The wilderness wanderings are coming to an end. God is leading the people out of the wilderness and toward the Promised Land. They still have a ways to go and a few more lessons to learn, but following the geographic clues of Numbers 21-22, they are heading toward the east side of the Jordan River.
But God is not done teaching them.
Once again they become impatient. Once again they complain about Moses' leadership.
"Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food" (21:5).
This time God sent poisonous snakes into the camp, killing many.
But the response of the people is completely different here.
In the other instances of rebellion, Moses and Aaron interceded. Moses called God to defend His glory and not wipe out the entire nation. Aaron took the incense to the camp and stopped the spread of a plague.
The people were passive in all the previous accounts. They didn't ask for God's intervention. They didn't have to do anything to change.
This time it's different.
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" (v 7).
They admitted their guilt. That's confession of sin. That had not been the case in the previous events.
They asked for God's intervention. That's humility. That had also not been the case in the previous events.
God instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent and put it on the pole. The instructions were simple. If a person had been bitten by a snake, they would die - unless they looked at the serpent on the pole. Those who believed and simply looked at the serpent were restored to health.
The people had to act on their faith. They had to make a decision to believe.
This is a major shift in the attitudes of the people. It took lots of death and almost 40 years for them to get it, but it looks like they did.
And the pattern is the same through the whole Bible.
Confrontation about sin.
Confession of sin.
Humility in asking for help from God.
Trusting God.
Acting upon that trust.
Follow this through:
Your sin is keeping you from eternity in heaven in the presence of a holy God (Romans 3:23) - confrontation.
Admit that (1 John 1:9) - confession.
God has provided a solution through the payment of the penalty (1 John 2:2) - ask God for help.
God's Word promises eternal life to those who believe in the person and work of His Son (1 John 5:12-13) - trust God.
God only requires that you do what He has said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). - act upon the trust.
Do you get it?
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