Numbers 21b Commentary
You would expect the LORD God to simply “unsend” the snakes. But He doesn’t. Of course, humans would withdraw the troops to solve a problem like this.
Recall the snakes and all is square again, but that’s for humans!
This chapter gives us a couple of other questions. Why didn’t God let Israel walk into the Promised Land on a red carpet?
We cannot answer this question any more than we can answer the question of why God hasn’t withdrawn satan from His creation!
Regardless, humans can answer the question of why Israel failed to beat the beatable. Ammon was beatable! Never mind Ammon’s fortified cities!
A life of constant complaining, doubt, faithlessness, and disobedience produces a weak soldier. It results in poor preparedness for life’s battles! Indeed, Israel was poorly prepared for the conquest of Canaan. Consequently, results are mixed: Victories and failures in an unhealthy combination.
“Do not be afraid of him…” Verse 34. Fear was always a factor. They failed whenever they feared! The lesson is simple: Don’t let fear speak louder than your faith.
Some questions don’t have answers but we can always comment. Withdrawing satan from God’s creation could be a disaster for the countless satans – the humans. Of course, many don’t agree that they are children of the devil but that’s the tag every sinner has according to Heaven!
Destroying evil from the world means destroying evil people. And all have sinned!
The snake on a pole is the greatest gospel entry in these pages. The LORD God doesn’t kill the snakes but instead, a bigger snake on the pole becomes the solution. The Son of God who takes upon himself the sins of the world becomes the solution.
There are verbal and action parables. But there are also parables constructed from real-life experiences. These serve as powerful teaching aids. The snakes represented sin as actual objects. Sin was no longer an abstract concept. Sin isn’t what we do sin is what we are.
To solve the sin problem, the LORD God transforms the soul of the individual. The heart is changed from “stone to flesh”. You don’t merely stop an external activity but your very being looks to Calvary!
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