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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000711S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:06 Sermon #B711 - Watch Your Mouth 00:21 Dr. Byrd: Ready getting the word of God today and so I want to invite you to take your Bibles 00:27 and turn with me to the Book of Numbers. Numbers Chapter 12 is where we are going today, 00:32 Numbers chapter 12. I would invite you to go there with me 00:36 and we are going to read from the King James Version of the Bible. 00:38 I would encourage you, though, to read from perhaps some other versions 00:42 so you can get an even greater understanding of this text. New International Version, 00:46 Revised Standard Version, even the clear word of the Bible. If you are able when you go home this afternoon, 00:52 where you are at home I should say, but when you are at home and you are reading, 00:56 read this again from not just the King James version but also another version of the Bible. 01:01 I believe it will bless you like it blessed me this week. Remember, it is chapter 12, verse number 1. 01:08 We are going to read verses 1 through 10 from the King James Version of the Bible, 01:12 and I am gonna invite you to follow along with me as I read in your hearing. The word of God says, 01:17 "And Miriam and Aaron spake." That is the keyword there. They spake, if you are in the sanctuary, 01:24 I would say I said, "What?", and you would say, "spake." 01:26 "Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married 01:37 an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? 01:47 And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, 01:52 above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, 01:58 and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. 02:04 And they three came out. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, 02:10 and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. 02:17 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, 02:22 I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 02:30 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, 02:40 even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: 02:46 wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? 02:52 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed." 02:58 Verse 10, "And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, 03:07 white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous." 03:18 Let us pray. Father, we ask now that you would bless this word this day. We have studied, and we have prayed, 03:29 and we have considered what to say today. But Father, I ask that You do the preaching. You do the speaking. 03:37 You do the teaching and speak through Your servant this day. I asked that when the appeal time comes, 03:46 that men, women, boys, and girls all across the world will make a commitment for you today. 03:53 Thank You for hearing this prayer. Thank You for answering this prayer. Forgive me of my sins. 03:59 In Jesus' name, we pray, amen. 04:06 Numbers Chapter 12, verses 1 through 10, "And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses 04:12 because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman." 04:19 Today, our subject is simply entitled, "Watch your mouth." Watch your mouth. 04:28 All month long and harmony with National Women's History month, We have been talking about women. 04:36 We have been talking about women who have made huge contributions not just to women, 04:43 but women who have made huge contributions to men, women, boys, and girls. All month long, 04:52 we have been talking about women who have made contributions not just to their people, 04:57 but to all people. All month long, we have been talking about women who have made contributions not just 05:04 to their nation, but to the entire world. We talked about Esther. We talked about Ruth. 05:14 And today we talk about Miriam. Now, you need to understand that Miriam is from no ordinary family. 05:23 Miriam is the daughter of Amram and Jochebed, who are of the tribe of Levi. Miriam is the bold, 05:33 shrewd sister of Moses and Aaron who stood at the Nile River by the basket that carried Moses, 05:42 who saw when Pharaoh's daughter saw baby Moses. Miriam is the loving big sister who not wanting her baby 05:51 brother to be killed and wanting to preserve his Hebrew heritage, 05:55 arranged that Moses would be nursed by his own mother, Jochebed. 06:02 Miriam is the prophetess who after The Exodus from Egypt, and after The Exodus and their parting, 06:11 if you will, of the Red Sea. It was Miriam who grabbed a tambourine, 06:16 and she started beating that tambourine and leading the people in song, and dance, 06:22 and in praise to God. Miriam is the one, who along with her brother Aaron, 06:31 long live brother Aaron witness the hand of God and Moses, the intimacy of God with Moses, 06:39 the mighty calling of God unto Moses, the Miracles that God performed through Moses for the Israelite people. 06:48 But as Moses was being exalted more and more by the people, the Bible says it was Moses and Aaron- Miriam 07:03 and Aaron who got jealous of Moses. Miriam and Aaron wanted to be seen as equals with Moses. 07:16 It was not enough that Miriam was seen as the leading prophetess in Israel. 07:22 It was not enough that Aaron was the high priest over Israel. They wanted more. 07:31 They were very jealous of Moses' authority, 07:34 and so they blamed Moses's wife Zipporah for encouraging him to make decisions on his own without first 07:44 consulting them. You see, it was Zipporah, Moses' wife, who have seen the heavy burdens born by her husband. 