Thoughts on Christ and His Word

Are you afraid of snakes? Most people are. I am not afraid of them; I just have a healthy respect for them. The people Israel sinned against God (again) by speaking against Him and against Moses. They cried out with their usual imbecilic statements: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the desert? Numbers 21:5 God let loose the snakes that bit the people and they died. Once they repented, God did not take the snakes away, but He did provide a way for them to live. He had Moses make a bronze snake, put it on a stick and raise it up high so that “when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.” Numbers 21:9 When they looked at the bronze snake they were putting their faith in God and his provision for their healing. This became the picture of how God would save us through Christ. Christ was lifted up on a cross and anyone who looks to him in faith receives healing – eternal life. This is how Jesus put it: Just as Moses l

If you wanted to be a judge under Moses you had to meet at least four qualifications. You needed to be: 1. Capable – Educated enough to know or be able to learn God’s laws and apply them to people’s points of dispute. 2. God-Fearing – You needed to love and respect God so much that your own life reflected holiness and obedience to His laws and values. 3. Trustworthy – You needed to be a person worthy of this position. You needed to be faithful to God, hard-working, be where you’re supposed to be at the time you are supposed to be there type of person. 4. Hater of Dishonest Gain – In your integrity, you would not use your position to gain riches for yourself nor would ever take a bribe nor distort justice for selfish purposes. …select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Exodus 18:21 Even if we don’t want to be a judge for Moses, we should al