Miriam Speaks Against Moses, Sub-junior - I, Lesson - 8

SUB-JUNIOR
AGE: 8 - 9 YEARS
STANDARD/GRADE: III & IV

Permission is granted only for free distribution among Sunday School children.

No part of this document can be modified, sold or used for any commercial purpose.

LESSON – 8

MIRIAM SPEAKS AGAINST MOSES

Click this link to get the other Sub-junior lessons

Moses, the leader of the Israelites had an elder brother named Aaron and an elder sister named Miriam. Yes, it is the same Miriam who was keeping a watch on her baby brother in the bulrush basket near the Nile River. Many years passed and Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt through a vast desert. It was a difficult and dangerous journey. Whenever there was any problem, the Israelites got upset with Moses and they complained.  

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Once Moses’ siblings Miriam and Aaron too got upset with Moses. Moses had married Zipporah, who was from an Ethiopian tribe (also called a Cushite). Moses’ sister Miriam spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman he had married. The exact reason why they got upset with Moses is not mentioned in the Holy Bible. It could have been because of certain customs the Ethiopian woman followed. Whatever the reason, Aaron and Miriam began to ridicule Moses and they said "Did God only talk to Moses? Didn't he talk to us, too?" 

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

But guess who was hearing that! God heard Miriam and Aaron contending with Moses, so God asked them to come to the Tent of meeting. They went to the Tent and the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the Tent. God called for Aaron and Miriam. They both went forward. God asked them why they weren't afraid to say bad things about Moses. God explained that Moses was set apart, which means he is specially selected by God to lead a holy life and to serve God.  God spoke to Moses face to face, not in dreams or visions unlike the other prophets.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Then God was angry at Aaron and Miriam, so he left and the pillar of cloud was gone. Aaron looked at his sister Miriam and saw that God had punished her with leprosy. Aaron begged Moses to forgive them. Leprosy was a terrible disease. Usually, people with leprosy had to leave their family and live outside the camp. Moses pleaded with God to forgive her. The Lord told Moses to keep her outside the camp for seven days. So, Miriam had to leave the camp and stay outside. 

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

She was healed after seven days and was accepted back into the camp.

(Notes: Even though, the Holy Bible doesn’t explicitly state the name of Moses’ wife in this passage, it is generally considered that the woman mentioned here is Zipporah). 

Bible Reference: Numbers 12

Memory verse: Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God (Romans 13: 1)

Click this link to learn how to organize VBS / Retreats

Click this link to get Sunday School Guidelines (Part - 1) - Division of Sunday School Classes 

  Click this link to get Sunday School Guidelines (Part - 2) - Effective & Creative Teaching methods for Sunday School 

Click this link to learn how to help kids memorize Bible Verses

For Sunday School activities and stories in English https://jacobsladderactivity.blogspot.com/

Click this link and visit devotions blog to read Christian articles 

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

Answer the following questions: 

1. Name the sister of Moses. ……………………….   

2. Whose daughter was Zipporah?

    .......................................................................

3. Where did God ask Aaron and Miriam to come?

    ........................................................................

4. How was Miriam punished for speaking against Moses?

    ........................................................................

5. For how many days was Miriam sent out of the camp?

    ........................................................................ 

Fill in the blanks: 

1. ...................... had dark skin whereas the Israelites had      fair skin.

2. The Lord came down in the ........................ and stood in the door of the Tent.

3. God spoke to Moses......................, not in dreams or visions.

4. Moses was the most .................... person on the face of the earth.

5. After .............. days Miriam was healed.