07:53 So she expressed her concerns to her father Jethro because she was concerned about Moses' well-being. 08:01 So Jethro advised Moses to select some captains. Select others, 08:08 just share the responsibilities of administration with him. 08:13 But when Moses followed Jethro's counsel without first consulting Miriam and Aaron, 08:21 they became jealous of him and they blame Moses' wife Zipporah for what they considered Moses' 08:29 exclusion of them. 08:31 Now somebody wants to know, how could such a nice, protective, godly woman become angry, envious, bitter, 08:47 and jealous of her own brother? How could the same woman, who looked out for her brother at the Nile River, 08:57 and knew that God had a special calling on his life, 09:01 how could this same woman now become jealous of this same life? Well, 09:08 she could become this way in the same way. 09:10 We get jealous when our friend buys a new car when our neighbor gets a new house when our co-worker gets a 09:17 promotion, when our colleague gets an award, when our teammates score the winning basket, 09:25 or when our friend's kid gets the top ranking in the class. That is how. 09:30 It is called the green monster of jealousy. You see I have learned people want to see you do well, 09:39 but never better than them. Sadly, you can be and they can be in a secret competition with you, 09:46 and still be losing. You see, I have learned that some people only hate you 09:53 because of the way other people love you. But let me say this, do not hate the player, hate the game. 09:59 I wish I had a witness in his place. Ellen White makes it clear -- "Patriarchs and Prophets", 10:03 page 385, that envy is one of the most satanic traits that can exist in the human hearts. 10:11 Miriam is jealous of her brother. Miriam rebels against his authority, 10:19 and so Miriam attacks Moses personally in order to erode his leadership. 10:26 So our text says, Numbers chapter 12 verse number 1. Look at it. "And Miriam and Aaron spake." 10:35 Again, that is our keyword. "Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses 10:41 because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married. He had married an Ethiopian woman." Verse 2, 10:49 "And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us?" And the Lord, 10:58 because He is omnipresent, the Lord heard it. They speak against Moses, not just their brother, 11:09 but they speak against Moses -- God's servant. Not just because they contested his position of leadership. 11:18 Not just because they challenged his spiritual authority, but they speak also against Moses 11:25 because Moses married a sister. Moses married a black woman. You all do not hear what I am saying. 11:36 Moses married a black sister. She is from Ethiopia. Ethiopia is in Africa. Zipporah is from Ethiopia. 11:49 Zipporah is from Africa. The people in Ethiopia were known for their black skin, and we know this 11:58 because Jeremiah 13:23 clearly asks, can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard change his spots? 12:08 In the book I was reading entitled, "From Every People and Nation: A Biblical Theology of Race", Daniel Hays, 12:17 the author, writes that Kush, which is and can be translated as another word for Ethiopia 12:25 because Kush is where Ethiopia is today. He says, is used regularly to refer to the area south of Egypt, 12:33 and above the Cataracts of the Nile where a black African civilization flourished for over 2,000 years. 12:39 Moses married an Ethiopian black African woman. Moses' wife, Zipporah, was black, and in this text, 12:54 we have now the first indication of racial prejudice in scripture. Miriam 13:02 and Aaron were the first recorded persons to speak racism as a means to separate 13:08 and divide the people. Here they go, "Do you not think we would have been better if Moses would have married 13:16 one of us? Moses should not have married a black woman." Now that should not be foreign 13:23 because there is nothing new under the sun. That is what we have been hearing for the past couple of weeks. 13:30 Prince Harry should have married one of us. Prince Harry should not have taken and married a black woman. 13:39 Will Harry and Megan's baby's skin be dark? Will Archie be black? You are not ready for this today. 13:49 I know some of you do not like this, but it is the truth anyhow. Racism is real. Deny it all you want. 13:58 Refute it all you want. Negate it all you want. Turn a blind eye to it all you want. But racism is real 14:05 and it must stop. Now, somebody saying, "Pastor, you just need to stop. Racism will never stop. 14:11 Racism will never end until Jesus comes." Well, it may never end until Jesus comes but I will preach it, 14:17 and I preach against it in the church. It may not end in the world but it needs to end in the church 14:24 because we, who call ourselves Christians, are not going anywhere until we get rid of racism in the Church. 14:32 It is not always the devils outside the church, 14:35 but sometimes it is the devils in the church that are keeping up havoc. 14:40 I wish I had a witness in this place. And this silence, this complicity, this denial -- it must stop. 14:47 Some of the biggest racists are in the church and God is not pleased. As an African American Christian man, 14:55 I am not just here to speak against racism towards blacks, 15:00 I am also here to speak against racism towards all people, including Asian Americans. 15:07 What has been happening as of late to innocent Asian brothers and sisters is wrong. 15:13 Some people think that racism is dying out with time, and people do not think and act like that anymore. 