Numbers 21:4-9
"They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against G-d 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!' Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 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 made 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.'"THOUGHTS:
Israel had once again turned from G-d. They became impatient with G-d's way. To the core of who they were, they were angry with G-d. Their souls were cutting short G-d's direction and faithfulness. They were speaking out against G-d and Moses, so much so that their thoughts had become entrenched in the anger that burned inside them. They accused G-d of assassinating them, of bringing them out from slavery only to kill them. They loathed his provision. Nothing was good enough. They demanded more. They wanted something worthy of their worship. And yet they couldn't even request it themselves. They demanded that Moses do it.
They were seeking something physical to worship, something they could touch and feel, something that they could look to. G-d's presence and faithfulness wasn't enough for them. G-d gave them what they were seeking - a snake on a pole - an idol that could be looked to, an idol that could give them signs. But it was an idol that could not heal them. The text says simply that they lived when they turned to it. I wonder what quality of life they had, if any at all, once they turned to it. This idol prolonged their life, but there is no mention of complete healing. Perhaps G-d in wisdom and love was buying time for their hearts to change?
Because of free will G-d will give us what we ask - he will allow us to walk away, to sin. He will even provide the way for that to happen. (This is what he did in giving them a snake on a pole that would later be tore down because of idolatry - 2 Kings 18:4) He walks with us even in our sin, letting us have our own way. He promises us love and faithfulness even when we are not faithful to him.
In the book of John, Jesus tells us that he must be lifted up like the snake. Jesus had to be lifted in the same way not just for our sin, but because we demanded that expression of love. We demanded his full devotion to us even when we weren't fully devoted to him. Jesus lifted up as an idol like the snake. We wear his cross and cling to his cross like an idol. Is the point of G-d dwelling among us in the cross? Or is it in Christ himself, G-d Incarnate? Would Jesus be Messiah even if there had been no cross? Was there another way? Maybe we could have just accepted what had been given - the living water that was Christ? Maybe we could have not demanded an idol to look to? Maybe the love of G-d should have and could have been enough? Maybe his faithfulness, his promise alone could have saved us?
Jesus brought life in his very being. The snake brought death. Jesus healed, rescued and restored before his death. Life and love came through his very being. He was the embodiment of reconciliation and redemption. He wasn't a venomous snake. He brought life and yet we still complained - we still grumbled against him and we lifted him up like a venomous snake and took all that was good and right and made an idol of it.
And yet G-d was faithful even through the death of his son and his promise remains to work all things for good.
ACTION:
Lord, I was wrecked by this text today. Oh, the ways that I have made you an idol. Forgive me. My heart desires to forever turn towards you and yet I fail everyday. Thank you for your grace and your love. Thank you for being a G-d that never turns from me. Thank you for being a G-d that recklessly pursues your creation. Lord, you seek relationship. You seek redemption and renewal. May my spirit be ever sensitive your ways. May you be enough for me today.
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