Numbers 21:1-9 / A Very Present Help
📖 Scripture
1 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them.
2 Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities.”
3 The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;
5 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!”
6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.
7 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.
8 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.”
9 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.
✅ Scripture Summary
✅ Memory verse
✅ Reflection
Help from God (21:1–3)
The king of Arad hears about the Israelites coming down the road and decides to attack and capture some of them. The king is asserting his dominance, showing his strength over other nations. Israel, however, turns to God, asking for His help in battle against the Canaanites. He listens to their plea, and Israel triumphs. When challenges and attacks come our way, we may feel discouraged and be tempted to give up. However, we should remember that we do not have to fight our battles alone. We have access to a mighty and powerful God who cannot be defeated. We can turn to Him at any time to ask for help in both big and small challenges.
What big and small challenges are you facing today? Entrust them to God and thank Him for His dependable guidance.
A Remedy for Sin and Death (21:4–9)
The Israelites quickly forget God’s faithfulness and become impatient. They complain about their journey and speak out against God and against Moses. Their sinful attitude results in God sending venomous snakes among them and many people die of their bite. When the people realize their error, they ask Moses to pray that God would take the snakes away. Moses does but the people do not receive exactly what they ask for: the snakes do not magically disappear. Rather, God provides a way for the people to live even after being bitten. They must look at the bronze snake Moses set on a pole to receive salvation. This foreshadows the salvation later to be received by those who look to the crucified Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.
When have you complained about the way God leads you? Remember His faithfulness to you, and consider your complaints from His perspective.
“It’s not the pain that transforms us. It’s Jesus’s presence in the pain.”
– Sarah Walton
✅ Prayer
✅ Essay
Growing in Patience
Recently, God has been stretching me in makrothumia, the Greek word for patience or forbearance found in verses like Galatians 5:22, which talks about the fruit of the Spirit. Patience is that capacity to accept delay or endure suffering without getting upset, and to maintain self-control and restraint in the process.
As someone who tends to be an efficient and strategic problem solver, I find patience difficult. I want to be active and deal with an issue myself, so waiting is a challenge, especially when the world today often emphasizes quick ways to get an answer or to get something done. People will often complain if they have to wait too long in a line, or experience any kind of delay.
Even though certain answers that I sought have taken several years to come, and some are not yet in sight, I am grateful for the opportunity to grow in patience. I recognize that the process of waiting is making me stronger. Like getting sore muscles after an intense physical workout, waiting is painful, but I am able to endure much more than before. My spiritual muscles are growing as I am challenged to reaffirm my faith and trust in God. If circumstances do not end up exactly as I hoped, I might be disappointed, but I also know that God desires the best for me. Regardless of the situation, I am thankful that the person I am today is a much more patient and faith-filled one than I was a couple years ago.
Written by Ahreum Kim