Look to God and Live

Numbers 11–14; 21:1–9

Moses was an incredibly patient, humble and meek man.

• Patient – He listened to Israel murmur any chance they got.  Last week they murmured because they  didn’t have food or water.  This week they murmur because they were sick of the food that they had.
• Humble – He would go to the Lord for help every single time.  Not once did he assume he could handle it on his own.
• Meek – He was constantly grateful.  Grateful for all that God did for him and his people.

This week we discuss many wonderful traits that Moses had.

Moses had a goal.  He wanted to take Israel to the Promised Land.  He was constantly focused on that goal, even though they may have stopped for a time in different locations along the way.

The people did not fully share that same focus or goal.  At least they weren’t working for it constantly.

Stand up for a moment.  (Wait finish this paragraph and then do what it says to do).  Walk from where you are now to the kitchen.  If you are in the kitchen, go to the nearest bathroom.  The trick is to do this backwards while only looking to where you have been not where you are going.  Once you try it, come back here.  Okay, go now….

Thanks for coming back.

How hard was it to get to where you were going when you were focused on where you had been?

What is important is where you are going and where you are right now.

Moses understood that.

His people did not.

In Numbers we read on several occasions where God somewhat loses His patience with the people and decides to teach them a lesson.

The first time is when they are complaining about their food being poor in taste and that they miss meat and garlic among other yummy things.  So the Lord says, “fine, I’ll give them what they want.  I’ll only give them meat – more than they can eat for a whole month.  They will get nothing else.”  So, that is what he did and He sent a plague on them.

Next we have Aaron and Miriam complaining about Moses’ choice to marry an Ethiopian woman.  So, what does the Lord do?  He gives Miriam leprosy.

Although, I am way impressed with how Moses chose to handle this situation.  He forgave them and asked God to cleanse Miriam.  Then they waited for 7 days for her to be cleansed.  How cool is that?  Moses was caring and charitable to her even after she had been criticizing him.

During these chapters we learn that Moses was a very humble man.  When he was feeling overwhelmed, he didn’t puff himself up and take the weight of the world on his shoulders.  Instead, he went to the Lord and asked for help.  This is when God put in place the quorum of the 70.  To these 70 men, he gave them the power of God with the gift that included revelations.  He was humble in that he welcomed this help.

Both times I have had a baby, I have refused to allow neighbors and friends to bring in meals or help.  I am a prideful person.  Moses was humble.

In the end of this section, following much more complaining from the people of Israel, the Lord again decides to teach them a very important lesson.  He commanded Moses in Numbers 21:8–9 to build a fiery serpent and said that if anyone was bitten by a serpent, then to be healed they would only need to look upon the brass serpent.

What an amazing lesson He taught these people.  It is a lesson that I dare say we must all be reminded of.

Look to God and ye shall LIVE.  How simple is that?  And yet we challenge ourselves with it every single day in one way or another.

Did everyone look to the serpent that had been bitten? No.  Many died.  Just as many of us will not look, we too shall die.

Moses was faithful.  No matter how out there it may have felt to be told to build a serpent of brass to save his people, he did it.  He managed to have the faith and looked to God in all that he did.

What can you do in your daily life to look to God and live?

What is your fiery serpent?

Mine is the scriptures.  I know that I need to read them every day.  I know that God will strengthen me and help my family if I would just read my scriptures every day.  And yet, I don’t.