Date: Friday, 27th October, 2023
Text: Numbers 21:4-9
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
In today’s passage, the Israelites were wandering through the desert and grew impatient on the way. They became frustrated at their circumstances and complained against God and Moses. As a judgement for their act of unbelief, the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people. The snakes bit the people, and many of the Israelites died.
However, they realized their error and repented of their sin. They begged Moses to pray for them so that God could take away the snakes. So Moses interceded for them. In response, the Lord said to Moses, “Make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. If anyone is bitten by a snake, that person should look at the bronze snake on the pole. Then that person will not die”- Numbers 21:8. So Moses did exactly as God instructed. He made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Then when a snake bit anyone, that person looked at the bronze snake on the pole and lived.
The power of God’s healing, deliverance and salvation was released into the bronze serpent and pole because Moses did everything in absolute obedience. Otherwise, there was nothing special about a mere artificial serpent and pole. Anytime we take the communion bread and wine in obedience for example, the materials are no longer ordinary; but carry the raw power of Jesus flesh and blood.
The word of God says, whoever breaks an hedge would be bitten by a serpent- Ecclesiastes 10:8b. The hedge is God’s protection over his people. Sin takes away this covering and makes God’s people vulnerable to attacks.
Have you been bitten by the serpent because you broke the hedge? There is hope for you because just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, Jesus Christ was lifted up on the Cross of Calvary, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him- John 3:14-15. Repent, confess and forsake your sins; look to Jesus and live.
Prayer Nugget: Lord Jesus, I look up to you; have mercy on me; heal, deliver and restore me today!