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Scripture Text (NRSV)

 

Numbers 21:4-9

 

21:4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way.

21:5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food."

21:6 Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died.

21:7 The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

21:8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live."

21:9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

 

Comments:

 

The Christ upon a cross, the serpents of culture that bite. Nancy-Wi


I have been pondering this text carefully. I can see possibilities for some very good theology and psychology here. In the contributions from a previous year, Al in Lexington, KY remarked: "God doesn't take our problems away...The thing that caused the pain was the symbol that brought the healing...The symbol of God in their midst was an image of the very same thing that was making them suffer." When we confront our problems, they lose their bite. Where do we get the courage to do so? Through a faith that is not escapist but grounded in the experience of humanity. Q: Moses was instructed to make an image of a snake and hold it before the people. When they looked upon the symbol, they lived. Is this bronze image a graven image and therefore a breach of the commandment? Has anyone come across any good commentaries on this? rc in quebec


How do we make sense out of this? God sent the snakes to bite the people because they complained against God and Moses. The snakes had the desired effect; the people repented and asked Moses to pray for God to take the snakes away. God's response is not to remove the snakes but to tell Moses to make a graven image of a snake and place it on a pole so those who were bitten could look upon the image and not die. The obvious question is: Why didn't God just remove the snakes? I have read the comment that says, "God doesn't take our problems away...The thing that caused the pain was the symbol that brought the healing...The symbol of God in their midst was an image of the very same thing that was making them suffer."

I want a better answer than this. This sounds like the cure for a hangover that I heard: Have another drink of the same stuff you were drinking the night before, you know, the "hair of the dog that bit you."

Why didn't God just do what seemed obvious and remove the snakes?

Creature Wayne


I'm trying to figure out how the readings fit in with the war and all, and I think I may expand on the first sentence of this reading to talk about where things in the OT happened in relation to Iraq, etc. I'll be trying to connect our lives to the lives of the Iraqis through the bible.

momma helen


Creature Wayne,

I think that if God had just taken away the snakes the people would have quickly forgotten that it was their complaining that brought them on in the first place. I think that looking at the snake helped to remind them that they were the ultimate source of the poison, and helped them stay away from that particular poison in the future. Kind'a like confession encourages true repentance. I'm not saying that a beer first thing in the morning will neccessarily make you think twice come evening, but it might! ;-) -SS in PA


After reading this passage, Was think about the image here? And Why would God ask Moses to make a graven image? With you explanations and thanks I see a little clearer. Yes, we too complain about the wilderenss we live... God, I don't make enough to pay by bills, My mother in law is a pain, I don't like eating beans everyday, I don't like my cadillac, O God, why don't you buy me a mercedes bens? ( these complaints take all people regardless of status) Does God send 'snakes' to bite us, or do we perhaps have snake bait? Maybe we are snake bait? (rememberances of eden) whether God sent or we make our own misery. outcome same, the graven image- symbol of the cross, just look upon Jesus and HE will cure what ails you... Notice God tells Moses to tell them, all they have to do is look, not have to touch or kiss...etc... just come to cross, look upon your Saviors face, and He does it all! Pastor mary in Ohio


Did you know that the fiery serpent (KJV & RSV translation of poisonous) is the same Hebrew word as is translated "Seraph" in Isaiah 6? This bothers me. JRW on OH


I just found this...

Wisdom of Solomon 16:5-7 16:5 For when the terrible rage of wild animals came upon your people F59 and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents, your wrath did not continue to the end; 16:6 they were troubled for a little while as a warning, and received a symbol of deliverance to remind them of your law's command. 16:7 For the one who turned toward it was saved, not by the thing that was beheld, but by you, the Savior of all.

-SS in PA


I love this passage just for its sheer illustration of human nature. For those of us serving in euphemistically-named "turn-around" churches, we can relate pretty well. The congregation bemoans the decline, but when trying to lead them into new territory, they often grumble and gripe, polarize, and leave. It seems they want a pastor who can come in and convince the neighborhood to like all the same things they like and become just like the congregation. As the phrase from Ephesians goes, "how boastful!"

