Hugh Stephenson

GM Erica! Love your note about a way out and a way of life. Q1. In the past tense, yes. Lots of grumbling. Eventually, I learned God had purpose for me and all that happened was either moving me towards that purpose or correcting me from wavering off the path. Q2. Amy and I seek to witness to all our unbelieving friends and family members. Most of the time the reaction is pretty tepid. Q3. The LORD used Re:gen to teach me about reconciliation. It’s a primary focus for me. --------------------------------------------------- I’m still musing about the grumbling. This is like a bad high school girlfriend, always complaining and super high maintenance. It’s easy for me to wonder how they can’t trust God 100% all the time in every instance. Then…I look in the mirror and get convicted.

Hugh Stephenson

A friend was driving his young family to a vacation when the kids started fighting and yelling. Finally fed up with this happening on every trip he pulled the car over on the Interstate Highway and made them get out. Then he drove off to their terrified cries and shrieks. What he knew that they didn’t was that they were mid-way between two fairly close exits and he was going to do a big loop and come back and pick them up. When he did, they didn’t make a peep for the rest of the trip. Well, at least he didn’t dump them in a pit of snakes. 2 Timothy 3:16- What’s up with the bronze snake anyway? https://www.gotquestions.org/bronze-serpent.html Like my friend’s kids the Israelites were ungrateful and disobedient. Like my friend, the LORD has shown that at some point he’s had enough.

Hugh Stephenson

The notes teach me that bronze/copper was red; the color associated with atonement. Now I get it. Why not just take away the snakes? Who would believe looking at a bronze snake would heal them? The notes teach that God required faith’s not works; (Ephesians 2:8-9). "The bread is a picture of Jesus; as the Bread of Heaven he is the proper nourisher of his people. The bronze snake is a picture of Jesus, who became sin for us as he hung on that awful tree. The manna had to be eaten. The snake had to be seen. The commands of Scripture are for doing. The manna was no good if left to rot. The metal snake would not avail if none looked at it. The manna and the snake are twin aspects of the grace of God." (TCs notes)

Michael Sisson

NUMBERS 21:9 & JOHN 3:14-21 Re: Num 21:9 Num 21:9 (NASB) And Moses made a >>>bronze serpent<<< and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the >>>bronze serpent,<<< he lived. Got Questions asserts, “There is no connection between this serpent [Num 21:9] and the serpent which Satan spoke through in the Garden of Eden.” https://www.gotquestions.org/bronze-serpent.html I beg to differ. There IS a connection. >>>Both serpents reflect man’s rejection of G-d’s provision…particularly G-d’s provision embodied in the Despised Messiah, Who is Yeshua (Jesus).<<< Satan has no identity to call his own. Like the rest of creation, his identity is wrapped up in the Messiah (Col 1:16). Consequently, we see Satan (Rev 12:9; Rev 20:2) in the Garden of Eden coming to Eve as a serpent to lead mankind to question G-d’s goodness, to reject G-d’s authority, and to reject His ultimate provision through Yeshua, the Despised Messiah (Isa 49:7; Isa 53:3). Satan taking the form of a serpent merely >>>reflects his role in inviting mankind to unbelief.<<< In Numbers 21:6-9, again the people are questioning G-d’s goodness and grumbling against His provision. They’re sinning in their unbelief. >>>The people’s rejection of G-d and His provision is reflected in the “nachash“ (“serpents” or “shiny ones”) which afflict them.<<< However, G-d providentially knows His provision of the Messiah Whom the world will reject, the Despised Messiah, will be our ultimate healing. Thus, in a bit of divine foreshadowing, He instructs Moses to erect a bronze serpent on a staff, and to call the people to look upon this type of the Despised Messiah for their healing. (Num 21:8-9) John 3:14 later confirms the bronze serpent’s anti-type (Messiah Yeshua) when it alludes to Yeshua’s impending Crucifixion as a prophetic fulfillment of Moses’ serpent on a staff. “The word for ‘bronze’ or ‘copper’ in Hebrew is nechoshet (נְחֹשֶׁת) , which carries the Hebrew root nachash (נָחָשׁ) , which means ‘serpent.’ The Kabbalists [Jewish mystics] noted that the numerical value of both Hebrew words nachash (serpent, נחש) and mashiach (Messiah, משיח) is 358. They interpreted this to mean that the ‘holy serpent’ (the Messiah) will ultimately destroy the ‘evil serpent’ (Satan).” — First Fruits of Zion

Michael Scaman

The son of man is lifted up like the bronze serpent, a healing for the judgement against sin. The Son of God comes down from heaven as a gift for eternal life. Imagine Nicodemus trying to wrap his head around those two pictures together, said almost in the same breath.

Sue Bohlin

Thanks, Erica! I am struck by the simplicity of God's plan: the Israelites only had to look at the "serpent on a stick" to be healed of their disease, because that's how they submitted to Yahweh's provision in faith. Just choosing to go and look at the serpent. And many years later, when Jesus the Messiah would be raised up on a cross, salvation is gained by simply looking to Him in faith. There is nothing we can do to earn heaven; there is nothing we can do to be reconciled to the Father on our own recognizance; there is nothing we can do to separate ourselves from our sin; there is nothing we can do to create righteousness in ourselves that merits being allowed into the presence of God. Salvation is a gift we choose to receive by looking in faith (saying "yes, thank You!") to Jesus--especially the image of Jesus on the cross, taking our place, suffering in ways we cannot begin to imagine. Which we will consider tomorrow, Good Friday.

Dianna Croley

I have been thinking lately about when Moses threw down his staff to the ground, and it became a serpent and devoured all the other serpents. But, when he picked it back up again, it became a staff in his hand again. That the numerical value for both serpent and Messiah is 358 gives me better understanding of this. Thank you.

Tonni Shook

I love the connection with Numbers & John. It’s been an amazing year so far reading the OT & how it all points to Jesus. @Hugh - reading about your friend reminds me of a very similar experience I had as a child. My family was going on our first vacation from OK to Disney World. BEFORE we even got in the car my dad spanked my sister & I, outside, near the back of the car. We hadn’t even started fighting! But he knew we would at some point. The wrath of the father! We didn’t fight the entire 2 weeks. He tells us to this day they it was the best vacation ever.

Amy Lowther

1. Not currently because I look to God for guidance in current situations. I also go to God in prayer over debatable things so I can get the best results. Prayer: God thank you for the example you set for all of us. Thank you for your consistency to be there when life is good and not so good. God you help us through and it is good. We thank you and love you. Amen. 2. I have people who have potential to be stronger believers. For them to do this, I continue to care and share with them as is. I don’t hold their beliefs or values against them. I accept them for who they are and encourage them of Jesus’ good news when possible. For this week there is lots of organization, planning, and scheduling for Easter so discussions are quite interesting and good, easily incorporating Jesus. 3. Loving others in my life is going well. I am currently encouraging to others as often as possible. No reconciliations are occurring or needed in my life at this moment.