15:19 That is not true. Racism is not dying. I would dare to suggest it is getting more widespread and more blatant. 15:27 The white male suspect, who allegedly targeted and shot the 8 Asian Americans in the Atlanta area this week, 15:35 was 21 years old. That is not a senior adult. That is a young adult, and barely a young adult at that. 15:45 That is somebody who was 9 years old when President Barack Obama became the president of the United States, 15:52 which suggests that racism is not dying out. It is still being taught every day. 15:59 You see if I can take these kids and they can interact like this, 16:06 and then they can enjoy each other's company, and then something is taught when they think 16:12 or act differently, you know we have a problem. Racism is real and it must stop in the church. 16:21 God did not like racism with Miriam and Aaron, and God does not like it now. 16:26 So Bible says God called all three of them together, Moses, Miriam, and Aaron, 16:34 and He has a talk with them. And in response to Miriam's criticism, in response to Miriam's prejudice, 16:42 in response to Miriam's foul mouth, God does not get angry with Moses. 16:48 God does not say one critical word against Moses for marrying a black woman, 16:53 but when Miriam opens up her mouth and she criticizes her brother, 16:59 the Bible says that God strikes her skin with leprosy. In essence, God is saying to Sister Miriam, 17:06 "You like being light-skinned? I will make you light-skinned. 17:10 Because if you ever thought about being black was a Biblical symbol for uncleanness, 17:15 a worse white uncleanness can come upon you." Numbers chapter 12 verse 10 says, 17:20 "When the cloud was removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam, was leprous like snow." 17:29 In other words, when the glory cloud departed, when God's cloud departed, Miriam became a leper, 17:38 which means when God goes, evil comes. Expect no good, friends of mine, when God departs. 17:46 Miriam was punished with leprosy for speaking against Moses and Moses' wife. 17:50 Her foul tongue was justly punished with a foul face, and that is a word for somebody today. 17:57 Watch your mouth. 17:59 That is the word for somebody today. Watch what you say. God does not like it when you talk evil 18:07 against people. God does not like it when you talk bad against people. 18:12 God does not like it when you gossip about people. God does not like it when you lie on people. 18:19 Watch your mouth. It was God who said in the Ten Commandments and commandment number 9, 18:25 Exodus chapter 20 verse 16, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." 18:29 In other words, "Thou shalt not lie." How many of us have seen people's characters assassinated, 18:34 reputation slandered, their names defamed, defaced, and devalued, 18:38 all based on someone who makes up some bogus charges against another person? 18:43 People talking about other people. They have no idea what they talking about. 18:46 Where people talking about other people and they know that what they are saying is not true, 18:50 but they say it just to cause intentional injury, hurt, and harm. 18:54 We just lie, lie, and lie. 18:59 But in the name of Jesus, watch your mouth. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord 19:06 and an unconsecrated tongue is like a torch fire in barren forests. 19:11 There are some people who are watching right now who can identify with this 19:14 because you have been the victim of unconsecrated tongues that have said things about you, 19:19 when you know it ain't been the truth, excuse my southern slang. 19:22 But let me give you some good advice to somebody today, always remember this, a lie cannot live. 19:27 I said a lie cannot live. Words may lie, but actions will always tell the truth. 19:31 I wish I had a witness in his place. Watch your mouth. Do not be so quick to believe everything you read, 19:37 hear or say. Everything on the internet is not true. Everything on social media is not true. 19:41 Everything somebody might be telling you is not true. 19:43 Everything somebody tells you may not be the way it actually was. You better consider your source 19:48 because every source is not reliable. When somebody comes running telling you something, 19:53 you better consider where you are getting from because anyone who brings foolishness to you. 19:58 You better be on guard because they bring that stuff to you. 20:01 You better know they will take you to somebody else. Watch your mouth. 20:06 People will say things about you not knowing anything about the person they are talking about. 20:11 People will spread stuff about you, what you like, what you do not like, who you are, who you are not, 20:18 what you are going to do, what you are not going to do, and they have never seen or met you. 20:23 If you walked into a room, they would not know who you were. I wish I had a witness in this place. 20:28 But watch your mouth. God does not like you talking bad about other people. 20:34 God does not like you lying on people. God does not like you talking stuff you have no business talking about. 20:41 Watch your mouth. 20:43 Now, the question begs, asking in the story, Miriam and Aaron both spoke against Moses. 20:52 They both spoke against Zipporah. So, why was Miriam the only one punished with leprosy? 21:04 What about Aaron? He was talking too. Well, for one the word "spake", which is the past tense of the word 21:13 "speaks" or "speak" in verse 1, is here in the feminine tense, meaning that Miriam was the main speaker. 