Numbers 12:4
And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
The Lord suddenly summoned Moses, Aaron and Miriam together to the tabernacle to answer their secret criticism, murmuring and rebellion against Moses. The sudden call was His direct intervention to vindicate Moses and to confront and rebuke Miriam and Aaron, for He was present and heard their words though they thought Him far away. Their complaint was not merely against a man but against the servant and chosen instrument God had appointed to carry out His will, springing from jealousy and envy of Moses' prominent position, which Aaron shared and failed to oppose. God made Miriam an example under His wrath to warn all Israel, and Korah in particular, against jealousy, complaining and rebellion toward those entrusted with His work. He takes notice of criticism, evil surmising and seeking to be first among His workers and meets it with signal displeasure, requiring His people to guard one another's interests, to refrain from judging and disparaging His appointed messengers, and not to murmur against the one He has placed under the burden when they do not bear it themselves.
God's Sudden Intervention
The Lord spoke suddenly, abruptly calling Moses and Aaron and Miriam all three together to come out to the tabernacle of the congregation to answer for murmuring and complaints and rebellion and secret criticism against Moses. The summons was sudden because it was God's own direct intervention in the dispute. Its suddenness marked His purpose to vindicate Moses and to confront and rebuke Miriam and Aaron.
God had been present and had heard their words against Moses even though they thought Him far away. By that call He brought their challenge to Moses' appointed place and role directly before Himself. Their complaint was not merely against Moses as a man but against the servant God had chosen. They had lost the sense that Moses was the Lord's chosen instrument selected to carry out His will and purposes, and their self-exalting judgment about him did not agree with God's view of him.
Aaron and Miriam spoke from jealousy and envy of Moses' prominent position, feeling that he took too much upon himself. Aaron joined Miriam in that envy and murmuring instead of opposing her complaint as he could have done.
Warning Against Murmuring
Complaining against Moses, God's chosen servant, was irreverence toward God Himself, and in response to that complaint came the sudden summons of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to the tabernacle. Aaron shared Miriam's jealousy though he could have opposed her complaint, and God's wrath rested upon Miriam so that the cloud was removed from the tabernacle and did not return until she was put out of the camp. In making Miriam an example, God warned all Israel and all who might be tempted to rebel against Moses against jealousy and complaining about those entrusted with God's work and against speaking against God's servant.
That dealing with Miriam warned Korah in particular, whose rebellious heart and secret work against Moses had not yet openly developed. The warning stood because God had established Moses as chief governor and had given the priesthood to Aaron and his sons. Those who do not take up the burden themselves should not murmur against the person God has placed under its weight, for Aaron and Miriam murmured from jealousy of Moses' prominent position, thinking he took too much upon himself, and their complaint displeased God.
God acted suddenly to call the three to the tabernacle of the congregation when fellow servants of God were criticized, showing that He takes notice of criticism, evil surmising, contempt, and seeking to be first among His workers, and meets such a course with His signal displeasure. Giving loose rein to the tongue in criticizing and condemning brethren is wholly out of sympathy with God and angels, and the duty instead is to guard sacredly one another's interests. The warning is not to judge others in little things, not to put human estimate upon any of God's messengers, not to disparage their work or cut away the influence God appointed them to have, lest as men judge so God judge them for things that dishonor His name.