Numbers 12:6
And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
God declares his usual way with a prophet to be making himself known in a vision and speaking in a dream. Moses is set apart from that pattern, for the Lord speaks with him mouth to mouth, plainly and not in dark sayings, counts him faithful in all his house, and grants him nearer communion as greater than a prophet. The words were spoken to Aaron and Miriam when in jealous murmuring they challenged Moses' appointed place, rebuking their presumption and showing that speaking against God's chosen instrument was an offense that should have inspired fear. This provision bridges God and fallen humanity, for when all was lost in Adam and man in his fallen state could no longer converse face to face with God as in Eden, God established in Christ a means of communication through holy angels by vision and dream. Prophets are men specially chosen and qualified to receive special light of his purpose and speak what he bids them to the people, and that sacred trust warns against criticizing and condemning brethren or cutting away the influence God has appointed his servants to have.
Visions, Dreams, and Moses
If there is a prophet among the people, the Lord makes himself known to him in a vision and speaks to him in a dream, and this is his stated usual way with a prophet. Through visions and dreams he gives his chosen messengers special knowledge of his purpose so they can communicate truth from heaven to humanity. Visions and dreams are the channels by which supernatural knowledge is given and communication between God and fallen humanity is maintained through prophecy.
Moses is set apart from that pattern as greater than a prophet with nearer communion. With him the Lord speaks mouth to mouth, directly and clearly and plainly and not in dark sayings. He is declared faithful in all his house and in his whole household, is granted a distinct responsibility and distinctive relationship with God, and is permitted to behold the divine likeness. That contrast establishes why speaking against him was an offense against God's specially appointed servant.
The words were spoken to Aaron and Miriam when the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called them forth while Israel was traveling through the wilderness. The mention of vision and dream means God often chooses the silent hours of the night to reveal himself and give his servants instruction. So he appeared to Solomon in the night season, because when all is silent and free from the confusion and business of the day there is less to draw the mind from him and he can gain freer access to their hearts.
This provision bridges God and fallen humanity after all was lost in Adam. Then God established in Christ, the star of hope, a means of communication between God and man. In his fallen state man could not converse face to face with God and Christ and angels as he did in Eden purity, but through the ministration of holy angels God speaks to a prophet by revealing himself in vision and in dream.
Prophets and Their Mission
Prophets are men specially chosen by God and qualified for the sacred office of revealing His will to man. The Lord gives them special light and knowledge of His purpose so they can communicate truth from heaven to humanity and speak to the people what He bids them speak. Visions and dreams are the channels through which the Holy Spirit gives supernatural knowledge and communicates with people. Balaam received knowledge in this way.
Miriam and Aaron had received the prophetic gift and God had spoken through them, yet that gift did not place them on the same footing as Moses in position or authority. God had chosen Moses, put His Spirit upon him, and granted him nearer communion, speaking with him mouth to mouth. Moses had a distinct role, for he was not only prophet and ruler but also served as high priest who asked God directly for counsel. After Moses, Joshua and Israel's other rulers were not permitted to approach God in that way, but Joshua received counsel through the high priest. In this the verse shows one way God revealed His will to Israel's chosen leaders while Himself remaining the nation's recognized king.
Dreams from the Lord belong alongside visions as genuine fruits of the spirit of prophecy. They are distinct from ordinary dreams arising from daily life and from false dreams or visions inspired by Satan. Their genuineness is shown by the people who receive them and the circumstances in which they are given.
Rebuke and Right Response
The verse belongs to God's answer when Aaron and Miriam in jealous murmuring challenged Moses' appointed role, and it expresses the Lord's displeasure that they had lost the sense that Moses was His chosen instrument to carry out His will and purposes. It sets forth His usual way with a prophet, that He makes Himself known to him in a vision and speaks to him in a dream, and by that standard establishes Moses' distinct responsibility and rebukes their presumption. In the same answer Moses is distinguished as faithful in all His house, with whom He speaks mouth to mouth directly and plainly and not in dark sayings, who beholds the divine likeness, who is greater than a prophet because granted nearer communion. Though Miriam and Aaron had received the prophetic gift and God had put His Spirit upon Moses and chosen him, that gift did not place them on the same footing as Moses and did not excuse disloyalty to the leader God had appointed, and this special relationship shows why speaking against him was an offense against God's specially appointed servant that should have inspired fear.
The history stands as warning that God defends His appointed messengers, and that a similar course of criticizing and condemning brethren will meet His signal displeasure. Right response requires guarding sacredly one another's interests, refusing evil surmising and seeking to be first, and refusing to give loose rein to the tongue in criticizing, condemning, looking with contempt upon, disparaging the work of, or cutting away the influence God has appointed His servants to have. Just as men judge others in little things, so God will judge them for things that dishonor His name, and those in responsibility must be doers of His word in little as well as large things. The comparison with Moses also clarifies that the claim being corrected was not that her husband had leadership like Moses.