The children of Israel, despite witnessing God’s miraculous provision and promises, succumbed to discontent. Their weariness on the journey led to bitter complaints against both God and Moses: “And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread” (Numbers 21:5). This act of defiance and ingratitude had severe consequences, as “the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died” (Numbers 21:6)….
Faced with this deadly plague, their response shifted from rebellion to recognition of their sin. “Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us” (Numbers 21:7) …. God’s remedy was unique: “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived” (Numbers 21:8-9) ….
The tragedy, however, lies not just in the initial sin and its consequence, but in the potential for healing being ignored. The text implies that not everyone who was bitten looked at the bronze serpent and lived. The condition was simple: “every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live” …. The reason some perished was their refusal to look. This mirrors a greater truth, as highlighted by Jesus Himself: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15) …. Just as physical healing came through looking, eternal life comes through believing. The ultimate reason people face eternal consequences is because they “refuse to look to Jesus for salvation”. The provision is there, freely and sufficiently offered….The question remains, will we look and live?
Posted: April 3, 2025 by Johnathan Bass
The Tragedy of Refusal
The children of Israel, despite witnessing God’s miraculous provision and promises, succumbed to discontent. Their weariness on the journey led to bitter complaints against both God and Moses: “And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread” (Numbers 21:5). This act of defiance and ingratitude had severe consequences, as “the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died” (Numbers 21:6)….
Faced with this deadly plague, their response shifted from rebellion to recognition of their sin. “Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us” (Numbers 21:7) …. God’s remedy was unique: “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived” (Numbers 21:8-9) ….
The tragedy, however, lies not just in the initial sin and its consequence, but in the potential for healing being ignored. The text implies that not everyone who was bitten looked at the bronze serpent and lived. The condition was simple: “every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live” …. The reason some perished was their refusal to look. This mirrors a greater truth, as highlighted by Jesus Himself: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15) …. Just as physical healing came through looking, eternal life comes through believing. The ultimate reason people face eternal consequences is because they “refuse to look to Jesus for salvation”. The provision is there, freely and sufficiently offered….The question remains, will we look and live?
Category: Uncategorized Tags: fiery serpent, look and live, moses, refusal, Salvation, wilderness