Numbers 21:4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “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. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Psalms 106:43-45 Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity. Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
1 Corinthians 10:9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents,
John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Isaiah 45:22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.
“And we loathe this worthless food”, How many times have we read about the grumbling, impatient, rebellious ways of God’s chosen? God did miracles, wonders, and signs before their very eyes. His presence was before them in fire by night and smoke by day. He provided for them. He protected them. He supplied their needs. He told them of His plan and purpose for them. He gave them promises. He gave them commands to live by. He chose them. He loved them. They wanted a remedy to their problem, in their time, in their way, and did not want to believe in or wait for God’s perfect plan. They closed their heart and mind to believe. They opened their heart and mind to impatience, rebellion, unthankfulness, and grumbling.
Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Isaiah 30:18 – “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”
Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Romans 12:12 – “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Romans 8:25 – “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
Jesus is not honored by impatience, unbelief, neglect, complacency, unthankfulness, pride, greed, lust, hate, or unforgiveness. He is honored by obedience, hope, patience, love, reliance, trust, and faith that does not shift with circumstance but remains firm and steadfast. Nothing tests the steadfastness of our faith and belief more than trials. In these troubles, our faith and hope are demonstrated as either being refined and becoming more and more dependent upon God or to impatience, grumbling, unthankfulness, and rebellion.
Wait upon Him, trust Him, rely on Him, and cling to Him.
Isaiah 40:31 -“but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
