Even today, though scientists are able to treat and cure leprosy, they are still unsure about how it is spread. ^A Matt.VIII. He uses the gift as much as you and I use ours… (source). I love this post…it really has some profound truths that is good for all of us to remember. So several weeks ago I opened my scriptures and re-read the story of Miriam, as told in Numbers 12, and I was astounded at how applicable the story was to their situations. I am a scripture loving, book writing, baby snuggling, garden growing, faith-centered disciple, wife, mother, daughter, and sister. “Let a man or woman who has received much of the power of God, visions and revelations, turn away from the holy commandments of the Lord, and it seems that their senses are taken from them, their understanding and judgment in righteousness are taken away, they go into darkness, and become like a blind person who gropes by the wall [see Isaiah 59:9–10;Deuteronomy 28:29] (source). We are first introduced to Miriam, though not by name, in Exodus 2. Having leprosy also made someone tuma (unclean) because there was no cure for it and in the eyes of the camp the person was a good as dead. I just don't see any evidence for that in the text of Numbers 12 (or is it elsewhere?). 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv. Deuteronomy 24:9 commands us to remember what Elohim did to Miriam in the way. While she is often overlooked, Miriam was the only person right by … 7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. She started to question Moses and speak against him. After speaking with the Lord in the tabernacle Miriam was struck with leprosy. Thank you for sharing your wonderful insights. Can you see Miriam and Aaron in what Brigham Young was saying? Wonderful. We are not unique by any means. And now I need to read Leviticus again. My heart aches for them as I see the spiritual leprosy eat away at their souls– often so gradually that they don’t even realize what has happened to them. 2 Kings 7:3 You have really helped me see this in a good light. Walking with the Women Books Later on we see that her process of questioning opened up an important dialogue with God about the role and responsibilities of the prophet. In fact, when Moses and Aaron found out that Miriam had leprosy (both physical and spiritual) they mourned and begged God on her behalf saying, But even after their pleading the Lord tells them that Miriam, So, in what must have been a tragically sad procession, Miriam was taken without the camp and left for seven days and “and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.”. He had seen a vision of all of God’s creations and knew, “that man is nothing”(Moses 1:10). 2 Kings 5:27). This post was amazing! Hath hee not spoken also by vs? He said: Whenever there is a disposition manifested in any of the members of this Church to question the right of the President of the whole Church to direct in all things, you see manifested evidences of apostasy—of a spirit which, if encouraged, will lead to a separation from the Church and to final destruction…When a man begins to find fault, inquiring in regard to this, that, and the other, saying, “Does this or that look as though the Lord dictated it?” you may know that that person has more or less of the spirit of apostasy…. I think the Lord is really clear here about this, and that YES he will– and still does– speak plainly to his prophet. The Torah refers to her as "Miriam the Prophetess" and the Talmud names her as one of the seven major female prophets of Israel. I can't remember the last prophet who has claimed to have these experiences. I have always wondered why Miriam was punished so harshly. Regardless, what we do know is after she came back she traveled with her people and dwelt with them again until the day of her death. When our desire to receive instruction is a greater force than our comfort in remaining as we are, we become teachable. Leprosy: The Priests: Examined Persons Suspected of. And just like physical leprosy those germs might lay dormant for years until a person realizes they have been infected. For some that leave I have to be ok with the fact that they feel like they are only doing that what feels best for them. Leprosy and Living Death After speaking with the Lord in the tabernacle Miriam was struck with leprosy. Feb. 01. He explained to them about the difference between possessing the spiritual gift of prophecy– which both Aaron and Miriam had– and the calling of the prophet– which only Moses had. Thank you for sharing the truth, for making these women real, relatable, and inspiring. Leprosy was no exception, and Miriam’s bout with leprosy was designed to be a physical symbol of her a spiritual ailment. It was hard for me to write. My heart breaks for them because some of them don’t fully understand what they have lost, or what they have done. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Matthew 10:8 infirm ones be healing, lepers be cleansing, dead be raising, demons be casting out -- freely ye did receive, freely give. Leprosy: Separate Burial of. But also because I appreciate the reminder to stay humble and teachable. The beautiful thing about the scriptures is that ever story has multiple meanings and different levels of meanings– like the parables that Jesus gave. Miriam was cursed with leprosy– living death– because her spiritual ego had caused her to doubt and fight against God. