Numbers 21:4-9
4From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” 6Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
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“Snakes…why’d it have to be snakes?” This line spoken by Indiana Jones speaks to a core fear of many people, snakes. The people of Israel were delivered from Egypt in dramatic fashion, they were led by Moses in the wilderness. Despite many miraculous events on their journey, they complained against Moses and God. Then came poisonous snakes, the people acknowledged their sin and asked Moses to pray to God to take the serpents away. God did not answer their prayer in the way they asked, God made this a learning moment. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. The serpent infestation persisted, and the snakes continued to bite the people. They needed to demonstrate their faith. If bitten by a snake, they looked up to the bronze serpent on the pole and they would live.
This passage in Numbers is a lesson that directly relates to the image of Christ on the cross in the New Testament. Note that John 3:14 states “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him”.
Prayer: Dear Lord, there are times in my life where my sins make me feel like I am surrounded by poisonous snakes. I know that you died on the cross to forgive my sin, help me to look up to the cross and claim the gift of abundant life in you. Amen
—Mark Pladson