History through theology - Israel's oral tradition

These biblical passages contain very ancient material from over 3000 years ago. More recent research has discovered that the very ancient biblical material survived in oral form for centuries before it was written down. Being handed on by word of mouth was a process which streamlined the material or embellished it according to its continued importance for Israel. The written records explain what impact or difference that a piece of history made to the Israelites, rather than giving a balanced account of the history.

God's purposes

According to Jewish faith God's purposes are worked out through history. The delivery from Egypt is an example of God identifying with Israel's suffering and intervening in human affairs to accomplish Israel's purpose. God is known by acting in historical events and is not aloof from the human scene of suffering.

Miriam's story may highlight the difficulty of distinguishing between accomplishing God's purposes and her own ones. As a young girl Miriam, delivered Israel's future deliverer through her actions by the river (Exodus 2:1-10) but she later tries to interfere in God's plans for Israel's leadership and comes to grief.

God's presence

A lively sense of God's presence on earth runs through the Old Testament / Hebrew Bible and is enriched by the Incarnation in the New Testament. It is mostly described in anthropomorphic (human) terms and this directness and simplicity has kept the experience of God's presence real and vivid. It is not so much God's spirit but the full and living personality that is the basis of Old Testament / Hebrew Bible faith. This does not deny a 'beyond-earth' dwelling place for God but for the ancient Hebrew there was no problem as to what form God took to appear on earth. God was thought of in human terms without question. He was spoken of as having a bodily presence and bodily parts to describe experiences of God. Moses was allowed to see God's FACE, but later thought was revolted by the simple anthropomorphism, so the editors allowed Moses to see only the 'back parts' of God's retreating figure. Ex. 33:17-23.

Places became holy or sacred because of God's presence in person, and became places of worship or asylum. People went to the sanctuary to 'see God's face' and so have some kind of 'audience' with God. Later this became the less anthropomorphic 'to appear before God'. In the course of time such simple anthropomorphism became inadequate to represent the full power and transcendence of God. There had to be a way of speaking of God's earthly presence whilst safeguarding his majesty and omnipotence. One of the earliest ways in which the presence of God was represented was that of the Ark. Another tradition records the pillar of smoke by day and fire by night as depicting God's presence. The cloud was a symbol both of God's presence and a veil to hide the brilliance and strength of it. The cloud veiled God's glory, which was a later term used to express what people apprehend of the presence of God, on earth. Throughout the New Testament Jesus is presented as the glory of God.

God's methods of communication

This passage suggests that God uses different methods of communication with human beings for different situations. Prophets receive revelations of God in visions and God speaks to them through dreams. It implies that these are indirect methods or in 'riddle' form, whereas God speaks directly to Moses. The indirect, enigmatic methods protect the pure word of God, which only Moses can hear directly ('face to face'). This explains why people have such difficulty 'hearing' or 'seeing' spiritual matters. There is a sense in which they are being deliberately withheld until perhaps they are ready to receive them. The theme of seeing and hearing but not understanding is found throughout the Bible, emphasising the mystery of revelation and faith.

Prophecy - a spiritual gift to deliver God's message

In the Bible, God endows people with natural abilities and spiritual gifts to accomplish his purposes. Each individual has the choice to devote these talents to God's service or to seek their own glory. The result of lack of faith or misuse of the gifts can be the withdrawal of those gifts.

God's spirit was believed to be upon prophets bestowing them with charisma. The gift of prophecy was to do with 'forth-telling' God's will in the crisis of that time, rather than 'foretelling' future events. The prophets discerned in the stirring events of their time, the character and purpose of God and especially his judgement and salvation.

God was seen as acting through natural events and people. As a prophetess, Miriam was a spokeswoman for God. Here is an example of Miriam's natural spontaneous singing and playing in praise of God's deliverance from Egypt. She had discerned God's action in Israel's safe escape and in response she sang in praise of God, leading the women and supporting Moses' leadership.

Praise

Miriam is a good example of leadership in singing God's praises. There was an understanding that God was to be worshipped wherever he had appeared and so the praise was natural after God's deliverance from Egypt. Praise was a natural human response of gratitude to God for deliverance and involved joyfulness through singing, playing tambourines and dancing. It was a celebration of the covenant relationship between God and Israel.

Miracles - signs of God's involvement in history

God's 'miraculous' intervention punctuates the Bible. Here two events have a miraculous nature: the Exodus and Miriam's leprosy. Biblical scholarship has sought scientific or rational explanations for miracles. So, the plagues and sea opening up for the safe delivery of the Israelites could be accounted for by geological upheavals and the ensuing natural calamities or opportunities. Leprosy was a common skin complaint and as all sickness was understood to be God's punishment for sin, Miriam's skin condition would have been linked with her having displeased God. Its miraculous disappearance requires some additional explanation! Whatever literally happens in such miracles is less important than the interpretation and meaning that is given to them at the time. Scientific explanations do not detract from 'the great turning points in religious history where an individual or group of people wonder and keep on wondering, at a natural or historical event or both together, which intervenes fatefully in the life of this individual or group' (Martin Buber). The Exodus from Egypt was one such event and turning point for the Israelites. It had overwhelming significance for Israel. Moses unique leadership too, was seen as vital in establishing the Israelites as a unique people.

Sin

The Israelites regarded a person as responsible for all their actions because every action had an effect. Suffering was seen by many as the result of sin and was an explanation for anyone's suffering - it was their fault for having sinned. Suffering and misfortune were identified by some with the visible signs of the wrath of God on human sin. The Bible portrays both individual and communal sin and the remedy in forgiveness. Sin harms relationships, forgiveness restores them. Miriam's behaviour is judged as sinful. It harmed her relationship with Moses and God. On the other hand, her good relationship with Aaron is the means whereby her sin is forgiven and relationships restored.

Status of Women

It is in such an area as gender that religion and culture are closely intertwined, each influencing the other, with one or the other at times dominating.

Genesis 1:26 claims both men and women are made 'in the image of God' and therefore equal before God, but it has taken both Judaism and Christianity a very long time to understand its full implications and respond according to its challenges. Jews and Christians are still working this important and controversial issue out in practice.

There is the paradox in the Bible of women participating in important religious events and rituals and yet being side-lined in the way in which they and their achievements are presented. However, women have played a significant role in Israel's history through for example, Sarah, Deborah, Hannah, Ruth, Esther and here Miriam. In Christian tradition women take centre stage at key moments - in Jesus' birth and as the first witnesses to his resurrection.

The secondary status of Miriam's role is clear: Moses' leadership had to be emphasised and his close relationship with God, so perhaps Miriam needed to be put in her place and she was indeed punished - she was prepared to criticise Moses and questioned God. It is difficult, therefore, to know how much this punishment was justified. Recent feminist theology is highlighting prejudice and misinterpretation in the Bible.