Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds

February 19, 2021

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

~Numbers 21:8‭-‬9~

This biblical story always fascinates me and brings me to love Jesus that much more. This is rather simple yet powerful the way God worked. The Israelites were getting discouraged, as usual. They began to complain yet again and eventually this led them to curse the manna God had sent them. Remember how important it is to be careful what we say? "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21)

When the people of Israel did this, they entered into rebellion. They sinned against God. God does something very interesting after this occurs. He sends fiery serpents and they begin to bite all of His people and many began to die from these bites. The power of their spoken words created such havoc on people, it was a matter of life and death. After the people realized what they had done, they responded with one thing; repentance. They cried out to Moses and begged him to ask God for healing. God had a simple solution, yet very abnormal at the same time. The very thing that bite them; the curse and the sin they allowed to enter, had been put on a pole in bronze and was used as a way to be healed. This fiery serpent was made out of bronze by Moses, per the Lord's instruction and set on a pole in front of the people of Israel and to those who looked to it would be healed. It's rather interesting to think that even here God was showing them what it is to use faith. It was not the serpent or the pole itself doing the healing, it was God. Through faith in the word God spoke to them, they proceeded to do just that and because they believed it would be so, it was.

"Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

(Mark 9:23)

This serpent on the pole is also symbolic to the coming of Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation through believing. Just as the serpent placed on a pole, Jesus was nailed to a tree. He placed all of the curse upon Him in this moment just as the snake itself was representative of a spoken curse. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree." (Galatians 3:13)

As followers of Christ we are instructed to speak life and blessings over our circumstances. We are told to trust in God.

"Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him."

(Proverbs 30:5)

When we slip up, disobey, rebel or curse God in anyway we are welcoming sin into our lives. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

The only way out of this is to repent and look to Jesus, just as the people of Israel did so to this bronze serpent. They knew that if they looked to this God would heal them and they would live. Not to say some of which did not still die. Just as it always has been, not all will enter His promised land, many will perish. "For He repays man according to his work, And makes man to find a reward according to his way."

(Job 34:11)

However, God gives that option to look to Christ on the tree, remember the curse He bore, ask for forgiveness and be healed by faith through the very thing in which you are believing in. This entire story happens so fast yet the symbolism goes so deep. The Holy Spirit took me on quite a journey with this one. The very thing in which the Israelites chose to do created their problem. God is merciful and after true repentance He makes a way for those who believe in Him to live. After the people stepped out in faith and believed in God, they were healed. They lived! They rejoiced! God always makes a way for us to live, however, we choose. "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live."

(Deuteronomy 30:19)

The Father allowed His only Son to become the final sacrifice for the sins of this world. He was put on a tree and set in the midst of everyone. It is our choice whether we turn and look to the cross and be healed and redeemed or to be cursed and perishing.

The Father again, made that way.

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

There is no other way to God and eternal life aside from Jesus Christ. Let's rewind back to when God gave strict instruction on how the tabernacle was to be built; how the utensils and objects inside each room was to be placed and what they were made from. The Holy Place of God’s presence was lined and coated and covered with gold, as gold represents God's kingship, glory and holiness. The poles were made of wood, but were covered in gold, and rested in silver stands. The altar and the "sea" were used for the animal sacrifices for bloodshed made for atonement of sins and the washing of water to be cleansed before the preists were allowed to enter into the Most Holy Place. The sin and uncleanness was dealt with at the bronze altar and the bronze sea. Bronze is where God's judgement deals with sin. One could not enter into the presence of God without this redemption. So when Jesus said to us "He is the Way," He is the bronze altar, the bronze sea and the sacrifice for our sin in which we can turn to Him and be washed and cleansed and set free; " and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood." (Revelation 1:5)

We can then enter into the presence of God whenever we please all thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ. We can really meditate on the symbolism and genuine meaning behind this story and the way God speaks to us. When we stop biting the hand that feeds us and we turn to Jesus, repent and ask for forgiveness we too can be healed, redeemed and live. We must first turn and look, in faith. Without it we cannot please our Father. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for making a Way for me to know You today. Thank you for Your amazing sacrifice and the Blood of Jesus that makes atonement for my sins. I pray more people will turn and accept this gift of life and believe in Him. I know the healing comes only from You and I strive to glorify Your Name in all that You have me do. I receive blessings over curse in His Name. Lead me from glory to glory, from faith to faith. Allow me to shine this bright everlasting light onto this dark world around me and bring more to know You, to turn and live. Lord, You are so merciful to all. Your love runs deeper then any ocean, higher then any mountain. We don't deserve it just as the israelites didnt deserve to be healed; yet You still made a way. I give thanks and I praise the King of Kings for my salvation. Thank you Jesus. It is in Your Sinless Name I pray. Amen.