Numbers 21:8,9
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent,and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.” And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.”
The people were having a difficult time. They had tried to go through Edom, but were deterred by the military. Later they were attacked by the Canaanites. They retaliated and moved on. They were thirsty, tired and hungry for substantial food. They were also road weary. They wanted to stop moving. All this is legitimate. However, they began to complain against Moses and God. As a punishment, God sent snakes their way. Many were bit and died. They came to Moses and apologized and asked to be delivered. God instructed that he make a bronze serpent and raise it up on a staff. When people would go to it and look upon it, they would live.
God’s workings with Israel are to be a lesson with us. I’m grateful for His patience. He doesn’t want us to complain. He will correct us, if we do. I’m grateful it’s not with snakes. He will correct us, though. It may be through our conscience, through the comments of others, sometimes our complaints get us in trouble. We can lose friends. People don’t like to be around negative, bitter people.
God’s workings with Israel are to be a lesson with us. I’m grateful for His patience. He doesn’t want us to complain. He will correct us, if we do. I’m grateful it’s not with snakes. He will correct us, though. It may be through our conscience, through the comments of others, sometimes our complaints get us in trouble. We can lose friends. People don’t like to be around negative, bitter people.
God gives special warning against bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 says, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled”. It’s like a poisonous infection. It hurts us and tends to be contagious. This passage talks about many being affected. Unfortunately negativity spreads more quickly than hope. It’s ok to feel badly about a situation. It’s also fine to vent about it. It starts to go bad when we perseverate on it and begin to blame.
God’s remedy of the snake is an interesting one. It’s a type of Christ. We sin and as our lives start to sour because of it. If we look to the cross and His forgiving work, we can receive forgiveness. Jesus referred to Himself in this context in John 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up”. The people looked to the serpent and lived. The effects of the poisonous snakes were reversed. So also He wants to make us whole.
Lord, thank You for a way out. Thank You for sending Jesus to pay the price for our sin. Thank You for hope and healing.