LESSON 10

CORNERSTONECONNECTIONS
JUNE082019

what about me?

Scripture Story: Numbers 11; 12; Leviticus 10:1-11.
Commentary: Patriarchs and Prophets (or Beginning of the
End), chapters 33 and 31.

PREPARING TO TEACH guide you to choose among them the emphasis your
students most need at this time.
I. SYNOPSIS
This lesson focuses on Numbers 12—the story II. TARGET

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of Aaron and Miriam’s jealousy of Moses, their The students will:
attack on Moses’ wife, Zipporah, and God’s subse- • Learn why Aaron and Miriam complained about
quent defense of Moses and punishment of Miriam. Moses, and how God responded. (Know)
Students are encouraged to think about the role of • Empathize with the characters in the story and
leaders and how they respond to those in positions of relate the characters’ feelings to their own real-
leadership, especially if they have feelings of jealousy life experiences as they deal with feelings of
or resentment. envy and jealousy. (Feel)
The student lesson does not focus directly on the • Encourage those in leadership and seek their
Numbers 11 story of the Israelites’ grumbling over own role in God’s work. (Respond)
manna and being given quail to eat. However, this
story can be brought out in the Sabbath School class III. EXPLORE
as useful background to Numbers 12. It vividly illus- • Leadership
trates the pressures Moses faced as a leader and the • Jealousy
challenges of his role. Leaders who are doing God’s • Purpose, knowing your
work need our encouragement and support. A closer • Substance abuse
look at Miriam’s and Aaron’s roles among the children • Habits, good and bad
of Israel reminds us that each of us is called by God
to a special work. Rather than envying those who are TEACHING
in “high-profile” positions, we should be trying to find
out what role God has for us to play in His work. I. GETTING STARTED
A corollary story about leadership can also be
referenced in this lesson. Nadab and Abihu were the Activity
next closest in command to Moses and Aaron. They Refer the students to the What Do You Think?
had enjoyed special leadership. But jealousy of Moses section of their lesson. After they have completed it,
was not their sin; they fell in Satan’s snare of lack of discuss their responses.
discipline and reverence—topics that correlate well Ask each person to tell about a time when they
with Numbers 11. have been jealous or envious of someone and explain
Although there are way too many topics refer- how they dealt with it (if you have a large class, do this
enced this week, you, as the teacher, can let the Spirit activity in small groups). What about the reverse? Has

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 anyone been the target of someone else’s jealousy? God responded by sending quail. And the Israelites ate
How did they handle it? so much of it they got sick! Moses was hardly finished
dealing with that crisis when he faced an even worse
Illustration problem—criticism and resentment within his own fam-
Share this illustration in your own words: ily. His brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam, became
There’s a story told of two men who were confined jealous of Moses’ leadership position, and they made
to beds in a hospital room. Each day both lay on their Moses’ wife the victim of their anger.
backs with nothing to see except the four walls. One
man’s bed was next to the window, and each day he Out of the Story for Teachers
was allowed to sit up for one hour. As he looked out After you have read the Into the Story section with
the window, he described for the other man the sights your students, use the following in your own words to
he could see through that window. process it with them.
At first the man in the other bed enjoyed hearing If we look at the story that precedes this one, in
about the changing colors of leaves in the park below, Numbers 11, what kind of pressure do you think Moses
the parades that passed on the street, the children was under at this point? What challenges did he face
playing in the playground. But after a while he began in leading the Israelites? How do you think the different
to resent his roommate. Why should he get to look out characters in the story felt as these events unfolded?
the window while all I get to do is lie here and stare Activity: Assign four students, two male and
at the ceiling? he wondered. Though the other man’s two female, to represent Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and
beautiful descriptions of the world outside continued, Zipporah. Interview each of them about how they were
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the man whose bed was away from the window no affected by these events. What do you think each per-
longer enjoyed listening. Envy and resentment con- son learned from the experience?
sumed his thoughts. Use the following as another teachable passage
One night the man by the window awoke cough- that deals with different leadership problems other than
ing and choking. His coughing also woke the man in jealousy—Leviticus 10:1-11; Patriarchs and Prophets,
the next bed. He could see his neighbor vainly trying chapter 31.
to reach for the call button to alert the nurse, but he
was in such agony he couldn’t reach the button. The Sharing Context and Background
bitter, resentful man watched, his own button within Use the following information to shed more light on
easy reach. All he could think was If he dies, maybe I’ll the story for your students. Share it in your own words.
get his bed. Since the Israelites had left Egypt, they had been
Sure enough, the man by the window died before nothing but trouble for Moses. They complained about
he was able to call for help. The body was removed, being hungry and thirsty (Exodus 15; 16), and God
and as soon as decently possible, the other man responded by bringing water out of a rock and sending
asked if he could be moved to the bed by the window. manna from heaven. Then they complained about the
Finally, he would get that wonderful view of the out- manna—they wanted a more exotic diet that included
side world he’d been denied for so long! meat! God responded by sending quail (Numbers 11).
He struggled to sit up and look out at long last— As soon as Moses’ back was turned, when he
only to find that the window faced a blank brick wall. was up on Mount Sinai talking to God, the Israelites
returned to the idolatry they had learned in Egypt, con-
II. TEACHING THE STORY vincing Aaron to make them a golden calf to worship
(Exodus 32). On many occasions they actually wished
Bridge to the Story they were back in Egypt as slaves, rather than being
Share the following in your own words: free (Exodus 14:11, 12; 16:3; 17:3; Numbers 11:4-6;
God’s people, the children of Israel, were wan- 14:1-3).
dering in the wilderness. They weren’t an easy bunch For Moses, a man who hadn’t wanted to
to lead. First they complained to their leader, Moses, be Israel’s leader in the first place, the stress of
that they never got anything to eat but the miraculous dealing with these people must have been intense.
manna God supplied—and now they were tired of that. The discontent struck really close when it hit his

