In Numbers 21: 4-9, we read a story of how God sheds His
grace on His people even when they have scorned His grace. The Israelites had
been wandering in the desert for near 40 years now. The path from Egypt to the
Promised Land should only have taken a few weeks, but instead took 40 years
because of the Israelites disobedience and faithlessness. God had, in GRACE,
saved them from Egypt, yet they cursed him. So God told them that no one over
the age of 20 should enter the Promised Land, but by GRACE, their children
would. The Israelites complained about not having water. By GRACE, God gave
them water. They complained of no food. By GRACE, God have them food in the
form of manna. Time and time again, the Israelites feared for their safety and
by GRACE, God saved them from their enemies. By GRACE God even told them how to
build the Ark of the Tabernacle so that He could dwell right there with them!
“But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke
against God and against Moses, and said, ‘Why have you brought us up out of
Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest
this miserable food!” (Numbers 21: 4b-5).
This is not the first time that the Israelites had rejected
God’s grace and certainly not the last, as only God knew at the time. If you read
Jesus’ words in John 6:32-59, you will see that Jesus calls himself the Bread
of Life come down from heaven. God’s biggest act of GRACE involved sending His
only son down to pay our penalty for sin so we may live with God in heaven—the
true, eternal Promised Land. Yet people would reject Jesus, the Bread of Life,
and still reject Jesus, the Bread of Life. So how should God respond to this
blasphemous complaining?
“Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them: they bit the
people and many Israelites died” (Numbers 21:6).
This seems a bit harsh when we read it. Really, God? Do you
really think that is going to make the Israelites love you more? We ask.
I see this differently. I see the snakes as a strange form of
GRACE.
First, the curse mentioned in Numbers 14:28-34 stated that
Israel would not enter the Promised Land until after everyone over the age of
20 at the initial disobedience had died. Perhaps this was a way for God to
speed up the process, so that the children of the Israelites could sooner
experience the Land of Milk and Honey rather than the Land of Detestable Manna.
As a mother of 4, I can see how this forced sacrifice of myself would be worth
it, so my children could be blessed sooner.
Second, God is giving the Israelites what they were begging
for. They were tired of wandering, tired of eating Manna, tired of the
suffering. God provided a quick resolution to this, by sending snakes to end it
for them. This is an example of God respecting Man’s Free Will. Much like when
people decide that they do not want a relationship with God, He, after an
entire lifetime of chasing the person, will grant them their wish. Rather than
force them to live an eternity with Him in heaven, He allows them to go to a place
where nothing of God exists. This place is Hell and it is a place of torment
and anguish, because that is what a place devoid of God and full of sin would
be.
Third, it is a reminder. When Satan led Adam and Eve to
commit the Original Sin, he took the form of a serpent. Ever since, Satan has
been lurking in every person’s life, waiting to sink his venomous teeth into
them, knowing that some would reject the anti-venom that is Jesus’ death on the
cross. This threat remains. Just as snakes lay in hiding, waiting for an
unsuspecting foot to step too close, so does Satan and his demons. People
always talk about angels being everywhere. We forget that there are also demons
around us. God could have sent a pack of lions, a plague of scorpions, or a
disease, but he chose snakes/serpents. I doubt this is a coincidence.
Fourth, it is a warning. Do not reject the bread God has
sent. In the Israelites’ time, the rejected bread was the manna and it led to
physical death. In the time of Christ, the rejected Bread was and continues to
be Jesus and it leads to spiritual death for eternity. God knew that the story would be shared
generation to generation and it would encourage the Israelites to accept the
free gift that Jesus offers.
Again, this may not seem like GRACE until you consider the
consequences of the Israelites not learning from the experience. God is
relentless and will do anything in his power to show us His love for us.
The story doesn’t end there.
“The people came to Moses and said, ‘We sinned when we spoke
against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away
from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a
pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses make a bronze
snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and
looked at the bronze snake, he lived” (vv. 7-9).
The people repented, and God showed GRACE. Notice he didn’t
answer their prayer exactly. The text doesn’t say that He removed the snakes
from the camp. They were still there, causing trouble, biting people, nesting
in their possessions, etc. God simply provided a way out. Once bitten, they
need only to look at the bronze snake Moses had made and God would save them.
Much the same, God does not always remove Sin and temptation from our
surroundings, but instead of a statue on a pole, he put his Son on a cross for
all to see. We need only to look to Jesus and we will live, for all eternity.
I encourage you to look for examples of God’s GRACE upon
GRACE in your life. Perhaps God gave you a great childhood yet you chose a life
of drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. but God has redeemed your life so that you may
give your children a great childhood. GRACE. Perhaps God once put a life inside
your womb but you chose abortion and now God has given you the blessing of
another child. GRACE. Perhaps God gave you a spouse but you divorced long ago,
and now God has given you a great second marriage. GRACE. Perhaps God gave you
a way to provide for your family but you quit your job and now God has given
you a great job. GRACE. Perhaps God placed someone in your life but sin
destroyed the friendship and now has restored it. GRACE.
I know someone needs to hear this part. There is someone out
there who had a relationship with God at some point in their life. They met Him
at a Young Life camp in high school. Or they first heard about Him in their
dorm room at college. Or their parents sang them Jesus Loves Me every night
before bed as a toddler. Yet they have turned away from Him. I urge you once
again to read John 6. In vv. 37-39,
Jesus affirms that those who are given to him, he will not drive away but will
raise them up to him at the last day. When we turned to Jesus we grab his hand
but we forget that Jesus will never let go of our grasp. He is jealous for us
and will not leave us, no matter how hard we try to leave him. Turn and look at
Him. He is right there.
“Grace be with you all.” Hebrews 13:25
Listen now to one of my favorite songs:
