Sunday Morning Podcast June 2, 2019. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: NUMBERS. 21:4-9
4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
5 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.
6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7 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. And Moses prayed for the people.
8 And the LORD said unto Moses, 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.
9 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.
JOHN 3:14-15
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Sometimes the going gets tough, when being in the valley, and not always having an, “on the mountain top journey” or experience. But all needed healing, and help, is possible with God! Here in Numbers we find the Israelite’s, while discouraged, complaining against Moses, which really was against God. Complaining is toxic! Especially against the Will of God. The people were bit by a venomous snake as a reproof since they were ungratefully challenging Moses’s leadership because of their woes. We must always be careful to not question who God has placed before us. Even in the story of King Saul, and David, David had a fear on him, not to completely overtake and harm the king, even though Saul had become wicked. It’s up to God to take care of our enemies.(1 Samuel 24:5,6 5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.) God’s appointments (like Saul being king) are sacred until GOD takes them out. Even though one might have turned away from God. It’s not up to us to lay our hand to what belongs only to God, and His discretion. Similarly if we “assassinate one’s character, by our words or actions, we are touching what only God has permission to affect. We need to be fearful of “moving” against any. God doesn’t need our earthly help to take care of any, even if they are wicked. Here back in Numbers 21, God had Moses create a brass pole with a brass snake on the top. God decreed that all who would look up on it, would be healed from the venomous snake bite, (verse 8). How would that be possible? All things are possible with God! Whatever God says,….is! God had provided the Israelite’s mana, water, quail, etc, yet they continually grumbled with ungrateful hearts. Whatever God from Heaven provides us, no matter how lacking we think it is, we need to be thankful! The Israelite’s had lost their gratefulness! Consequently the punishment of venomous snake bites, that many died of. It still then took the remaining people to be obedient to look up on the brass snake pole. Otherwise they would not have found healing and life. It was a godly obedience that was needed, from which the Israelite’s had lost their grip.
Godly obedience brings to us a “experience of heaven touching earth” in our hearts. And a godly experience of obedience comes from a grateful heart! This can only happen when we lift Jesus up! In all our thoughts, words and actions! It is what brings an experience from heaven, to our earthly lives. To any truly seek God above all else. When God is kept high and lifted up, and honored! It is then that the healing will come from those venomous bites of sin, from the serpent Satan. For we all were blind in the wilderness of sin. It took God benevolently getting a hold of our minds, to draw our hearts to Him. And it then will still take a personal desire and determination on our part to follow God. To look up to “the cross,” to keep our eyes on Jesus, with great gratitude,and not in ungratefulness, from the sins of earthiness.
Looking Up in Obedience Only to God will Bring us Healing! It Is What Will Give Us a “Heaven Touching Earth” Experience!