Study #4: YOD

PART 3: YOD ON HUMILITY

In the Bible, God called Moses the humblest man on earth ( Numbers 12:3 ).

In Numbers 12:1-4 (NIV),  Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out.

But God vindicated Moses in front of Aaron and Miriam, the elder siblings of Moses. God attested He spoke “face to face” with Moses because of his humility. But to them, who thought themselves superior to Moses or his equal, He only revealed Himself in “dreams and visions”.

Although Moses was human and sinned, God knew his heart-attitude towards Him.

Like us, even after his conversion, Moses made mistakes (Numbers 20:1-12), became discouraged (Exodus 17:4), sometimes doubted his calling (Numbers 11:10-15) and even limited God (Numbers 11:21-23). But as Moses learned, and we should never forget, God will not forsake us.

And this realisation prompted an ongoing attitude of humility towards God.

Even the Hebrew translation of Numbers 12:1-4 has a double YOD to emphasize Moses’ extraordinary humility.

Heavenly Father, You resist the proud but exalt the humble. Help us to remain humble like Moses that we may behold You “face to face” as the highest pre-requisite of worship that seeks Your face and not only the blessings from Your hand.