Speech that Brings Forth Good Days
ICS Daily Devotions

Numbers 12:1-2 (NKJV) Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it.

In this passage, Moses was on a mission to deliver the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. All they needed to do was to follow Moses, their leader appointed by God, but Miriam and Aaron started to speak against Moses and challenged his leadership and calling. It might have been difficult for an eloquent speaker like Aaron to follow a leader who stuttered. Therefore, if we don’t constantly remind ourselves of our roles, we may also slowly despise the leader whom God has placed over us.

However, God is absolutely clear regarding whom He has called and empowered to lead. He did not see Moses’ shortcomings because God showed Himself strong before him. Miriam and Aaron’s divisive work disrupted the plan of God, and God confronted them. The lesson for us here is not to speak against anointed leadership, because God backs His servants 100%.

Numbers 14:36-38 (KJV) And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord. But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

God also expected His people to have faith in His Word, the leaders that He has appointed and the fulfilment of His promise to them. Of the 12 spies who were sent, all 10 except Joshua and Caleb stirred up the crowd to murmur against Moses. They brought back a bad report by speaking words contrary to what the Lord had promised regarding a land flowing with milk and honey. They spread fear by saying that there were giants in the land. Eventually, all of them died by the plague and failed to enjoy good days. Their murmuring against Moses defeated them—they ate the fruit of their words!

On the other hand, Joshua and Caleb lived to enjoy the Promised Land because the report they brought back was in line with the Lord. While they did not deny the fact that there were giants in the land, they had faith and believed that they could conquer the land with God’s help.

Therefore, our word has power to bring life or death! If we want to enjoy good days, we should refrain from speaking against anointed leadership and speak in line with the vision that God has put in place.

Sermon Series: Cell Group Campaign 2023