Go! And Don’t Miss The Message In The Weird Stuff Series

Go! And Don’t Miss the Message in the Weird Stuff

There is some weird stuff in the Bible... which ultimately points us back to our redemption in Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:14 (NLT): “He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”

Introduction

Let’s be honest—there is some weird stuff in the Bible. Talking donkeys. Floating axe heads. Men swallowed by fish. Commands not to wear mixed fabrics. Giants. Seraphim with six wings. The list goes on. Talking snakes. Bears mauling boys for mocking a prophet. Nephilim. Levitical skin disease laws. Ezekiel lying on his side for over a year. And let’s not forget Revelation — dragons, beasts, and bowls of wrath.

Now, if we’re not careful, we can stumble over these unusual stories or be tempted to skip past them. But listen—every word of Scripture is God-breathed and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16), and these strange moments often shine the brightest light on God’s plan for redemption through Jesus Christ.

Today, as we continue our "Go! And…" series, I want to invite you into the mystery and majesty of God's Word — to see how even the weird parts ultimately point us to the wonder of salvation.

The Bible has some weird stuff in it... and I'm sure that all of us have asked “Why is this stuff in the Bible?”

I want us to explore this truth:

The strange, shocking, and sometimes bizarre parts of Scripture aren’t distractions — they are divine signposts.

They point us toward the central message of redemption through Jesus Christ.

1. Strange Stories Reveal a Sovereign Saviour

Numbers 21:6–9 (NLT): “So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. Then the people came to Moses and cried out... ‘Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!’”

God’s people were grumbling in the wilderness. So God sent serpents as judgment. Then, He provided a means of healing: a bronze serpent lifted high. Weird, yes — but purposeful.

The Hebrew word “nabha?” means not just to look, but to look with expectation and trust.

The Hebrew word for “serpent” is ?????? (nachash), and it’s the same word used in Genesis 3. This serpent story recalls the fall… but here, it becomes a symbol of salvation.

Jesus referenced this very passage in John 3:14-15: “As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up…”

Weird? Yes. But redemptive? Absolutely. Even in judgment, God makes a way.

The snake lifted up points to Jesus lifted on the cross, bearing our curse so that we could be healed.

Charles Stanley once said: “God takes the most unlikely instruments to accomplish His perfect will.”

Friends, don’t dismiss the strange — embrace what it points to: Jesus, our Saviour.

2. Talking Animals and God’s Patience

Numbers 22:28-31 (NLT): “Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. ‘What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?’ it asked Balaam…”

Yes, Balaam’s donkey talks — and even sees the angel before Balaam does!

This is not a fairy tale. Balaam was a pagan prophet who was hired to curse Israel. But God sent an angel to stop him. Balaam couldn’t see the angel, but the donkey did! God used an animal—yes, a donkey—to confront the blindness of a man who claimed to speak for God.

The Hebrew for “opened the donkey’s mouth” (pa?a?? et pî ha?a?ôn) implies not just speech, but divine revelation, a miracle of divine interruption.

Balaam was on a path of rebellion, and God used something absurd to get his attention. A talking donkey sounds like a joke — but it was deadly serious.

This strange episode reminds us that God sees what we cannot. He goes to great lengths—even miraculous ones—to protect His people. And He speaks, sometimes through the most unexpected sources, to call us back to Himself.

Sometimes God uses strange methods to stop us in our tracks. A job loss. A strange dream. A difficult conversation. A sermon that seems “too weird to be coincidence.”

Are you listening?

John Piper wrote: “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.”

Are we listening when God is trying to get our attention? Are we humble enough to learn from unexpected places?

Max Lucado wrote, “God loves the humble heart. He’ll use it anywhere. Even in a donkey.”

Yes, even in our failures, God can speak. Even when we’re spiritually blind, God opens our eyes.

Don't miss God's voice because it comes from an unexpected place.