Please read Numbers 21: 4-9 prepare for Sunday morning worship.
Sermon Focus: Covenant Keeping: Snakes On A Plain
Key Verse: “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.” Numbers 21: 7
Reflection Questions:
- Why do you believe God’s response to the Israelites is to send venomous snakes as an answer to their complaints?
- What do you think the bronze snake represent in this story? Why does God respond in this way as opposed to removing the venomous snakes?
Connection for Today:
The paradoxical role of the snakes in this passage is a key insight to the nature of God’s covenant. The actions of the Israelites who complained against God’s provision and showed signs of beginning to lose faith were met with consequences of those actions. That is to say, within the covenant there is a factor of accountability. Once the Israelites find their way back into alignment with the covenant, God offers restoration through the bronze snake. It stands as a reminder that faith in the power of God brings life. Thus, another component of covenant is the possibility of reconciliation. May we seek such reconciliation while we deepen our faith together this Lenten season.