Yesterday we studied Zipporah in blog # 5 of 7 of the series “Women of the Bible”. We examined how she possessed the characteristic of obedience.
This is blog # 6 of 7
Today, we will study
Miriam
Name Pronunciation: MER-eh-um
Name Meaning: Loved by Yahweh
Who Was She?
A Hebrew woman who helped save her baby brother’s life when she was a young girl. Her sin was an example to the entire Israelite community when God turned her into a leper and the camp had to wait until she was cleansed of leprosy before they could travel in the wilderness.
Biblical Background
While in bondage in Egypt, the Hebrews were rapidly increasing in number. Pharaoh feared the Hebrew population was growing too quickly and the men would join his enemies and go to war against him, so he commanded the midwives to kill the Hebrew boy babies at birth and keep the girls alive. Moses’ mother Jochebed had a baby boy, Moses, and hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer, she put him in an ark of bulrushes in the Nile River trusting God to take care of him.
Biblical Text
Exodus 2:1 – 10; 15:20 – 21; Numbers 12:1 – 15; 20:1
Key Facts
- Miriam protected her baby brother, Moses, by watching him when his mother put him in a basket on the Nile river trusting God to care for him. God providentially had Pharaoh’s daughter at the river to see the basket and open it, Miriam was there to volunteer to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby and called her own mother
- She led Hebrew women in singing and praising God after He delivered them from slavery in Egypt and Pharaoh and his army drowned in the Red Sea
- She criticized Moses because he married a Cushite woman
- She allowed pride and jealousy to cause her to speak against her brother Moses and questioned if he was the only one God spoke through
- God turned Miriam into a leper for speaking against Moses, whom God called to lead His people
- She experienced public disgrace and isolation from the camp (approximately 1 million people). The people had to wait 7 days to travel because of Miriam’s sin
Strengths
- She encouraged women to praise God and give Him glory
- She had compassion on her baby brother and helped to save his life
Lessons From Her Life
- We are to honor God and the people He puts in authority
- Jealousy and pride stand in the way of our fellowship with God and how we use our gifts to serve others
- Comparing ourselves to others is dangerous and wrong
Demographic and Family Data
- Where: Egypt
- Family:
- Tribe of Levi
- Father: Amram
- Mother: Jochebed
- Brothers: Aaron and Moses
Personal Life Application
Miriam possessed the positive characteristics of compassion and encouragement.
- Download my 1-page Bible Study Guide
- Print the guide so you can write your answers
- Ask yourself
- “Do I possess these characteristics?”
- How can I have compassion on or encourage myself, family, church, community, and co-workers?
God bless you
The next Women of the Bible we will study are Puah and Shiphrah.
- Check out my FREE email course Essential Oils 101 for Women in Ministry
- Do you need help organizing your life, home, or office? Check out my Organizational Worksheets
Links to Each Blog in This Series:
Women of the Bible Series Blog # 1 of 7: Daughters of Zelophehad
Women of the Bible Series Blog # 2 of 7: Shelomith
Women of the Bible Series Blog # 3 of 7: Cozbi
Women of the Bible Series Blog # 4 of 7: Jochebed
Women of the Bible Series Blog # 5 of 7: Zipporah
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