre-
| scented by the pillar of cloud. departed
| from them. Moses and Aaron beheld that
Miriam had been smitten with leprosy-
| Aaron recognized that this signified that
he had upheld his sister in sinful course.
and that Moses was indeed the chlel OF
Gods people, TO Moses he uttered
prayer for relief, acknowledging their
sin and pleading for Miriam.
| Then Moses cried unto the LORD, say
ing Heal her now, o God, | beseech
Thee!p God heard Moses and healed
Miriam, but directed that she be treated
as was every other person whose ieprosy
4 was healed All such We're required 10
| remain seven days outside the camp
under inspection, to see that no 1urther
svmptoms OF the disease appeared.
"The Law Was a Shadow
The apostle explains that the various
things commanded Israel under their law
covenant were prophetic shadows iiius,
trating things appertaining to spiritual
israel Thus leprosy. practically incur
able except by divine interposition was
a type OF sim and the seven days OF eN
communication from the favored people
renresented a fun and complete period OF
tests as respects a putting away OF SIM
a cleansing Il return 10 harmony WIN
God. -.
Various lessons might be drawn from
today's study But the one in winch an
/ can probably best agree is that jealousy
envy based upon selfishness, is amongst
the most deceptive of sins ana one seri-
Gus in Gods sight.
The golden text is st. Paul's exhorta-
tion TO the church. And the church, we
must remember, is that special class called
out from humanity in general py tns
gospel message TO become followers y.
Jesus and ioint-heirs with Him. Their can
is TO sacrifice with Jesus all eartniY
rights and claims and To be iuily SUI
n,issive to the divine will In eyerythins'
,rbeir covenant is to be fully submissive
ia the headship of the Savior, ana loya.
TO every principle and arrahseineh' %
| ,ba divine programme.