THE EVENTS IN NUMBERS 12
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans
Translator: Lynda Botha
Someone wrote to me and asked if I could help to explain the events which happened in Numbers 12:1-15 and what a Cushite woman is.
It was during the time when Miriam and Aaron, to put it mildly, did not approve of Moses being married to a Cushite woman, and what their actions caused in the end which angered our Lord very much and how our Lord punished Miriam with leprosy.
Just something about the name Cush:
Cush is the country south of Egypt and is nowadays called Ethiopia.
Thus, Miriam and Aaron being Israelites had two major problems with Moses' wife.
Firstly, she was not an Israelite, and secondly, with the knowledge at my disposal, she was a different colour.
What do I mean by saying "to my knowledge?"
Well, firstly, as far as my knowledge is concerned, the native Ethiopian people are not white and, secondly, I also read in the Word:
JER 13:23: “Can a Ethiopian change the colour of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? … "
Thus, the Word does not say exactly that Sippora was a different colour but that's the conclusion I made.
However, our Lord was very, very dissatisfied with the two. To sum up before I continue: Cush is the country south of Egypt. A Cushite was someone who was part of the population of Cush and is nowadays called Ethiopia.
I am so grateful that, as a Christian, I do not have to distinguish between people just because the person is not of the same colour, or from the same nationality as me. No! Praise the Name of the Lord!
I try to help everyone I can, to become a disciple of Jesus. It does not matter to me which tribe, language, nationality and race the person is, but then it also does not matter to our Lord and it is His Spirit who lives in me.
REV 5:9-10
9 "And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”10 “And you have caused them to become Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”
In other words, I try to help every person who gives me the opportunity, so they could meet Jesus and accept Him as their Saviour, so that they can belong to the same nation as myself. For all who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour, the Word says:
1 PE 2:9-10
9 "But you are not like that, for you are the chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he calls you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.”10 “Once you had no identity as people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”
How wonderful is it not! According to the Word, as you have already read, the Christian nation consists of the following – and this time I repeat it out of the Amplified Bible:
REV 5:9-10
9 And (now) they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals that are on it, for You were slain (sacrificed) and with Your blood You purchased men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Ps 33:3)
10 And You have made them a kingdom (royal race) and priests to our God, and they shall reign (as kings) over the earth! (Ex 19:6; Isa 61:6)
Greetings,
Sakkie