The Three Thieves Of Thanksgiving- #2- Envy And Jealousy Series

Three Thieves of Thanksgiving-Envy

CCCAG November 26th, 2017

Scripture-Numbers 12

Dwight L. Moody once told the fable of an eagle who was envious of another that could fly better than he could. One day the bird saw a hunter with a bow and arrow and said to him, “I wish you would shoot down that eagle up there.” The man said he would if he had some feathers for his arrow. So, the jealous eagle pulled one out of his wing. The arrow was shot, but it didn’t quite reach the rival bird because he was flying too high. The first eagle pulled out another feather, then another—until he had lost so many that he himself couldn’t fly. The hunter took advantage of the situation, turned around, and killed the now helpless eagle.

Moody made this application: if you are envious of others, the one you will hurt the most by your actions will be yourself.

Today we will be continuing our series on being thankful by studying the second thing that will steal your ability to be thankful.

Last week we talked about the dangers of comparison. As bad as comparison can be, it’s only the doorway to a larger problem, and that is envy.

Envy, and it’s close cousin jealousy, are not just the attributes of those who don’t know Jesus, or those who are young in the faith. Envy sneaks it’s way into each of our hearts, even if we have been following Christ for years.

You have three people involved in the biblical account we are going to read today, which takes place several years after the Exodus of Israel from Egypt

you have the high priest of Israel, Aaron

along with one of the best-known prophetesses, Miriam

publicly criticizing the leader of Israel- Moses.

You have both a man and a women, who hold the positions of high priest and prophet giving a rebuke to their leader.

In our context with the church, it would be like the church board bringing rebuke against the pastor of the church.

IF the pastor were in sin, they have a duty, and a responsibility to do just that if they were doing it to protect the body of believers from a shepherd who was going astray.

However, that is not the case here in Numbers chapter 12 as we will see.

Scripture Text- Numbers 12:1-15

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.

3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

4 At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, 6 he said, “Listen to my words:

“When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.

7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house.

8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.

10 When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”

13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!”

14 The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.

Prayer- Dangers of comparison and jealousy

Before we read today’s scripture, we acknowledged that Miriam and Aaron, as spiritual leaders had to right and even the responsibility to advise and even rebuke Moses if he fell into sin.

In this case, they accuse him of marrying outside of the tribe of Israel. Although the bible doesn’t record the event, we can assume that his first wife, Zipporah had died. Moses being a healthy man with normal drives decided that he should marry again. Some of you might be thinking, “Pastor, he’s about 85 years old…why does he need a wife?” Remember, God has been supernaturally empowering Moses with the gift strength and vigor to be able to continue to lead several million people.