p. 67Ladies and Gentlemen,
I next direct your attention to the record of Aaron’s mutiny against Moses, in conjunction with Miriam, the sister of both of them. The ostensible cause was the fact of Moses having married the daughter of Jethro, “an Ethiopian woman,” a circumstance arising from Jethro’s hospitality to Moses during his forty years’ exile from Egypt, and not from any disregard of his own people. While the ostensible cause was so apparently respectable a scruple on the part of Aaron and Miriam, the real cause was the hurt of personal feeling caused to them by the towering importance of Moses in the congregation, which completely eclipsed their respectable but little personalities. “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us?” These were the words in which the real nature of their animus was displayed.
What important fruit might have sprung from this root of bitterness it is impossible to tell. The congregation might have been influenced by the p. 68 disaffection and led into ways of destruction; but the mischief was nipped in the bud by prompt action. And that not on the part of Moses. “The Lord spoke suddenly unto Moses and unto Aaron and unto Miriam: Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation.” The three stepped out as commanded. When they arrived at the tabernacle the cloud-symbol of the Divine presence descended, and from the midst of the cloud, the Yahweh-voice commanded Aaron and Miriam to stand forth. Aaron and Miriam stood forth, Yahweh then spoke to them. . . . . . “Wherefore are ye not afraid to speak against my servant, Moses?” “He is faithful in all mine house. With him I will speak mouth to mouth, not in dark speeches.” The words were spoken in anger, and ceased. Then the cloud moving from the tabernacle revealed Miriam a leper “as white as snow.” In this way was the Divine reproof emphasized. Aaron, in completest humility, begs pardon, and appeals to Moses on behalf of Miriam. Moses, in response, cries to God, to heal Miriam. His prayer is granted, but God commands Miriam to be shut out of the camp seven days in token of her disgrace. We are told “the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again:” and afterwards the people removed from Hazeroth and pitched in the wilderness, of Paran.
Ladies and Gentlemen,—I strongly submit that this story bears the stamp of truth. The man who sat down to write it for the first time could have had no object in writing it but to record a matter of fact. Naturally speaking, he would have much reason for withholding the record altogether; for it was not a record that could reflect much credit on the national authorities one way or other. The high priest was p. 69 the most sacred functionary in the Jewish nation, and one around whom Jewish tradition has always laboured to throw a halo of holy mystery. But here is Aaron, the first high priest, and the father of all high priests, exhibited in the light of an envious murmurer, and held up to all subsequent posterity as one whom God rebuked in anger,—as one who was ready to lift his hand against God’s most faithful servant. It is true that Moses is vindicated, but even he appears in the transaction as an apparent offender against the law in having married a strange woman, instead of one of his own nation. And if he is vindicated, it is only as one whom the Lord honours for his faithfulness to Him and not because of any excellence in himself. There is no human glorification in the story. There is human disgrace; nothing to lead a national historian to desire to publish; something to lead him to suppress: Who does not in such a connection wish to hush down all report of domestic sedition? Who does not wish to hide scandal when affecting one’s own circle? Here is scandal and sedition officially trumpeted to the ends of the earth. Why, Ladies and Gentlemen, why? That is the question. Examine the matter for yourselves, in the light of common sense. You yourselves know something of the workings of human nature. Judge how such a story could come to have been written, if not true. You must come to the conclusion that the truth of the story is the only explanation of its existence.
And if the story be true, how much results from it. The fact of Divine revelation is the familiar element in it. Aaron and Miriam begrudge the elevation of Moses on the ground of the commonness of this fact: “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? p. 70 Hath he not spoken also by us?” Moses made no mystery of the matter. He did not pretend, like an impostor, to be the exclusive repository of Divine communication. It was true that Aaron and Miriam had been employed in the transition of Divine direction to Israel. Moses had no jealous feelings on the subject. When Joshua on one occasion suggested it, the answer of Moses shews his modest and rational temper: “Enviest thou for my sake? would God all the Lord’s people were prophets” (Numbers xi. 29). But if Moses had no jealous feelings, Aaron and Miriam had, and this very envy proves the main factor of the whole case—namely, that God spoke to Moses, and that the whole work by Him in the exodus of Israel was a Divine work and not a human work at all.
These reflections grow out of what might be called the inferior elements of the story—the manifestly human element—the envious feelings of Aaron and Miriam. The existence of these feelings proves the existence of their cause—the special honour conferred on Moses by God as the chief channel of communication. Take away this, and the cause for the envy is taken away. The envy cannot be taken away. There it is—on imperishable record. You must explain it, Ladies and Gentlemen; for envy never works without a cause. How are you to explain it if God did not speak by Moses, as Aaron and Miriam both alleged? You are bound to admit this cause, or—or, what? or dismiss the story as a fiction. But you cannot do this, Ladies and Gentlemen; for then you would have to explain the writing of such a fiction, which is far more difficult than the acceptance of the narrative in its simple majesty as it stands.
p. 71 If the inferior elements of the story yield such results, what are we to say to the Divine summons of the three from the camp, “suddenly?” What are we to say to the cloud descending to the door of the tabernacle on their arrival? What are we to say to the indignant condemnation of an intrigue which as yet was confined to the knowledge of Aaron and Miriam? And what are we to say to the instant infliction of the plague of leprosy as a punishment; and its instant removal at the intercession of Moses? What but that we are in the presence of a transaction in which God, by His angel, is an open participator? If so, everything for the Bible is proved; for if God be proved in any part of the work which the Bible records, His connection is established with the whole; for it is one work throughout. If God spake by Moses, then spake He also by Christ, whom Moses foretold from the knowledge God had given him; and who, when he appeared, recognized, and affirmed the divinity of the work and writings of Moses in the most direct, express and unambiguous manner.
Ladies and Gentlemen,—I beg of you to look into this matter. Do not leave the question till you settle it. It is too important to be left undecided. Take it in hand directly for yourselves in the exercise of commonsense. Do not trust to specialists. Their knowledge is not so deep nor their judgment so sound as you give them credit for. If you take their verdict instead of looking into the evidence for yourselves, you expose yourselves to the consequences of a mistake from which you will not be able to shield yourselves by any transfer of responsibility; while it is not acting the part of rational beings to leave a matter of such stupendous consequence to second hands.