As the Israelites traveled in the wilderness they murmured and complained to Moses. They were tired of eating manna and wanted to eat meat and other foods they used to have in Egypt. They forgot how the Lord had saved and protected them and only focused on the things they didn’t have. The Lord was angry with the people for forgetting Him again, and he sent fires, plagues, pestilences, and even poisonous serpents to remind the people to turn to Him. The Lord told Moses to make a brass serpent and put it on a pole. Any who were bitten by the poisonous serpents could simply look at the pole and they would be healed. Because it was such a simple thing, many people died because they wouldn’t look at the pole. Just like looking to the serpent on the pole would heal the people, if we look to Jesus in faith we can be healed through repentance.

The people were so rebellious that the Lord told Moses that none of the adults would be able to enter the promised land. They would wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Even though the Lord was angry with the people, He still loved them. When King Balak wanted to have the Israelites cursed by Balaam, the Lord forbid Balaam to do it. He sent an angel to tell Baalam not to curse the people, because they were blessed. Instead the Lord gives Balaam the words to say, and he blesses the Israelites.