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 ✁ Tips for Top-Notch Teaching
and open to God’s leading were the qualities that
set him apart from the rest of Israel and even from
his own siblings. Moses wasn’t chosen because
Role Playing he was the smartest, the strongest, or the most

RABBI 101
Role plays, such as the one suggested in this articulate. He was chosen because he allowed
week’s Out of the Story section, can be threatening God to lead, and as a result Moses was able to
for some students. Don’t choose anyone for a role be a leader too.
play who’s not at least somewhat willing to partici- The Lord sent Moses instructions to teach the
pate. You can ease students’ anxiety about partici- people to observe and celebrate the Feast of
pating in a role play by reminding them that there Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-43). The final harvest
are no right or wrong answers: the goal is just to of the year occurred in the autumn prior to the
imagine what the Bible character might have been onset of the rainy season and marked the beginning
thinking. One good way to prepare students for a of a new agricultural year (fifteenth day of the seventh
role play such as this is to divide the class into four month). At this time the last of the ripening grain and
groups and assign one of the characters you want fruits was gathered and stored. The seven-day event
to role-play to each group. Send the groups off to was also known as the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus
discuss the story and that character in particular. 23:16) and was symbolized by the construction of
All group members can give input into what they booths decorated with greenery for the harvesters.
think about this character’s actions in the story, The festival was tied into Israelite tradition as a com-
and what the character might have been thinking memoration of the wilderness wanderings.—From

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and feeling. Then have them choose one volunteer Bible Background Commentary.
from each group to represent their character based Whenever the harvesttime came around, the
the characterizations from the group discussion. Israelites stopped to commemorate how God had
That way everyone gets to contribute, and the role always taken care of them, providing food for them to
players don’t feel they have to come up with every- eat—even when they didn’t appreciate it.
thing out of their own heads.
III. CLOSING

own family. Yet it was at that moment that God Activity

chose to affirm Moses’ leadership (Numbers 12:5- Close with an activity and debrief it in your own
9). Moses’ faithfulness and his ability to be humble words.

Teaching From . . .
Refer your students to the other sections of their lesson. Invite students to share the key text with the class
if they have committed it to memory.

• Key Text • Punch Lines

Invite the students to share the key text with Point out to your students the verses
the class if they have committed it to memory. listed in their lesson that relate to this
• Flashlight week’s story. Have them share the verse
Read the Flashlight statement, pointing out that spoke most directly to them and allow
that most of the time it is from the commen- them to explain why they chose it.
tary on this week’s story found in the book
Patriarchs and Prophets. Ask what relation-
ship they see between the statement and what
they have just discussed from Out of the Story.

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 Ask students to think again about the four main Summary
characters in this story: Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and Share the following thoughts in your own words:
Zipporah. Whom do they relate to most? Are they Miriam and Aaron were jealous of the special gifts
most like Moses—doing what they feel is right and and position God had given Moses. In their envy and
getting attacked for it? Do they relate to Aaron or resentment, they lashed out not just at Moses himself
Miriam—jealous of those who seem to have more gifts but at his wife, Zipporah, criticizing her on the basis
and more privileges? Or do they feel like Zipporah—an of her race. Neither Moses nor Zipporah responded;
innocent bystander who gets attacked because of instead, God Himself told Aaron and Miriam that He
someone else’s jealousy and resentment? had chosen Moses for a special task.
Say: Whomever you relate to in this story, God While we may not hear audible voices from heaven
cares about you. He has a special place for you in His defending us, if we are Jesus’ followers, then we can
work, and He will help you to find it. know that He has chosen us and we are special to
Him. We don’t need to defend ourselves against any-
one else’s jealousy and resentment; nor do we need to
be jealous of those who seem to have a better or more
special role to play. Each of us is unique in God’s eyes,
and He loves us each infinitely.
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Remind the students about the reading plan that will take them through the
inspired commentary of the Bible, the Conflict of the Ages series. The reading that
goes with this lesson is Patriarchs and Prophets (or Beginning of the End), chapters
33 and 31.