Sally in GA (and trying not to choke to death on pollen)


Just a little sharing of a personal story ... I trust my congregation enough to kind of laugh at sacred cows. We have a good relationship so I can do this. Anyways, I've been exploring "core values" vs. "cultural norms," and confessed to this older, Southern, caucasion congregation that I really don't like Southern gospel music, and I've never really liked "How Great Thou Art." I made clear over and over (and this was in an interactive small group) that this is MY OPINION, and that I was raised in the 70's in a mostly Catholic area (though I was Protestant, in name only), in Cleveland, Ohio, the Rock and Roll Capital of the World. So, the gospel music that spoke to me was along the lines of pop music.

You should have seen how shocked they were! I'm 40 years younger and from the North, and they couldn't believe that I didn't automatically fall in love with "old" Southern Gospel upon moving here and hearing it. The core value is the praise of God - the cultural norm, of course, is the music genre. How easy it is to confuse a cultural norm with a core value. One woman has left the church because (to qutoe her) "it's not the same."

How easy it is to get mired in "old time religion," and become captive, and - yes - dehumanized in complacency. The dark creeps in - Until something like a snake jumps up and bites us in the - uh - derriere.

Sometimes we just have to leave and go awandering (valderee, valderah ...) It's human nature to want to stay where they are. But it's easy to confuse stuck-in-the-mud for stability. Our stability comes form God.

Gosh, maybe this is what I'll preach.

Sally


I was reading a comment in the Wycliff commentary on this scripture. Pardon me for butchering the words as printed, that is I'm paraphrasing, but what I got out of the commentary was God had Moses lift up that which represented their affliction i/e the snake. It was a picture of that which would have to be lifted up for our eternal salvation. In the same way that a snake was pinned to the pole representing all of the snakes, our sins were pinned to the cross by crucifying a sinless human. Notice that the snake that was set up on a pole never hurt any of those wandering the desert. I guess after reading this it comes down to believing and faith. Don't you think those who were in the situation with the snakes were wondering how a bronze replica placed on a pole could save them from a venomous bite? I know I would have questioned that logic. I guess in the same way we ask how does pinning an innocent man on a cross save us from our sins? Take a look at the other scriptures in the lectionary this week. In Ephesians it talks about salvation by grace through faith. Just a thought. Thanks for reading.

JM in Indiana


Sally in GA: Thanks for writing that. I needed to hear those words now, as I'm trying to work with God to move a congregation from self-centeredness. MTSOfan


JRW was bothered that there was a connection between poisonous snakes and seraphs. It shouldn't bother you. The Hebrew root word S-R-Ph means "fire" or "burning". A snake bite gives a burning sensation so they were called "fiery snakes". A seraph is a fiery angel ie: a (heavenly) being that looks like fire. Rev. karen in Ontario


As a preliminary, let me first say how embarrased I am as a Canadian that we are not supporting our neighbours in the war in Iraq. But let me also say that I feel twisted and confused, not knowing to whom I should be listening. Many of my clergy colleagues are proud that we are standing up for peace -- a Christian ideal. And part of me knows that peace is a better option. But not supporting our neighbours feels so wrong ...

President Bush has declared war on Iraq, convinced that it is an evil empire. He may well be correct that there are indeed weapons of mass destruction there. But what President Bush has not done is look to himself and see what hidden evils lie within himself.

The story of the serpents teaches us that to find true redemption we need to confront the evil within us. The people grumbled, fiery snakes were sent as a result, and redemption comes when they look to the snakes, or psychologically speaking, when they look to their own mistakes.

Confront the fear, ferret out the evil within us, and then we will find true redemption from God.

How would the last few weeks have unfolded if President Bush had considered that the western world might be in the wrong too? I would think that Saddam Hussein is deeply in the wrong, but isn't American foreign policy a little bit in the wrong too?

Saying all this on an American preaching site is already scary. Saying all this from a pulpit is equally scary. O God, give us wisdom and insight. Rev. Karen in Ontario

 


Rev. Karen in Ontario,

Don't be scared. We preachers in America are all over the board, too. I even don't stay in the same place all the time.