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! It was because of her question that the Lord was able to give the Children of Israel more understanding about how the priesthood and God’s kingdom operates. (10-16)1-9 The patience of Moses was tried in his own family, as well as by the people. 8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? After she returned to the camp the only other mention we have of Miriam is that she died in a place called Kedesh, and that the children of Israel buried her there (Numbers 20:1). Thank you for your comment. Its important to remember to not let pride can be our downfall and how we need to be mindful of our thoughts at all times and be humble. Directly the opposite of the attitude Miriam and Aaron had. I have a feeling that they know much more than they are able to share with us. . Numbers 12:10 Context. As the instigator and leader of … It gives me hope. Two diseases now go by that name; viz., psoriasis and elephantiasis. "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken."--Deut. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, () suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. ), is the first of her order mentioned in the Word of God.While the Lord never ordained a woman to be priest, nor do we read of women as bishops or pastors in the New Testament, the vocation of "prophetess" is common to both dispensations. Leviticus 13:45-46 instructs that a leper’s, “…clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip (ie, cover his mouth) and shall cry Unclean, Unclean… and he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his inhabitation be.”. As I thought about them the story of Miriam kept surfacing and re-surfacing in my mind. This Ethiopian woman has a fascinating story (and will have her own post very soon) and there are several possible reasons for why Miriam and Aaron confronted him about her. ^c 12 And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities [it was a city of Galilee, but as it was not named, it is idle to conjecture which city it was], behold, ^b there cometh { ^a came} ^b to him a leper [There is much discussion as to what is here meant by leprosy. As a result it is usually spiritual ego that causes people to apostatize or leave the church. There are also three varieties of psoriasis, namely, white, black and red. Acts - Revelations God teaches us things that are just for us, and we are suppose to treasure those things up in our hearts. Oh, that is the best compliment I could ever get! It just reminded me that we are NOT the first generation to ask the hard questions. They are not aware that the moment they give way to this hallucination the Devil has power over them to lead them onto unholy ground… Such a person will make false prophecies, yet he will do it by the spirit of prophecy; he will feel that he is a prophet and can prophesy, but he does it by another spirit and power than that which was given him of the Lord. We begin to think that we are somehow unique, that God has told us or given us something that others don’t have. Thank you. 13- 14). 40-45; ^C Luke V. 12-16. They had faith that she would be healed of her leprosy– both spiritual and physical- and that she would return to them. Making clear that it was not Miriam or Aaron who held these keys and this power. Two diseases now go by that name; viz., psoriasis and elephantiasis. In fact, in the Old Testament the Law of Moses gives a detailed set of rules concerning how leprosy should be dealt with among the Children of Israel. 40-45; ^C Luke V. 12-16. thank you for all of the effort you have put into both it and your blog. They waited for her, they prayed for her, and they had faith that she could be healed. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate the wisdom and compassion and truth in your words. If we find ourselves at any point along the path of spiritual growth and expanding consciousness, feeling that we’ve arrived, conquered, or accomplished something really spiritually superior, and that this accomplishment puts us above others in any way, we can rest assured, we’ve activated the spiritual ego. hath he not spoken also by us?” (Numbers 12:2). 2 Kings 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. Also, just like physical leprosy, apostasy or spiritual leprosy is highly contagious. Yet Miriam is a powerful example because she refused to let her leprosy over take her body and her soul. Beautifully written– thank you! The pretence was, that he had married a foreign wife; but probably their pride was hurt, and their envy stirred up, by his superior authority. ... Miriam is only mentioned by name in 14 verses in the Bible, but she is one of the most important people found in the pages of scripture. You know who you remind me of? Walking With the Women of the Old Testament, Walking With the Women of the New Testament. Why Did Miriam Get Leprosy. The American Woman Today– What do You Think? I was really bothered by the fact that Miriam was cursed but Aaron wasnt. 