Choosing to Live / Numbers 21
Our middle child loved to climb trees. If it had limbs she was sitting in them. She made swings, tree
forts and looked down on the world from her perch. Most of her clothes had pitch stains, along with her hands and knees, but it was worth it.
Everything comes with a price however; she never broke a bone, but she did get a few bumps and bruises. One day while climbing she somehow got a little pinecone seed stuck in her leg. No-one noticed it for a week or two, and when we did it looked like a bug bite, just a little red spot on her leg. It didn't bother her at all. Eventually however, it began to get more irritated looking and developed a white edge around the red. It looked a lot like the site of a splinter.
That thing had to come out. It didn't look infected so we explained to her that we needed to get a loot at what was in there and take it out before it did. She as not happy when she saw this would involve a needle. If you have ever had a child that needed any kind of antiseptic spray, splinter relief or wound washing, you know that look of sheer terror and the sound that follows. It took a long time to get her to trust us enough to help her. When we finally saw that little pine seed in her thigh, we barely touched it and out it flew, all better.
She still climbed trees.
In Numbers 21 we read about a couple of battles as the Israelites get closer to Canaan. However as some of the travels take them on out of the way routes caused by unfriendly tribes they get cranky and tired of walking. They begin to complain about the manna, calling it "this worthless bread". God reminds them that they should be grateful for His provision by sending a plague. The Israelites characteristically ask for relief from the plague and apologize for whining. This time God gives them a prophetic moment of choice. Instead of healing them with a word, He gives them a decision to make. He has a bronze serpent crafted and raised up into the air. Each individual must choose to put their trust in His provision by looking at the snake to be healed and live, or they can choose to try to help themselves and suffer the consequence of death. They have to trust that by submitting their will to God's provision they will be made well. Do we trust our God for salvation? We all need to be rescued, rescuing ourselves is not an option.
Everything comes with a price however; she never broke a bone, but she did get a few bumps and bruises. One day while climbing she somehow got a little pinecone seed stuck in her leg. No-one noticed it for a week or two, and when we did it looked like a bug bite, just a little red spot on her leg. It didn't bother her at all. Eventually however, it began to get more irritated looking and developed a white edge around the red. It looked a lot like the site of a splinter.
That thing had to come out. It didn't look infected so we explained to her that we needed to get a loot at what was in there and take it out before it did. She as not happy when she saw this would involve a needle. If you have ever had a child that needed any kind of antiseptic spray, splinter relief or wound washing, you know that look of sheer terror and the sound that follows. It took a long time to get her to trust us enough to help her. When we finally saw that little pine seed in her thigh, we barely touched it and out it flew, all better.
She still climbed trees.
In Numbers 21 we read about a couple of battles as the Israelites get closer to Canaan. However as some of the travels take them on out of the way routes caused by unfriendly tribes they get cranky and tired of walking. They begin to complain about the manna, calling it "this worthless bread". God reminds them that they should be grateful for His provision by sending a plague. The Israelites characteristically ask for relief from the plague and apologize for whining. This time God gives them a prophetic moment of choice. Instead of healing them with a word, He gives them a decision to make. He has a bronze serpent crafted and raised up into the air. Each individual must choose to put their trust in His provision by looking at the snake to be healed and live, or they can choose to try to help themselves and suffer the consequence of death. They have to trust that by submitting their will to God's provision they will be made well. Do we trust our God for salvation? We all need to be rescued, rescuing ourselves is not an option.
TIDBITS FROM NUMBERS 21
- The Israelites defeat the Canaanites however God tells them not to engage Edom in battle this causes them to go on a round about route.
- We find reference here to a type of war songbook the Israelites used in verse 14
- John 3:14-15 refers to the bronze snake as a foreshadow of Jesus and salvation.
- The Israelites also have a victory over the Amorites.
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