JESUS and Humility (Num.12)

When we humble ourselves, put away our pride, we can be more receptive of God's plans for us, just as Moses was humble and had a close relationship with Jesus of the Old Testament.  In Numbers 12, we have an example of humility vs pride - where Moses' brother and sister became jealous of Moses and the "power" that he was given from God...

(Numbers 12:1-10)  Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman);  2 and they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And the Lord heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) 4 Suddenly the Lord said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward, 6 He said,

“Hear now My words:  if there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision.  I shall speak with him in a dream.
7 “Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household;
8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the Lord.  Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?”

9 So the anger of the Lord burned against them (Aaron and Miriam) and He departed. 10 But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow.

Moses sees that his sister has leprosy and quickly prays, asking the LORD to heal her.  Just as Jesus in the New Testament had different ways and reasons for healing people (or choosing to NOT heal people), Jesus of the Old Testament heals her "in HIS way and in HIS timing...  Miriam was going to be given some time to think about what she had done.

(Numbers 12:14)  ...the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again.” 

Humility is critical.  We deceive ourselves if we think we should be honored, when even Jesus humbled Himself more than any person could...

(Hebrews 5:1-5)  For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is [beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was.

5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest...

It's so easy to become jealous of someone.  It sounds contradictory, but pride and jealousy go hand-in-hand.  If we are proud, we become self-centered and begin to compare ourselves to others... which leads to jealousy, among other things.  But we need to consider ourselves and what God wants for us by focusing on Jesus... by being more like Jesus...

(Philippians 2:1-11)  Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;  4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.