We Walk an Appointed Way
Numbers 21 brings us into one of the more sobering and yet hope-filled moments in Israel’s wilderness journey. After decades of wandering, Israel is weary and discouraged, and their hearts are poisoned with complaint. It is in this moment that God uses a plague of fiery serpents—and the raising of a bronze serpent upon a pole—to remind His people of the seriousness of sin, and of the sufficiency of His grace.
The passage begins by reminding us that the way we walk is not accidental. Israel’s wilderness path was appointed by God. Deuteronomy 8:2–5 tells us that their wanderings were designed to humble them, test them, and teach them that “man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD.”
The manna—heavenly bread, “angels’ food”—was their daily provision. If they tried to hoard it, it rotted. This daily bread was meant to teach them that God’s mercies are new every morning, and that His people must walk by faith. The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night reminded them that their way was ordered by God. Moses himself, the meekest man on the earth, was their guide under God. In every detail, the message was clear: Jesus is sufficient, and Jesus is sovereign.
…And yet, the people became discouraged.
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Numbers 21:1-9)
Discouragement Is A Soul Poison
Discouragement is not a small thing. To be discouraged literally means “to extinguish courage.” It drains confidence, depresses the spirit, and robs us of hope. Israel’s discouragement, like ours today, came from multiple sources:
- Apostasy—when they refused to believe the good report of the land (Deuteronomy 1:21–28).
- Apathy—when certain tribes refused to fight alongside their brethren (Numbers 32).
- Adversity—when God’s direction did not match their expectations.
Numbers 21:4 says, “the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.” They expected a straight path, an easy road, and continual improvement. Instead, God led them on a detour through rough wilderness. They thought they deserved the “King’s Highway”—a smooth road with wells along the way. Instead, they faced rocky deserts, no water, and exhausting setbacks.
When our expectations don’t align with God’s direction, discouragement festers. And discouragement, left unchecked, is like venom in the soul. It spreads through the camp of our heart the way snakebite spreads through the body.
The Poison’s Symptoms: The Sin of Complaint
Discouragement soon turned to sin. Notice their complaints in Numbers 21:5:
- “They spake against God,” “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” (They blamed God.)
- “They spake against Moses.” (They blamed God’s leader.)
- “Our soul loatheth this light bread.” (They despised the manna—God’s Word and Christ’s provision.)
Here is the essence of their poison: discontent with God, discontent with His servant Moses, and discontent with His Word. Deuteronomy 8:3 explains that God gave manna to teach them that His Word is enough. Yet they treated His bread as worthless. A discouraged soul will not only think low thoughts of God, His people, and the Word. This poison will also spread to anyone it comes into contact with, like venom through the body.
When we think less of Christ and His Word, our hearts open to venom. The soul that says, “Jesus is not enough,” is in danger of spiritual death.
The Plague: A Parable of Sin
God sent fiery serpents among the people, and many died. Paul reflects on this in 1 Corinthians 10:9: “Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.” The plague was a vivid parable of sin. Just as venom courses through the veins, bringing paralysis and death, so sin courses through our souls, destroying life and hope.
The people quickly recognized their condition. Verse 7 records their confession: “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee.”
Discouragement had led to complaint. Complaint had led to contempt. Contempt had led to deadly consequence.
The Pole: The Solution from God
But God in mercy gave them a remedy: “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live” (v. 8).
Here we see the grace of God breaking in. The solution was not to deny the poison, nor to heal themselves, nor to retrace their steps. The solution was to look—to look away from their wounds, away from their failures, and to fix their gaze on God’s provision lifted up on the pole.
Jesus Himself explains the meaning in John 3:14–15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
The serpent on the pole was a shadow of the cross. Christ became sin for us, bore the curse in our place, and was lifted up that all who look to Him in faith might live.
Your Anecdote to Discouragement
1. Look Away from Yourself
Discouragement is not neutral—it is a sin when it blinds us to God’s goodness. Israel confessed, “We have sinned.” In the same way, we must recognize when discouragement turns us inward and poisons our perspective. Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things—yes, even detours, deserts, and disappointments—work together for good to those who love God.
Think of Joseph, betrayed by his brothers, enslaved in Egypt, forgotten in prison. Yet when he looked back, he could name his sons Ephraim and Manasseh: “God has made me forget my toil, and God has made me fruitful.” God turns our wilderness into a place of fruitfulness.
2. Look to the Savior
The only cure for sin-poison is to look in faith to Jesus Christ. He is the greater bronze serpent lifted up on the cross. He bore our discouragements, despairs, and disobedience. Isaiah 42:4 prophesies of Him: “He shall not fail nor be discouraged.” Where we faint, He is faithful.
Discouragement says, “God has forgotten me.” Faith says, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15). Job lost everything, but he looked to God, worshiped, and was restored. When we look to Christ, we too find mercy, forgiveness, and supernatural healing.
3. Look and Live!
The gospel is not “work and live” or “try and live.” It is “look and live.” Faith is looking. Faith is lifting our eyes from wounds and weariness to the cross. The emblem of healing still appears on every ambulance today—the serpent on a pole—reminding us of God’s provision for the broken.
Nine years ago, during a Bible conference I preached at, a man named Dennis got lost in the woods. Police, bloodhounds, helicopters, and search teams combed the area. After twenty-four hours, a first responder finally found him, placed him in a vehicle with the symbol from Numbers 21:9 on it, a serpent on a cross. It was an EMT ambulance that rushed him to safety. Today, he is alive and well. What those rescuers did for Dennis physically, Christ does for us spiritually: He searches, rescues, heals, and restores. “Look and live!”
