viper by chilon at www.freeimages.com
Why?
The three-letter word question that haunts many hearts of Christians. We wonder why must I endure such suffering, heartache, or pain. We question the love of God and decry the world He created.
In Numbers 21, God sent poisonous snakes amongst the people because they complained about the food and water that God provided. Many people of Israel died because of the serpents. The people come to Moses confessing their sins and asking him to pray to God on their behalf. God instructs Moses to set up the bronze serpent for those bitten to look upon and obtain healing.
This event foreshadows the healing work of Christ at the cross of Calvary (John 3:14-15). This is the famous part of the story. But what is not often observed is that God didn’t remove the snakes.
The snakes remained a constant threat to the people for some time. Salvation was available, but the threat and nuisance of the serpents remained.
This is a good parallel for our own Christian walk. We can obtain salvation through Jesus Christ but the consequences of our former disobedience often follow us. Past sin often leaves scars, temptations, and continues to be a nuisance that must be warded off for years to come.
But let’s get back to the question of “Why?” Why would God not just remove the snakes? Maybe it was because he wanted the Israelites to learn to depend upon Him.
Rather than bemoaning our problems and sufferings, we need to draw closer to God in prayer and rely on Him in hope and faith. We may not understand why he allows so many snakes to remain, but we can rejoice in the truth that His grace has provided salvation!
