The Bronze Snake

Well the lectionary took us back to James chapter 2 last week for our Communion Service, but because we haven’t been in the OT much, I thought we’d stay with the lectionary and explore a strange OT passage concerning the Israelites and a whole lot of snakes, but a Bronze Snake in particular. This is where our reading will be taken from: Numbers 21:4-9. It is peculiar, and without properly digging into the context of the passage, it could be quite difficult for many of us to understand or stomach.

You might be aware of T.E. Lawrence, probably more infamously known as ‘Lawrence of Arabia.’ He wrote an account about his time in the desert where he and his group were plagued by poisonous snakes. These horned vipers and puff-adders were constantly afflicting their group, and he lost a number of his men to snake attacks. Probably not nice to be living through the parched barrenness of the desert and then having to contend with plagues of venomous snakes which apparently were just a part of desert life.

It was in similar desert terrain that the Israelites were condemned to wander for decades, but miraculously we saw how God had fed them with manna from heaven, He also kept their clothes from wearing out and their feet from swelling (see Deuteronomy 8:4). If as T.E. Lawrence indicates, venomous snakes were a normal part of desert life, a biblical commentator suggests that as well as His provision for His people, God was also miraculously keeping these snakes at bay, a part of God’s protection over His people.

Whatever the case, it’s an interesting story for us to explore but it raised some questions for me that we as Christians might ask ourselves. We’ll touch on these questions this Sunday and see where the Spirit leads us. Take time to read this passage and see what God might be saying to you as well.

God’s blessings be upon you in the name of Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Josh