Why is there such a contrast between the actions of God in Numbers 21 compared to what Jesus says about the heavenly Father in Luke 11?
Numbers 21:6 - "The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died."
Luke 11:9-13 - "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Putting myself in the scenario Jesus lays out, I think about how if I had a child, and they were complaining and grumbling to me about the food they have, being unthankful for what they've been given, I would reprimand them and teach them a lesson in gratefulness, but I would not hurt them. I would not abuse them, and I would definitely not kill them. And yet that's what God did in Numbers 21. The Israelites were complaining about their lack of food/food choices. In return, they received deadly serpents that killed several of their people.
Great sermon and commentary. I used the same comparison in my sermon Sunday, that the new generation of Hebrews did not know Who they were grumbling against and what the consequences of their grumbling would be. The picture I have of grumbling is to see a calm, placid pond, and then someone tosses a stone into it, and the ripples fan out, then another stone hits the water, and another, and soon the lake is like a boiling maelstrom of cascading water. Such is our American culture in so many ways, endless grimacing, griping, complaining & grumbling. We so need the peace of God that surpasses understanding. Lord have mercy!
Complaining, think you had it right when you talked about nostalgia. We live in the stories of our parents as if they are our experiences.
Why is there such a contrast between the actions of God in Numbers 21 compared to what Jesus says about the heavenly Father in Luke 11?
Numbers 21:6 - "The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died."
Luke 11:9-13 - "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Putting myself in the scenario Jesus lays out, I think about how if I had a child, and they were complaining and grumbling to me about the food they have, being unthankful for what they've been given, I would reprimand them and teach them a lesson in gratefulness, but I would not hurt them. I would not abuse them, and I would definitely not kill them. And yet that's what God did in Numbers 21. The Israelites were complaining about their lack of food/food choices. In return, they received deadly serpents that killed several of their people.
Great sermon and commentary. I used the same comparison in my sermon Sunday, that the new generation of Hebrews did not know Who they were grumbling against and what the consequences of their grumbling would be. The picture I have of grumbling is to see a calm, placid pond, and then someone tosses a stone into it, and the ripples fan out, then another stone hits the water, and another, and soon the lake is like a boiling maelstrom of cascading water. Such is our American culture in so many ways, endless grimacing, griping, complaining & grumbling. We so need the peace of God that surpasses understanding. Lord have mercy!
It makes sense that the grumbling would continue through the generations. After all, our parents are our first and most influential teachers.
Thank you for your posting.
Grumbling is contagious. Our first parents were disgruntled by the serpent's casting aspersion on the LORD's impeccable goodness.