The Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21)

Did Israel vacillate between faith and complaining? Do we? Let’s look at Numbers 21.

In their vacillation, was this one time that Israel believed God?

When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed hand over this people to me, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” The Lord heard the voice of Israel and turned over the Canaanites; then they utterly destroyed them and their cities. And the place was named Hormah. (Numbers 21:1-3 NASB)

Did their faith last long or did they fall back into grumbling disbelief again?

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” (Numbers 21:4-5 NIV)

Did they repent again and was the Lord merciful again?

So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. (Numbers 21:6-7 NKJV)

What did God do to save them from the snakes?

Then the Lord told him, “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!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed! (Numbers 21:8-9 NLT)

What did this foreshadow about the cross and eternal salvation?

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:14-15 WEB)

What was the course of the Israelites' journeys from here?

Then the Israelites marched and they camped at Oboth. They marched from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the desert on the border of Moab toward the east. From there they marched and camped in the Zered ravine. From there they marched and camped across the Arnon in the desert that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon was the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. For this reason the scroll of the Lord’s wars says: Waheb in Suphah and the ravines. The Arnon and the ravines that extend to the settlement of Ar and lie along the border of Moab. (Numbers 21:10-15 CEB)

What were the next stages of their journey, and what was a popular song then?

From the Arnon, the Israelites went to the well near the town of Beer, where the Lord had said to Moses, “Call the people together, and I will give them water to drink.” That's also the same well the Israelites sang about in this song: Let's celebrate! The well has given us water. With their royal scepters, our leaders pointed out where to dig the well. The Israelites left the desert and camped near the town of Mattanah, then at Nahaliel, and then at Bamoth. Finally, they reached Moabite territory, where they camped near Mount Pisgah in a valley overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea. (Numbers 21:16-20 CEV)

What happened when Israel tried to negotiate safe passage with the Amorites?

Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory.” But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness and came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. (Numbers 21:21-23 ESV)

What about the Amorites lifestyle caused God to have them lose their land?

Israel struck him with the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only up to the Ammonite border, because it was fortified. Israel took all the cities and lived in all these Amorite cities, including Heshbon and all its villages. Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken control of all his land as far as the Arnon. (Numbers 21:24-26 HCSB)