It has to be one of the most peculiar stories in the Old Testament. In the book of Numbers, the Israelites grumble against Moses as he leads them through the wilderness on a journey that will eventually take them into the Promised Land. As they travel, they grow weary of the supernatural food called "manna" that God has provided and become frustrated with Moses' leadership.  What do they do? They complain.

"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 we loathe

this worthless food.'" (Num. 21:5)

Don't miss the irony. No food, no water and we hate the food. (Remind you of certain family members standing in front of a full closet or fridge whining about nothing to wear or eat?) They criticize God's generous provision and proven leadership. So what does God do? Well, He loves His children. He sends snakes!

"Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and

they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died." (Num. 21:6)

How's that for love? If it doesn't seem loving, think again. They were on a journey, under Moses' leadership, to the place that God had sworn to their forefather Abraham. God had called His people to serve Him and reveal His glory to the world so that the whole world would be drawn to Him. However, they were on the brink of making themselves incapable of following God's leading into the Promised Land. Ingratitude and rebellion had crept into their hearts, but they did not see it. What does God do? He takes the hidden inclinations of their hearts and manifests them in the circumstances of their lives. In other words, they might not have seen the disastrous condition and consequences of their own attitudes, but you know what? They sure could see snakes!

The remedy was as remarkable as the circumstance. God told Moses to make a bronze replica of the serpents and put it on a pole. Moses was then instructed to tell the people that when the serpents bit anyone, the injured person was to look at the snake on the stick and he would live. Notice this. The snakes were not taken away. However, when the afflicted person obeyed Moses and gratefully received God's provision, he was healed. You see, the snakes were not the root problem. Their hearts were. How many times do we ask God to change our circumstances when the better prayer is, "Lord, change my heart in this circumstance?" When the people of Israel dealt with the issue of their hearts, the snakes' venom had no power. You see, God showed His people that the venom of sin, the venom of ingratitude and rebellion, was far more deadly, with consequences more far-reaching, than the venom of snakes. Thanks be to God for His extraordinary gift and provision to us in Jesus.

"And 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)

He has taken the deadly venom of our sin into Himself on the cross. And He yearns for us to turn to Him in faith with our lives. What a mighty and loving God we serve! What a Savior we have been given!

See you Sunday.

Terrell