However much we wish to accuse our President of not confronting his own inner evils, we need to be fair that we would not see such confrontation. Especially in time of war, he would need to keep those misgivings private to resist the probability of demoralizing the people.

Michelle


Good insight about looking at the poisonous serpent - our sins, and Jesus became sin.

I hesitate, though, for fear of "seeing Jesus under every rock" in the OT.

If I end up going with this, I'll probably be more philosophical and general. I'm thinking along the lines of "we have to examine our sins (or, "inner evils," as Michelle and Karen are saying) in order to recognize them and be saved from them."

my early thoughts were rather tangental and simply indicated this chronic frustration that comes with "turn-around." Anyways, sorry - I was on cough medicine and feeling kind of weird.

Sally in GA


to Karen in Ontario -- I would have been supporting our war, and would have been grateful to have had Canada in it with us -- had Pres. Bush made his case with some data. I am no more convinced that Saddam has what he said he didn't have than I was a year ago. War is about the most serious actions any nation can take, and it is always tragic, even when necessary. We surely shouldn't declare war on someone because we "think" or are "pretty sure" something bad is going on. I fear that our "arrogance of power" is going to bring us at a tragic cost, to some humility one of these days --- and it might be any day now.

speaking just for myself, but I'll bet for most all, I want you to feel as comfortable saying things on this site as on any Canadian site. We are all in this together, even if we don't always agree.

Bill in TN


If the snakes were sent only to punish God's people, God would have eliminated them once the people repented. "Don't violate the covenant." Lesson learned. But the snakes continued to bite and would continue to bite as the Chosen People made their way through the wilderness to the Promised Land. God did not remove the problem. God provided a way of dealing with the problem. Put an image of the snake on a pole, gaze upon it and you will receiving healing. How do we name our problems and fears? How do we put an image to those things of which we do not want to admit. (see ten-step problems)In our Lenten journey through the wilderness of our souls, God provides another image. More profoundly divine. More fully human. Jesus on the cross. And asks us to bring our problems to him. God will break through with creative options for us to work with that we never imagined. Yes, the snakes will continue to bite (God's people will always face problems), but their venom will no longer be faith-denying as it was to the Israelites who could no longer even appreciate the miracle of manna. Roberta in qc


The fascinating part of this text is the grace of God. I have to go with the theme "Look up and live".

To the Israelites, the command made no sense. Deadly serpant bites require more than looking at a pole...unless it is the faith in the promise. Similarly, we think sin cannot be so easily forgiven, Satan and death defeated by so simple an act as believing. This ties in so beautifully with the Gospel and Epistle as it emphasizes grace alone.

Look up and live, whether it be the bronze serpant or the cross of Christ. Therein lies our hope. ARMY CH E, Ft Belvoir


"CUPIDITY" are there any good Catholics out there who can tell me about cupidity. It is avarice, greed, etc. But I have heard it can also be good? Like the snake--an image of sin and an image of healing in this week's text. For example, if limits are set ambition can be used for the good of humanity. There is nothing wrong with providing for our families unless we exploit others, etc. What does Aquinas say about it? Thanks. Roberta in qc


The caduceus -- the medical symbol with a snake on a stick -- seems to have been derived from this story. Yet "caduceus" appears to be a Greek word.(Classical Greek 101 was many, many years ago, but maybe some of you remember). Does anyone know if there is a Greek legend about a snake on a pole or is this medical symbol entirely derived from Numbers? Rev. Karen in Ontario


Thanks for the discussion, all!

One of the ideas I'm playing with is how although the sins of the people were the choice of the people... and although God sent the snakes... the people at least had sense enough to put two and two together and approach Moses and to ask for his intercession.

Now, I'm not comfortable with the whole "when I sin, God sends lightingbolts" sort of theology, because there often is no cause and effect. However, for the people to be able to recognize that there is some cause and effect happening here is interesting to me.

It's a bizarre sort of cause and effect though, isn't it? The cure is bizarre as well.

So much for the wisdom of THIS greek. <g>

Casey in NJ