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 real.solid.stories
LESSON 10

CORNERSTONECONNECTIONS
JUNE082019
STUDENT LESSON
Scripture Story: Numbers 11; 12; Leviticus 10:1-11.
Commentary: Patriarchs and Prophets (or Beginning of the End),

what about me?

chapters 33 and 31.

cornerstoneconnections
41
Photo by Terrill Thomas

keytext
“When there is a prophet among
flashlight you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to

“Moses felt the importance of the great work committed to him as no other man had ever them in visions, I speak to them in

felt it. He realized his own weakness, and he made God his counselor. . . . Miriam and dreams. But this is not true of my

Aaron, blinded by jealousy and ambition, lost sight of this. . . . Regarding themselves as servant Moses; he is faithful in all

equally favored by God, they felt that they were entitled to the same position and authority” my house. With him I speak face to

(Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 383). face.”

(Numbers 12:6-8, NIV)

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 what
visions, I speak
to them in dreams. But
this is not true of my servant
Moses; he is faithful in all my house.

do you think? With him I speak face to face, clearly

and not in riddles; he sees the form of
the Lord. Why then were you not afraid
Have you ever been jealous of someone else? Check off the
situations that might make you jealous. to speak against my servant Moses?’ ”
____ A classmate beats you in an election for student council
“The anger of the Lord burned against

INTO
president.
____ Your parents praise your sibling for an accomplish- them, and he left them.
ment while making no mention of anything you’ve
done lately.
____ Your closest friend starts hanging around with THE “When the cloud lifted from above the
tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it be-

STORY
a new friend and doesn’t seem to have time came as white as snow. Aaron turned
for you anymore. toward her and saw that she had a
____ You work with other students on a group defiling skin disease, and he said to
project, but one person in the group Moses, ‘Please, my lord, I ask you not
gets all the credit and praise from the “Miriam and Aaron began to hold against us the sin we have so
teacher, while the rest of you are ig- to talk against Moses because foolishly committed. Do not let her be
of his Cushite wife, for he had like a stillborn infant coming from its
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nored.
____ Your best friend is better-looking and married a Cushite. ‘Has the Lord mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten
more popular than you are. spoken only through Moses?’ they away.’
asked. ‘Hasn’t he also spoken
through us?’ And the Lord heard “So Moses cried out to the Lord,
this. ‘Please God, heal her!’

did you “(Now Moses was a very humble

man, more humble than anyone
“The Lord replied to Moses, ‘If her
father had spit in her face, would she

know? oses’ wife, Zipporah,

else on the face of the earth.)

“At once the Lord said to Moses,

not have been in disgrace for seven
days? Confine her outside the camp
for seven days; after that she can be
was a Midianite. She Aaron and Miriam, ‘Come out to brought back.’ So Miriam was confined
42 the tent of meeting, all three of outside the camp for seven days, and
may have been very
dark-skinned. She was, you.’ So the three of them went the people did not move on till she was
however, a descendant of out. Then the Lord came down brought back.”
Abraham by his wife Keturah, and a worshipper in a pillar of cloud; he stood
at the entrance to the tent (Numbers 12:1-15, NIV)
of the true God. Ellen White calls her timid and
retiring in nature, gentle and affectionate, and and summoned Aaron and
greatly grieved at the sight of suffering. Miriam. When the two of
When Zipporah’s father, them stepped forward,
Jethro, brought her to rejoin he said, ‘Listen to my
Moses in the wilderness, she words: When there is
could tell just how tired and a prophet among
overworked Moses was. She told you, I, the Lord,
her father she was worried about reveal myself
him, and Jethro advised Moses to them in
on a plan for the administration
of the approximately 2 million unhappy
campers.

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 OUT punch lines
OF THE
“Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” (Prov-
erbs 27:4, NIV).

STORY “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his
ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way”
(Psalm 25:8, 9, NIV).
Who are the main characters in this story?
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the
bones” (Proverbs 14:30, NIV).

“Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple”

Why do you think Aaron and Miriam were jealous of Moses? (Job 5:2, NIV).

