Scripture says that God told Moses to put a snake on a stick. What's that about?
I was in a small group study the other morning and we were discussing the 21st chapter of numbers.
The people were wandering around in the wilderness and were complaining.
"We don't like this food! "
"We ain't got any water! "
God got tired of it and sent a bunch of snakes after them.
They caught a clue after some of them got bit and started dying. They admitted they were wrong, and asked Moses to pray about getting rid of the snakes.
So God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a stick so the people could look at it and be healed.
I know. It sounds strange.
Here's the text:
Then they traveled from Mount Horeb on the road toward the Red Sea in order to go around the land of Edom;
but the people’s tempers grew short because of the detour.
The people spoke against God and against Moses:
“Why'd you bring us up out of Egypt? To die in the desert? There’s no real food, there’s no water, and we’re sick of this miserable stuff we’re eating!”
In response, the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people;
they bit the people, and many of Israel’s people died.
The people came to Moses and said,
“We sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he rid us of these snakes.”
Moses prayed for the people, and the Lord answered Moses:
“Make a poisonous snake and put it on a pole. When anyone who has been bitten sees it, he will live.”
Moses made a bronze snake and put it on the pole;
if a snake had bitten someone, then, when he looked toward the bronze snake, he stayed alive.
Numbers 21:4-9 CJB
I wonder how many people died because of snake bites before Moses put up the pole.
What I really wonder is how many people died because they didn't go and look at the snake on the pole.
Those people seem to be particularly hard headed.
Always complaining.
Always wanting to do things their own way.
But we ain't no better. We might even be worse.
In the last 50 years, 60 million children or so never got the chance to see the light of day.
Violent crime is up.
So are thefts, fraud, vandalism.
There's are a lot of things like these that we can't talk about YouTube.
Maybe on bitchute or rumble.
The apostle John quotes Jesus in his gospel.
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that everyone who trusts in him would not perish, but may have eternal life. John 3:14-15 CJB
You have to watch your versions. This passage had a phrase missing in all the modern translations I've looked at.
The venom of that snake I talked about before has got a lot of different symptoms:
Lying,
cheating,
stealing,
sleeping around,
lusting after people and things,
drunkenness,
drug abuse and a bunch of other things.
You've done them.
We've all done them.
If you've been bitten by the snake, and haven't yet looked up at that pole, the cross, where Jesus died, I ask that you do it now.
Admit what you've done wrong and ask for forgiveness.
Believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again as a payment for your sins.
Confess that Jesus is Lord and call on him for salvation. Choose to allow God to be in charge of your life.
If you can believe and would like to be saved from your sins pray a simple prayer like this:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I'm a sinner,
And I ask you for forgiveness.
I believe you died for my sins
And rose from the dead.
I turn from my sins
and invite you to come into my heart and life.
I want to trust and follow you
As my lord
And savior.
In your name I pray,
Amen.
Now go out and find yourself a Bible believing church and get involved. You might find a new set of friends. You might find new things to do with your life.
Your life just may get better.
Y'all have a good day, and God bless ya.