Wednesday, March 12, 2014

12 March 2014 - Israel Tests God in the Desert (part two of two)

Of how God crushes rebellion, Numbers sixteen does tell
Some became insolent; against Moses opposition did swell
Moses was aggrieved, saying that they had gone too far
He found the Levites’ lack of gratitude to be quite bizarre
Korah and his men gathered at the tent, not on bended knee
Then “the glory of the Lord appeared to the entire assembly”
Moses warned all the other Israelites to keep their distance
God opened the earth around Korah, ending his resistance

Moses disobeyed God in Numbers chapter twenty
There was no water, so there was grumbling plenty
Once more, the people were ungrateful and did criticise
God told Moses to speak to the rock before their eyes
He promised that water would flow out from the rock
Thus providing a drink for them and their livestock
Moses did as he was told, but then used his staff
Water gushed out but this was quite a big gaffe
The Lord said that because Moses did not fully trust
The plans for entering Canaan He would have to adjust
“Because [he] did not…honor [God] as holy” in their sight
Moses would not get to enter the promised land outright

The Israelite people grew inpatient, per Numbers twenty one
They spoke against God despite what He had often done
The again complained about the lack of water and bread
God then sent “venomous snakes among them” instead
After many deaths, the rest to God and Moses did repent
Moses prayed to God to take back the snakes he had sent
To put a snake up on a pole was the instruction God did give
In that way, anyone bitten by a snake could look up and live
Jesus referred to this incident in John chapter three
“The Son of Man must be lifted up” for all to see
“For God so loved the world that He gave His...only Son”
“Whoever believes in Him”, God for eternity will not shun
“For God did not send His Son…to condemn” the earth
“But to save the world through Him” through a rebirth

After the Amorites were destroyed, per Numbers twenty two
The Moabites were terrified of what the Israelites might do
So their leader Balak sent a messenger to Balaam find
After praying to God, their offer he initially declined
Balaam was hired to curse Israel after God did agree
But God protected Israel, per Deuteronomy twenty three

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