Look and live (Numbers 19-21, Colossians 4)

I’ve done it again. I feel awful. Is there any hope for someone like me? Is it worth carrying on? Could God really be interested in someone like me?

I wonder if you ever feel like that?

God is a holy God, and maybe when you mess up you think, “I know I’ll make it up by…”

God’s people mess up again in Numbers 21. They grumble against God (v5). It is a serious thing. It’s different to pouring out your heart to God in pain (the Psalms are full of that), but to grumble is to accuse God of not being good. It’s serious, and if it continues unchecked, deadly. God is a holy God, He must punish sin. And here in Numbers 21, that is what He does, but He also provides a way out.

The way out, is not to try and make up for what you have done wrong – you can’t! If we are to love God all of the time, we can’t make up for the times we don’t by trying a bit harder because we should be loving Him all the time! But look how He provides. When the people admit their sin (Numbers 21:7) God provides a way to be forgiven. He doesn’t prescribe penance, they simply have to take God at His Word and trust in the means of rescue He provides.

God’s rescue is often unusual looking to the world. He tells Moses to make a bronze serpent and stick it up on a pole, when anyone is bitten, they simply have to look at the bronze snake and they will live! It’s not a magic snake. The secret is taking God at His Word, and trusting in the rescue He provides.

How can a snake take away their sin? Well it can’t, but it’s a shadow of what God will do to provide a rescue for all who will admit our sin, take Him at His word and trust in the rescue He provides. The reason God could turn away His holy anger when his people trusted Him and looked to the snake lifted up, is that God was looking forward to the time His own son would be lifted up, not on a pole, but on a cruel cross (John 3:14).

God’s rescue methods look strange, even foolish to the world, but they are the power of salvation for all who believe, whatever you have done.

Sometimes, it’s only when we face hard circumstances that we recognise our need. It was only after the Lord sent the serpents among the people, and they started getting bitten that they then admitted their sin (Num 21:7).

That is the first step for all to take, to admit that we have disobeyed a holy God and deserve His judgement, and then to look at the amazing, but foolish looking, rescue He has provided…His own Son lifted up on the cross so that you can look and live. That’s how Jesus can forgive someone like you and me, He has paid the price!