Rebellion Against God and His Servants brings Severe Punishment
(Numbers 21:4-9)
The above scriptural texts gave a detailed account of how in those days: From Mount Hor the Hebrews set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, and for this they were duly punished by God; the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people such that many of them died. Moses at the end stood in the gap for them, pleaded with God and they were healed and restored So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it up as a sign; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live; this was how God healed them.
No matter whatever we face in life, we must never forget to proclaim the words of Ps. 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21:
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Always remember that the seed is the word of God, and the sower is Christ; all who find him will abide forever.
Will You Die in your Sin?
At that time: Jesus said to the Pharisees, I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come. This the Jews never understood, instead they murmured: Will he kill himself? Christ said to them, You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he. He made known to them that he did not speak of his own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him, through this many believed in him.
Reflect on This
The Israelites were at it again. They rebelled against God and His servant Moses. They were duly punished with an invasion of serpents. God directed Moses to make a bronze replica of the serpent to save those who looked at it after being bitten. In the Gospel, the Jews were again at war with Jesus. They would not accept him for who he said he was. They asked him pointedly, Who are you? Jesus told them that they would know who he was when they would have lifted him up as Moses did the serpent in the wilderness. Through his crucifixion, Jesus would accomplish the salvation of the entire human race, including those Jews who refused to accept him.
Humbly Say to the Father:
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear towards me; on the day when I call, speedily answer me.