NITNF will usually be a bit of trivia that I found interesting and thought you would like. It may be IR-related and it might not -- but should always be fun...or at least fascinating.
The first few NITNFs have been kind of light and fluffy, so I wanted to cover a topic with a bit more substance this week: the interracial marriage of Moses and Zipporah!
Unlike the not quite apparent difference in skin tones in the animated movie "The Prince of Egypt," the Bible makes it very clear that Moses' wife was Ethiopian while Moses was a Hebrew. Not only that but his interracial marriage with Zipporah actually caused family tensions with his sister, Miriam and even Aaron. This displeased God so much that He punished Miriam. Moses had to plead for mercy for her and even then, God still wanted to make an example that her bigotry displeased Him.
My take: God was no respecter of persons then and He is no respecter of persons now. God loves all nations and He hates racism and bigotry. Take that how you will concerning the events that are in the news today.
The whole account is in Chapter 12 of Numbers in the Old Testament. I realize that not all people agree on the Bible but it's fascinating reading.
Numbers 12: 1 -16 (King James Version)
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.
And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.
And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
2 comments:
It's not just the animated movie that glosses over skin tone differences. The new Ten Commandments movie, which does include Zipporah in it (the Yul Bryner one skips that whole part of the story), doesn't make the racial difference clear, either, as near as I can remember. I hadn't even thought about it, so thanks for pointing it out.
Off to do some Bible studying.
WoW! educational!
great post!
Prove what I've said many times.
Only people care about race, God cares about your heart.
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