“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not

in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual im-
morality and debauchery, not in dissension and
Why do you think Aaron and Miriam focused on Moses’ wife as a target jealousy” (Romans 13:13, NIV).
when they felt angry?

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What qualities did Moses have that made him a good leader for Israel at
this time?

further
insight
Does God’s punishment seem a little harsh? Why was it directed at Miriam
and not at Aaron?

43
“The children of God are
Why do you think God needed Moses to “talk Him out of” punishing
Miriam with leprosy? called to be representatives
of Christ, showing forth the
goodness and mercy of the
Lord . . . Make it a rule never
What do you think Miriam and Aaron learned from this expe- to utter one word of doubt or
rience? What do you think Moses might have learned as a
discouragement. You can do much
result?
to brighten the life of others and
strengthen their efforts, by words of
hope and holy cheer.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to
Christ, pp. 115, 119, 120.

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 connectingtolife
Sabbath jealousy and resentment. Good leaders need
Read Hebrews 3:12-13. our encouragement and support.

I n the What Do You Think? section, you were

asked to think about your own experience
with jealousy and envy. In our reading today
Tuesday
Read Psalm 25:9.
Think about a leader you admire—a teacher
or pastor, one of your parents, or a friend your
Aaron and Miriam wondered why God spoke
only to Moses, not to them. I n the Flashlight section Ellen White says that
God was able to use Moses because Moses
recognized his own weakness. How can recog-
own age who is in a position of responsibility
in school, at church, or on a sports team. Take
a moment to call, email, or write a note to that
We don’t always understand why other people nizing your weakness make you a good leader? person telling them that you think they’re doing
get privileges and opportunities we don’t get. a good job!
But if a person is chosen by God to be a leader, Think about people you know of in different
at least part of the reason has to be that they leadership roles. What kinds of weaknesses Friday
leave themselves open to letting God lead in would they need to be aware of? For example, Read Exodus 15:19-21, Exodus 4:13-15,
their lives. At this point in Aaron’s and Miriam’s a teacher might tend to favor one student over Exodus 28:1, 2.
lives, they were focused on their own feelings—
feeling hurt, offended, and left out—and not on
how they could serve the Lord.
another. She would need to be aware of that
weakness so that she could be careful to treat
everyone equally.
O ne thing that Aaron and Miriam didn’t
pause to think about when they criticized
Moses was that they had special roles to play
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in God’s work too. What was Miriam’s role in

Think about your own life right now. Are you Pastor ____________________________ Israel?
open to letting God use you? If not, what’s Parent ____________________________
standing in the way? Business owner _____________________
Politician __________________________ What special jobs was Aaron given?
Sunday Church administrator _______________

R ead Numbers 12, then read through and

answer the Out of the Story study ques-
tions given in your lesson. Why do you think this
________________________________

Wednesday
What about you? Maybe you’ve been envious
of other people’s gifts without recognizing your
story is in the Bible? As you read it, how do you
feel about Moses? about Aaron and Miriam?
How does this story make you feel about God?
T he Bible verses in this week’s Punch
Lines section talk about how destructive
envy and jealousy can be. As you read through
own. What special role do you think God might
want you to play in your church, your school,
or your community?
44 these verses, think about who is getting hurt.
When you’re jealous of someone, is that feel-
ing most destructive to them or to you?

Monday Now read Numbers 12 again and think about Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International
Read Psalm 25:8, 9. what happened to Miriam. How could her Version ® . Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica,

I
Inc® . Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
n the Key Text for this week, God explains punishment be seen as an illustration of the
to Aaron and Miriam why He has chosen destructive power of jealousy?
Moses for a special role. It’s because Moses
has a special relationship with God—he is this week’s reading*
faithful and reliable, and God is able to speak Patriarchs and Prophets (or Be-
to him more directly than He can to others. It’s ginning of the End), chapters 33
kind of like God’s reference letter for Moses! and 31.
Thursday *Beginning of the End is a special adaptation of
If God were writing a reference letter for you, or Read 1 Thessalonians 5:11-13. Patriarchs and Prophets, created for you by the Ellen
describing to others what He sees in you, what
do you think God might say? Write it here: P eople in leadership positions are usually
under a lot of stress, as Moses was. In
that situation, they don’t need friends and fam-
G. White Estate and Pacific Press. Get more infor-
mation about it at www.cornerstoneconnections.net
/article/191/about-us/conflict-of-the-ages-compan
ily reacting like Aaron and Miriam did—with ion-books#.URlhF1rBO9s. By following the weekly
reading plan, you will read at least one book of the
Conflict of the Ages series each year.

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