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. We still need to be smart– meaning we might need to separate ourselves emotionally or intellectually from them so that we don’t also get infected– but we don’t need to give up on them. There are also three varieties …J. Compare this to Moses whom it says in Numbers 12:3, “was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” Moses, who was the prophet of the Lord, was devoid of all spiritual ego. No prophet arose in Israel like Moses, till Christ came, when the promise in the text was fulfilled--"The Lord thy God," says Moses, "shall, ^A Matt.VIII. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. KJV: And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. It can be hard to bear. They shut her out of their community but they didn’t walk away from her. People of every dispensation have struggled with all of the same spiritual questions and doubts that we still have today. They are fiction, but they are the stories of Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel through their eyes. It doesn’t take much contact with someone who is infected to spread germs of discontent, anger, fear, doubt, and sin. Also, I think your question about whether God still speaks to the prophet "mouth to mouth" is a really good one. Miriam as a Child . The ancient Israelites dealt with leprosy by closely monitoring people for the disease, going through complicated procedures to diagnosis it, and when a case was confirmed separating the person from the rest of the camp. So when Moses did and taught something that she didn’t like she questioned his ability to receive revelation, saying, “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? This expression points to the perfect development of the disease, as contrasted with its earlier and less conspicuous stages. Like Ashley D said, you make me excited to read the scriptures too! The law of Moses consisted of many physical rules, which while they did often have health benefits, were primarily designed to bear witness of the need for Jesus Christ. Miriam’s question wasn’t wrong– it was a good question about the way in which God was operating His kingdom on the earth. It is interesting to me that it is Miriam, and not Aaron, who ended up with leprosy. Often times we become so complacent with our spiritual growth, to our own detriment. I can see how someone like you would love to read the scriptures. ""President Brigham Young taught our “first and foremost duty [is] to seek the Lord until we open the path of communication from God to our own soul.” Thank you Heather. What Does it Mean for a Woman to be “Unclean” in the Bible? Aaron looked over at Miriam and saw she had leprosy, then Aaron realized that they … Book of Mormon. She was willing to humble herself, accept guidance from the Lord, and go through the process that God had outlined for becoming clean– whole– and full of God’s power again. 3 (Now the man Moses was very meeke, aboue all the men which were vpon the face of … We don’t know if after Miriam’s return to the camp she regained her position of leadership among the children of Israel, but I’d like to think she did. I feel as if my mind has just been opened to an entire new understanding on a deeper level. I think this is a fascinating topic and it would be really interesting to study this out more and see how God spoke and interacted with his prophets in the Bible and Book of Mormon– I'm sure it is pretty much the same today! 2-4; ^B Mark I. I don't know if that means that every prophet receives a personal visit from Jesus (though I know that some have and have shared it– like Lorenzo Snow) but I think what it does mean is that they will hear and understand the Lord's will and words with clearness and plainness, just like he was speaking to them. 15. God was very angry at Aaron and Miriam for speaking against Moses. ), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Everyone has to experience their own journey and try to figure out God's will for their own life since no two journeys will be the same. ), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Even the prophet has to make sure that he does not cast his pearls before swine and there are some things that are just not appropriate to share in a broadcast as big as General Conference. Miriam. Romans 10 9″If you confess with your lips the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans10 13for “Everyone who calls on the Lord’s-Jesus name will be saved.” It is that part of self that feels it has accomplished something very special and it causes us to feel superior in relations to others because we believe we have made a realization that sets us apart from the masses. (1-9) Miriam struck with leprosy, and healed at the prayer of Moses. i really am loving your essays in the book. 2018. Why Did Miriam Get Leprosy. Home. I won’t go into all of them in this post, but suffice it to say that the real issue wasn’t his marriage but deeper doubts that Miriam and Aaron had about his role as the prophet and his ability to receive revelation from God. 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