April 14, 2022
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.” Numbers 21:5
The people of Israel, after God had saved them from slavery in Egypt, could certainly let the accusations fly when faced with discouragement. They failed to appreciate the protection from wilderness dangers that God had provided, and even found fault with their blessings. This indulgence of a spirit of discontent resulted in withdrawal of God’s protection, heretofore a blessing that they had not even noticed.
So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. 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.” 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. Numbers 21:6-9
This peculiar remedy was a simple test. Of course they knew that there was no actual healing power in the bronze serpent on the pole. The healing came from God alone. In wisdom, He displayed His power in this way, that they might learn the lesson: sinful attitudes served only to bring woe, and simple obedience by faith removed fear and brought assurance. This remedy was not explained to the people at the time. To look in faith was understood only by those willing to look. Faith is a gift from God, but the choice to exercise that faith is left up to us. Centuries later, the apostle John would quote Jesus as He spoke with Nicodemus during the visit by night:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:14-15
The exercise of our will to look to Jesus, trusting Him for every need, is a discipline that can and should become as natural as breathing. Look to Him in faith…and live!
During the reign of King Hezekiah, some 800 years later, the bronze serpent on the pole was still around. But instead of using it as a reminder of the power of God upon those who obey Him, it had been turned into an idol, and even given a name (see 2 Kings 18:4). King Hezekiah destroyed it! If we are not worshiping the one and only true God—and obedience to Him is a major element of our worship—then we will worship something or someone else. This is paganism. It has been God’s instruction all along to guard against being lured away from Him with pagan practices. Most are counted as “harmless” but in actuality, the opposite is true. The wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, was led away from his deep loyalty towards God through interaction with pagans and joining in on their practices (see 1 Kings 11). Fortunately, he returned to the LORD at the end of his life. But oh! the regrets, and the irreversible harm done to others . . . !!
“Look to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:22