RCL: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21 Numbers 21:4-9 The Book of Numbers recounts the 40-year-long journey of the ancient Israelites through the wilderness, toward the Promised Land. The way is fraught, and many challenges beset the people as they wander through the desert. Just before the events of today’s text, the…

RCL: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21 Numbers 21:4-9 The wilderness accounts of the Exodus are filled with honest narratives of the Israelites complaining to Moses because they are wandering around, discontent, scared, or even worried they have made the wrong decision. In this story, it seems the Israelites are a bit…

Numbers 21:4-9 Earlier this year, I made my first transatlantic flight from the United States to Italy. When I first received my plane ticket, I took note of the fact that I would be on an airplane for close to ten hours, but I didn’t fully grasp what it would be like to be confined…

Numbers 21:4-9 This passage finds the people of Israel after they have left Egypt and journeyed through the wilderness. Bullied by the Edomites, the Israelites become impatient on the circuitous route and repeat their malcontented refrain: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” God responds by sending poisonous…

Numbers 21:4-9 For Moses and his community, serpents represented both a threat to physical life for those unfortunate enough to be bitten and, if we follow their thinking that God sent the poisonous snakes, divine retribution for their lapse in faith that God would provide as God had promised. Yet they also were the sign…