10-21-21 Today in the Word

The Bronze Snake Thursday, October 21, 2021 | Numbers 21:4– Why did Jesus compare a bronze snake to His own death on the cross? The “snake episode” Jesus referred to in His conversation with Nicodemus took place as the nation reapproached the promised land. They had spent 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, and two of their leaders, Miriam and Aaron, had died. Israel had just won a victory against a Canaanite king, and the people were growing impatient. They had been traveling around Edom (inhabited by the descendants of Esau) since they’d been denied passage through that land. Predictably, they complained against God and Moses, and even grumbled about manna (v. 5). (To be fair, though, manna had been their staple food ever since they were children!) God judged them with a plague of poisonous snakes. They confessed their sinful words and attitudes, and Moses once again interceded on their behalf (v. 7). God instructed that a bronze (or more likely copper) snake be made and hung on a pole. Those who looked at it would live (v. 8). Why did God choose to use a snake? Perhaps because that was what was killing them. At any rate, they had to trust in the Lord and obey His instructions in order to be healed. Only the truly repentant would trust and obey. Perhaps this new generation had learned something after all, for instead of doubling down on their rebelliousness, they repented and obeyed God. Seven centuries later, in the days of Hezekiah, people turned this historic relic into an idol, and it had to be destroyed (2 Kings 18:4). But even later, just as mentioned in today’s verse, Jesus, the Son of Man, would be lifted up (this time on a Roman cross) to bring life to all who believed. >> Worship belongs to God alone! What do you “lift up” in your life that is not worthy of your fixed attention and praise? Too often we elevate things, even good things, above God. How can we lift Him up above everything else? PRAY WITH US Holy God, today’s passage reminds us that salvation was always Your plan, and You were pointing Your people to the cross throughout the Old Testament. We worship You, the God who saves.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Now It Is Obvious Why

Now It Is Obvious Why :: By Dennis Huebshman Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles Once again, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “But understand this, that in the last days, there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (ESV – all emphasis mine) Going from cover to cover in the Bible, we see many countries mentioned as being in the end-time activities. However, the once most powerful nation on earth, America, is not specifically mentioned. One would think that this country would be listed because of all it has accomplished up to now. The possibility here could be found in Genesis 12:3; “I will bless those wh
Read more

9-18-23 Rage Against Jesus And His People — The Ominous Trend Of 2022

Rage Against Jesus And His People — The Ominous Trend Of 2022 – By Hal Lindsey - https://harbingersdaily.com/rage-against-jesus-and-his-people-the-ominous-trend-of-2022/ By the end of 2022, eight billion people lived on the earth. They were besieged by a series of plagues, droughts, false prophets, war, the threat of greater war, hatred, rage, theft, and violence. The eight billion were fragmented in a variety of ways — according to their nations, level of income, race, gender, various understandings of gender and human sexuality, along with religion or the lack thereof. Change became overwhelming to most of the eight billion. For those over 40, it was almost unfathomable that by the end of 2022, not even half the students at Cambridge University identified as heterosexual. In 2022, deception ruled the day. Trust in government, educational institutions, and the news media had been largely obliterated. Trust in health officials and doctors had become severely damaged. In suc
Read more

9-17-23 It's Coming

It Is Coming - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/12/24/it-is-coming-by-daymond-duck/ On Dec. 17, 2022, it was reported that Rep. David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island, has introduced legislation to permanently bar former Pres. Trump from running for president again, and 40 Democrats have signed on. Cicilline is accusing Trump of orchestrating an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. At the time of this writing, it is debatable as to whether Cicilline’s legislation will get voted on before the new Congress takes office in 2023, but some conservatives have said from the beginning that the main purpose of the Jan. 6 fake show-trial was to stop Trump from being elected again. Some, including this writer, have said there is no telling what the U.S. shadow government will do to prevent making America great again (MAGA) because they want to surrender the sovereignty of the U.S. to the New World Order (coming world government). It was easy to see this comi
Read more