The Cost of Discontent - Day 107 Month 4-17 Week 16-2

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)


Numbers 21 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2021&version=NASB1995

Psalm 86 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2086&version=NASB1995

Jeremiah 6:1-21 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%206%3A1-21&version=NASB1995

Luke 16:19-31 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2016%3A19-31&version=NASB1995


The Cost of Discontent


“There is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.”


I’ve complained about food before.  It was not unusual, especially on Sunday afternoon when we got home from church after a long morning.  Often we wouldn’t eat lunch until 2:00 PM.  By that time as a kid or teenager, my stomach would be growling because I hadn’t eaten.  I’d go into the kitchen and say.  “I’m starving, is there anything to eat?”  Mom would always respond with “Have a couple of crackers.  Any more will spoil your dinner (we called it dinner because it was a big meal and usually roast beef)”   I would walk away because I didn’t want crackers! 


The Israelites had the same food day in and day out.  They lived in the wilderness and the only food they had was what God was providing them, primarily manna, quail sometimes and maybe some of their livestock.  Once again though, they spoke against God and Moses and complained   “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness.”


God sent venomous snakes as judgement for the Israelites' complaining.  I suspect snakes were in the land and God had been protecting His people from them but removed His protection.  People were being bitten by these snakes and dying.  The people acknowledged their wrongdoing and Moses prayed on their behalf.  What God did was make it possible to live after being bitten.  The bronze snake that they could look towards would mean that they had faith that God would save them from death.  


God could take the snakes away but He didn’t.  They would need to be bitten and feel the pain of the snake bite venom starting to move through their bodies, before they would get to a spot where they could see the bronze snake.  We are not told if they were instantly healed or whether they would still feel pain and affects.  We are simply told if they look at the bronze serpent they “will live.” 


This is a direct foreshadowing of Jesus' death on the cross and signifies God’s mercy, but also His judgement.  The Israelites had their lives saved by faith by looking at the bronze snake on a pole.  We can be saved by faith by looking to the cross where Jesus died.  His death also represents God’s mercy and judgement.  God showed us His mercy by letting Jesus, His son,  suffer His judgement for our disobedience.   


As you go about your life today, maybe consider the God who loves you so much that He placed His penalty for our disobedience and stubbornness on His own Son because He loves us that much!


Have a great day!

Steve

steve.d.pauls@gmail.com


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