Supplication is Better than Serpents

“…The soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses… So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.” [1]

The Scripture says to praise the Lord, rejoice in Him, and glorify Him. Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, rejoice.” [2] How often do we fail to act on this excellent guidance?

Rather than being prone to complain against their leaders, the people needed rejoicing in the Lord, praising the Lord, and glorifying the Lord to become their go-to reaction to hardship. Something only the Spirit of God could help them to do!

Nevertheless, the people confessed their sin to Moses, saying, “’We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.’ So, Moses prayed for the people.” [3]

The Lord had a Word and an action for Moses. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live. So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so, it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” [4]

Serpents are poisonous and so are sinful desires. Someone once said that pride is the mother of all sin. When we exalt ourselves against the Lord, we are following in the steps of Lucifer who wanted to take God’s place in heaven. Therefore, the serpent needed to be hung on a tree. The ego needed to be crucified. The mindset of the people of Satan’s last empire before Jesus returns is one of arrogance. “How much she has glorified herself and lived deliciously… she says in her heart, ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.’” [5]

Thankfully, Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself on the cross. The devil may have thought he had won his battle against God’s Son, but actually, when Jesus atoned for humanity’s sin, He destroyed the power of sin, death and the devil. The fiery serpent was defeated on that cross by the Son of God. Now, whosoever looks to Jesus Christ, is forgiven all their sins and set free from the devil’s captivity. To no longer keep on helplessly sinning like a puppet on the devil’s strings! [6]

Beyond forgiveness, God gives us who ask Him what is needed to live victorious, namely, the Holy Spirit. “So, I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” [7]

Romans 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray. And to do so with thanksgiving and with peace from God. “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” [8]

[1] Numbers 21:4-6
[2] Philippians 4:4
[3] Numbers 21:7
[4] Numbers 21:8-9
[5] Isaiah 14:12-14; Revelation 18:7
[6] Hebrews 2:14; Acts 10:43; 1 John 3:8; John 8:36
[7] Luke 11:9-13
[8] Philippians 4:6-7