lifesaving sign

Wednesday, November 14, 2007: Psalm 61, Numbers 20-21

In chapter 20, Miriam dies; Moses strikes the rock instead of speaking to it as God told him, and thus does not get to go into the Promised land (but God still releases water from the rock for the people...); and Aaron dies.

And again, "the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses..." Grumbling and complaining again! Unbelievable. Those people. It's like they have a chronic and terminal disease. This time God sends fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and many died.

And the people come and say "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he may take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people, And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
(Numbers 21:7-9)

This pattern is amazing. It keeps happening over and over. The people grumble and complain and speak against God. God disciplines them. And then God forgives them and continues to make a way for them.

Jesus, of course, uses this image in John 3:14-15,
"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
He says this to Nicodemus who is questioning him about the kingdom and the new birth. Could he be saying that the One against whom you speak and complain again and again is the One who disciplines you is the One who will be crucified for you to save you?

There is a remedy for our sin-sick condition. The goodness and lovingkindness of the Lord. He bears our sins. He receives our biting and poisonous thoughts and words. And he ends the distrust and violence and hate in his body on that tree. Let us look to him and be healed. Trust in him and live.