The Lord's Snakes 

     On Tuesday, we took a widow to Lakeland, Florida to a MEMORIAL service for families of 23 ministers and 12 spouses who "went home" over the past year or so.

     This was held during the annual meeting of AG clergy and executives from all over peninsular Florida. There were at least a couple hundred in attendance, including visitors. When her late husband's name was read, they presented her with a Christian flag folded into a triangular box, like American flags. 

     Then an Orlando pastor went back, way back to the Torah (Pentateuch), to speak about the gospel, the "good news." 

     In Numbers chapter 21, the Israelites had departed Mount Horeb (Sinai) and traveled toward the Red Sea, to go around Edom, headed for the promised land. "But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses."    

     "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!" 

     This was 40 years after they departed Egypt. 

     "Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died." 

     The people repented, asking Moses to pray the Lord remove the snakes. Instead, he told Moses to make a bronze snake and place it on a pole. Anyone bitten could look at the bronze snake and live. 

Centuries later

     Jesus tells Nicodemus, one of Israel's teachers, Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:14-16  

     Every one of us has been bitten by sin.