PJP2 PROLOG 160307 PROLOG Focus - Numbers 21:4-9....

Psalm 18:3 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)....."I Call Upon The Lord, Who is Worthy To Be Praised, and I am Saved from my enemies"....


PJP2 PROLOG POST 160307 Numbers 21:4-9 (NIV/emphasis added/jaj)...."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!'  Then The Lord Sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.  The people came to Moses and said, 'We sinned when we spoke against The Lord And against you.  Pray That The Lord Will Take the snakes away from us.'  So Moses Prayed for the people.  The Lord Said to Moses, 'Make a snake And put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten Can Look at it And Live.'  So Moses Made a bronze snake And put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake And Looked at the bronze snake, they Lived."....

This story has always captured my attention.  First the description of the 'snake on a pole' reminds me of the medical symbol I wear on my uniform every day, the Caduceus.  Now there's many legends that surround the Caduceus (which I'm not going into today).  However, especially the modified version that we use (that is one snake wrapping around a staff), at least for me, clearly resonates with God's Bronze Snake of Healing noted in Numbers 21:4-9.

The Second Point I Hear The Holy Spirit bringing to mind this morning is that yet once more, just after God Gave the Israelites water from The ROCK, we find the Israelites belly-aching about 'no bread/no water/lousy rations'....BUT God, In His Infinite Grace and Mercy STILL Continues to Provide for them, even Providing a Means for Amends if someone was bitten by one of the venomous reptiles.

Praise God, He is STILL Doing The Very Same for us today.

Granted the 'saving grace' of the Bronze Snake on the pole, has long gone.  As God The Father is Inclined to Do, He Went Well Beyond the Bronze Snake.  He Sent us His One and Only Son to Be The One for us to Look To and Be Saved Once and For All.

Thus my Prayer for us today would be - Lord Jesus, Thank You for Being The One we Can Ever Look To and Be Saved from our own disastrous whining and self-inflicted 'snake-bites' of sin.  Holy Spirit, we Praise You that Your Mercy and Grace is Ever Present for us.  Father God, we Praise You for Your Plan of Eternal Redemption and Reconciliation even when we too are being whiners.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your Patience and Persistence in Leading us To Your Righteous Way and Love.  In Your Holy Name we Pray these Prayers....Amen/Amen....jaj

Blessings/jaj