Grace & Mercy

1 Chronicles 6:1-3
v1  Sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari
v2  Sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, & Uzzid
v3  Children of Amram: Aaron, Moses & Miriam

  Usually, only males were in the genealogies.  Now we come to the name of Miriam, a woman.
Sister of Aaron and Moses.

  These three children of Amram were distinguished leaders.  Chosen by God, Aaron became the high priest, along with his four sons to be priests assisting their father.

  Moses was called by God to lead over 2 million men, women & children out of Egyptian slavery.  Moses led them as far as the border of the Promised Land and it took 40 years. Exodus 2:1-10

  Miriam was also a leader.  And God dealt with her as a leader.  She was a great influence on the women and the men.  Moses, her brother, married a woman who was not a Jew.  She and Aaron attempted a coup against their own brother because they said,  “Listen” to what she said, “and they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses?  Has He not spoken through us as well?” 
Numbers 12:2  “And the LORD heard it.”

  God separated Moses, Aaron and Miriam from the people by telling them to go into the tent of meeting.  Then God chastised Aaron and Miriam for their rebellion against Moses, whom God chose to speak with personally.  Numbers 2:1-16

  Since God dealt only with Miriam and not Aaron, I believe she instigated the problems and the coup. God gave Miriam leprosy, and for a week she was taken outside the camp (A common practice for those with leprosy so the contagion would not infect others.)  God showed His grace (what Miriam did not deserve).   She was cured and brought back into camp.

God showed His mercy (Miriam did deserve harsh punishment), she could have been given a more severe sentence by God than one week’s isolation.

Consider this  ~

What grace of God have you received in your life?
You have gotten what you didn’t deserve from God.
What mercy of God have you received in your life?
You have not gotten what you do deserve from God.