Moses, the Rock, and the Serpent

Moses is a figure of tremendous importance and we'll spend a couple of weeks with him. Today, we'll see two immensely significant sections of his story where, when the people of God grumble against Him, God sends fiery snakes among them. Then as Moses intercedes for God's people, God makes a way of escape through a serpent on a pole (not THE Serpent, but one who represented the punishment of treason against our God); in the same way, in another story, amongst the complaints of the Hebrew people, God provides a rock where, when Moses struck it, it gushed water for the people of God to drink. Jesus is the better Moses and is the One who, when He was lifted up, saves us and gives us everlasting water. The Serpent would have us believe our God isn't for us, that He has left us in the wilderness to die without Him. Jesus crushes the head of the Serpent by reminding us that He is always with us, is always for us, and will provide for His people in their time of need.