Tag: bronze snake

The Cure for Complaining?

Numbers 21-22 

Shalom from Tennessee! This is Stephanie Schlegel writing this week as we continue through the Bible. We lived in Israel for 25+ years where our five children were born and raised. So I’ll be adding in some extra thoughts and pictures from and about Israel. 🙂   

The first verse of Numbers 21 caught my attention as it still relates to today! The king of Arad fought against Israel and took some captives! :0 I’ve been reading the news of the current captives slowly being released and talk of what to do with Gaza. Surprisingly, three times in chapter 21 Israel fought against their enemies and destroyed their cities and took possession of them. For a LONG time Israel has had to contend with those against them, including up to today!

In their travels they got thirsty, hungry, and cursed the manna God provided for them! It also says they spoke against God and Moses, their leaders. Thus, God sent fiery serpents among them, in which many were bitten and killed. So they asked forgiveness, and that Moses would pray to God to remove them. 

Included is a picture from the ABEKA Bible Flash-a-Card Series 3 of the life of Moses. These sets have many great pictures of Bible stories not normally seen in children’s books. We used them in our congregation’s children classes in Israel as they were taught in Hebrew. They’re great for home use as well for children and grandchildren. 

Complaining about what one eats is a good lesson for all ages! Bites from deadly snakes is a rough punishment in the desert. There was a period of time while raising our children that if they complained about the food I made for dinner then they’d be doing the dishes afterwards! The complaining stopped quickly! Actually, I wasn’t even sure if they liked what I made or not as they ate it with no comments. Haha! Occasionally, after a new recipe I’d let them vote after dinner on the count of three with a thumbs up or down (or sometimes in the middle), so I could get some feedback. 🙂

One of the teachers/moms in our children’s class in Israel made a “bronze serpent” on an upside down mop with paper twisted around the top of it and then covered with duct tape and spray painted it bronze.  It was a good visual aid for the kids! (I couldn’t find a picture of it since it was before the days of cell phones).

Jesus recalled this incident in John 3:14,15, “And 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.” Thankfully, we can look to Jesus during troubled times and after we’ve failed and need forgiveness. May God help us not to complain but to repent and give thanks.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31

-Stephanie Schlegel

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. What was the Israelites punishment for complaining? Did the punishment seem just or too harsh? What are some things that you’re complaining about that perhaps need to be addressed?

2. How does complaining against God, leaders, and food hurt us? What’s something we can do to change that?

3. The bronze serpent that they looked at to be saved eventually became an idol! Is there something in your life that has helped you that now has turned into a negative effect that maybe you should break away from? We can pray and ask God to show us and help us to turn from it.

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Surviving a Deadly Plague of Snakes

Numbers 21:9 NIV for SGL

Old Testament: Numbers 21 & 22

Poetry: Job 17

New Testament: Mark 3

In today’s reading, the Israelites needed a spiritual “blood transfusion.” Their sinful and rebellious attitude had shown itself in impatience, complaints about hardships, ingratitude for manna, and a lack of faith in God’s leader, Moses. This faithlessness resulted in a deadly plague of snakes that were killing the people.

The Israelites repented and asked Moses to intercede for them. God’s response required them to show their repentance by a simple act of faith. Moses made a bronze serpent and lifted it up on a pole. To be healed, people had to look at the serpent. If they didn’t believe God’s words, they wouldn’t look up and would therefore die. Only through faith could they be saved.

Homeopathic medicine is the practice of curing likes with likes. The patient receives diluted doses of substances that, at full strength, cause the same symptoms the patient already has. This type of medicine is used in many parts of the world, though it remains controversial among medical experts. In this instance, God prescribed a similar remedy for Israel, treating snake bites with a replica of a snake. Going a step further, God undid the effects of the plague through an image of the curse itself.

Today’s story begins with the people grumbling … again. It was the same old story: we’re dying, we’re starving, we don’t like the miraculous food, and we’re sorry we ever left Egypt. But this incident is unique; this time, the people repented.

In past events, Moses had asked God for mercy on behalf of the Israelites, but on this occasion, his prayers were prompted by a recognition of their sin that Israel hadn’t shown before. They realized on their own why the snakes were sent, and they confessed their sin. In that way, this was a spiritual breakthrough for Israel!

If God had followed the formula we’ve seen so far, we might expect Him to demand a sacrifice of some kind, like a lamb without defect. But the Lord told Moses to put a bronze snake, a picture of judgment, on a pole for all to see. He directed the people’s eyes, not to an image of purity, but to a symbol of wrath.

For healing to take place, the people had to close the loop of repentance. They sinned, confessed, and asked for mercy. The last step was to accept God’s remedy by faith and follow His instructions.

We often picture Christ as the perfect sacrifice, and that he is. But He also took upon Himself the shame of sin and the full penalty of wrath. In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus compared His upcoming crucifixion to the lifting up of the serpent in the desert. Let’s confess our sins, seek His mercy and turn our eyes to him, who not only gave his life but also received our punishment. Thank Him in word and in deed today.

Andy Cisneros

(Originally posted on March 3, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)

Reflection Questions

  1. What have you most recently complained about? Do you often complain? Is there a problem with complaining and grumbling? How do you think others view your complaining? How do you think God views it?
  2. What role does confession and repentance play in your relationship with God and others? How has God shown His mercy to you when you have repented? Is there anything you need to confess and repent of?
  3. After the Israelites confessed and repented what did they have to do next? What does God expect from us after confession and repentance?
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Set Free from Satan’s Venom (Numbers 21-23)

Sept. 7

talon-wed

By Talon Paul

In chapter 21 of Numbers, the Israelites set out on a journey from Mount Hor where they have been for some time since Aaron had died. As they were traveling, verse 4 says that they became impatient with YHWH and with Moses, and they began complaining about their hunger and thirst (have we seen this scenario before?). God punishes them by sending serpents to attack them and show them the error of their ways. Luckily for them, Moses intercedes for them. God commands Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole, and whenever the Israelites looked to the snake, they were healed from the venom of the snake.

The New Testament uses this illustration to describe Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross in John 3:14-16. It says that “the Son of Man must be lifted up”, talking about his crucifixion. The passage later says that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

Just as the Israelites looked to the bronze snake to be healed from the venom of the serpents, so we too can look to Jesus and be healed from the venom (sin) of the Great Snake (Satan). Jesus has provided a way for us to be healed from the pain and hurt that sin brings into our lives. All we are commanded to do is look to him, believe in him, and obey his commands. Praise God for such a wonderful sacrifice that sets us free from Satan’s venom in our lives!