Numbers 21:4-9
"Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 5 And the 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 our soul loathes this worthless bread.” 6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.
7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."
How often is it that the tough situations God
hands us, to point us back to Him, discourage us and cause us to grumble. This happened to Israel as they had to go
around Edom. This route was especially
hard and hazardous. We tend to lose a
godly perspective in such times, and despise God’s deliverance and
provision. Israel thought it better to
be back in Egypt – they came to hate the manna God miraculously provided day by
day. Complaining comes to us quickly
when things aren’t exactly how we want them.
But God in His infinite providence sends us every circumstance for a
reason.
Let us confess our sins before almighty God.
Assurance of Forgiveness:
When we admit our sin, God
provides healing. He gives us a mediator,
a go-between. Moses was a pre-quel to
the real one, the only one, Jesus Christ.
As we look to Jesus, lifted up like the bronze serpent, we are delivered
from the guilt of our sins and from certain spiritual death. You can live again, but only by looking to
the cross of Jesus.
9/18/16
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