21:24 So Miriam was held more responsible because she instigated the mess in the first place, 21:30 and then enlisted Aaron to support her. But not only that, if you look back at verse number 1, 21:35 look back at it, show it at the screen, look back at it. If you notice, Miriam, 21:40 her name is listed first before Aaron. Every other place in scripture, Aaron is listed first, 21:48 which suggests Miriam is listed first, which means then she is the main actress here. Number 3, 21:56 Aaron could not have functioned as high priest if he had been struck by leprosy, according to Leviticus. 22:03 So God may have spared Aaron so he could intercede on behalf of Miriam, 22:10 which means that God even in this is still merciful, is still loving, is still kind, 22:17 is not willing that any should perish so that all could come to repentance. 22:21 If he had stricken Aaron with leprosy, who as the high priest would have interceded for Miriam? 22:30 But not only that. Every individual is judged uniquely according to his or her abilities or potential. 22:37 Listen to me. Think about the way a small stain may not even be noticeable on a plaid shirt, 22:43 but it will stand out sharply on a white shirt. Miriam, in this context, is the white shirt, 22:52 and wrongdoing so slight might not be noticed in another 22:56 but it stands out sharply against her pristine background. Miriam was a prophetess. 23:04 Miriam was the praise and worship leader. Even the greatest and the holiest cannot get away with wrongdoing. 23:13 God's justice is custom-tailored to each individual based on who the individual is, 23:20 and what God expects from the individual. Luke chapter 12 verse number 48, it is very clear, 23:26 "That whom much is given, much is required." Miriam was punished with leprosy for speaking against Moses. 23:35 Miriam knew better. Then in verses 11 and 12, when you read it at home, 23:40 Aaron confesses to Moses that it was both of them, not just Miriam, 23:46 but both of them who had been wronged, and he starts begging Moses to pray for her. 23:54 He pleads on her behalf that she not die. In verse 13, Moses starts praying to God to forgive her. 24:02 Now, God again is gracious. God is merciful. God forgives her but she has leprosy, 24:09 the Bible says, for seven days. God said in verse number 14, 24:13 "Let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again." 24:22 Seven days of isolation outside the camp must have been horrible for Miriam 24:31 because something does not have to be long to feel long. 24:36 One day of the silent treatment from somebody you love can feel like one weak. 24:43 One week of the flu can feel like one month of the flu. 24:49 One month of being unemployed can feel like one year of being unemployed. 24:56 It does not have to be long to feel long. Somebody knows what I am talking about. 25:01 The record says that Miriam was healed, but she did not live long after that 25:06 and she died without seeing the promised land. 25:10 What am I trying to say? Watch your mouth. I said watch your mouth. Miriam was talking foolishness 25:19 and Miriam contracted leprosy. Watch your mouth. Watch your mouth! 25:25 The 42 children who were talking about Elisha. They were mocking Elisha. 25:31 They were taunting Elisha, but the Bible says they were eaten and killed by she-bears. 25:37 Watch your mouth. Ananias and Sapphira lied about the money they were going to give the church, 25:43 and they both dropped dead one after the other. Watch your mouth. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. 25:51 "Whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap." You have got to think before you speak. 25:58 Watch your mouth. I said watch your mouth. If you are going to say a word, say a word from the Lord, 26:09 watch your mouth. If you are going to say a word, say a Godly word, watch your mouth. 26:17 If you are going to say a word, say a word for the Lord. 26:21 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord in all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. 26:26 Come before his presence with singing. Know thee that the Lord, he is God, it is He that hath made us 26:29 and not we ourselves. We are His people, the Sheep of his pasture, enter into His gates with thanksgiving, 26:35 into his courts with praise, and be thankful unto him, and bless his name for the Lord is good. 26:40 His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations. If you are going to say a word, 26:46 say a word for the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary. 26:52 Praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise him for His mighty acts. 26:57 Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet. 27:01 Praise Him with the timbrel, psaltery, and the harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and the dance. 27:06 Praise Him with the string instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals. 27:11 Praise Him upon the high-sounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. 27:17 Praise ye the Lord. If you are going to say a word, say a word for the Lord. 27:22 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, 27:27 that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 27:31 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, 27:36 and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If you are going to say a word, say a word for the Lord. 27:46 Watch your mouth. Watch your mouth. 27:58 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 28:02 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 28:07 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 28:09 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 28:15 Or, call us at (256) 929-6460. 28:21 [END] |
Revised 2021-03-25