Numbers 21 begins by recounting how a Canaanite king threatened God’s people. He attacked and took some of them captive. In their distress, the people sought God’s blessing. With His help, they achieved a decisive victory over the king.
They relied entirely on God for their triumph, keeping their vow by utterly destroying the Canaanite cities.
Defeat Following Victory
If you’ve journeyed with the Lord for any amount of time, you’ve likely faced either a major temptation or a setback after a significant triumph. This was true for the Israelites.
The Israelites had earlier faced the Edomites, who denied them passage through their land. Moses then redirected them, causing a sense of aimless wandering.
Despite their recent victories, their self-assurance led to complaints about the food God had provided for 40 years.
Going beyond the complaints of their elders, they not only lamented the monotony of manna but also labeled it as miserable bread. They viewed it as vile and despicable, disregarding that it was a gift from the Lord.
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, but the people became discouraged on the way.
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 we detest this miserable food” (Numbers 21:4-5).
Jesus described Himself as a form of bread, calling Himself the true bread from heaven in John 6. Therefore, rejecting God’s heavenly manna is similar to turning away from the grace of God found in His Savior.
In his commentary on numbers, Ronald Allen notes that complaining follows a pattern. It becomes a habit. People who complain often don’t become less critical over time. Eventually, constant complaining can be self-destructive.
In this instance, destruction came in the form of snakes.
Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. (Numbers 21:6).
Repentance, Prayer and Healing
The people confessed their sins and asked Moses to pray a desperate 911 prayer for help.
The 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.
And 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.”
So 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 (Numbers 21:7-9).
God’s directions to Moses were unusual in many ways.
(1) The snakes were active, but Moses had to take the time to make a metal image of a snake. If I were bitten by a snake, I’d want quicker action.
(2) In Exodus 20:4-6, Moses warned about the dangers of idolatry. However, in this instance, God commanded him to create a graven image.
(3) Since Genesis 3, Satan has been linked to the snake. The garden was his first appearance. Later, in Revelation 20:2, he is referred to as the primordial serpent or the dragon.
With these thoughts in mind, it’s fascinating to consider what God asked Moses to do. God told him to create something detestable in their culture and lift it high on a pole as their only way to be saved from disease.
When we think about Jesus, he took the horrific event of crucifixion, and if people looked at him, they would find salvation too.
“And just 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 (John 3:14-15).
Reflections
Over the years, I haven’t kept count, but I know many people who have looked to Jesus for salvation.
They were bitten by the snake of sin, just like me. Yet, they turned in faith to what Jesus did on the cross. Not only were they healed of sin’s guilt, but they were also given new life.
This is the gift of our gracious God: turning our horrible mistakes into places of His healing touch.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 