EXPLORE IT - 1 Corinthians 10:9-10

1 Corinthians 10:9-10  We should not test the Lord, as some of them did-- and were killed by snakes.  ¹⁰ And do not grumble, as some of them did-- and were killed by the destroying angel.

Waiting.  I don’t know anyone who likes to wait.  We don’t like to wait at the doctor’s office, we don’t like to wait in line at the grocery story, we don’t like to wait for the microwave to finish popping our popcorn, and we definitely don’t like waiting on God to move.  Our passage this week, 1 Corinthians 10:9-10, points back to another Old Testament story from Numbers 21:4-9.  The Israelites were once again traveling in the desert and became impatient with God.  Even though God had previously provided for them in amazing ways, they now grumbled against God and against Moses, complaining about the lack of food and water.  Because of their grumbling, God sent venomous snakes to the Israelites and many of them were bit and died.  The people repented, Moses prayed, and God instructed Moses to create a bronze snake on a pole.  Anyone who was bit and looked at the bronze snake lived.

The passage in Numbers seems a little far-fetched to us.  We grumble against God – He moves too slowly, He leads us to do something out of our comfort zone, life just seems unfair, but we can’t imagine God sending snakes to us to bite and kill us.  But I think we need to look a little closer at the word “grumble.”  In the original Greek text, the word “grumble” can also be translated as “speak evil of” or “slander.”  It’s one thing to complain to God or ask Him about when the waiting will end, it’s another to slander or insult God.  God’s ways and thoughts are higher than our ways and our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).  We can understand some of our God, but we cannot understand all of our God; nor do we want to serve a God we can completely understand.  It is acceptable for us to seek understanding and direction from God, it is unacceptable for us to slander God in our frustration.

The Israelite story does not end with death, but with life.  God creates a way for those who are bitten to be healed.  God has Moses create a bronze snake.  Those who are bitten must choose to look at this bronze snake in order to be healed.  Scripture does not tell us, but I am sure there were those who were bitten and refused to seek the bronze snake for healing and died.  When we are waiting, we too can choose to give up on God and go our own way, but if we continue to seek God and follow His leading, He has a plan that leads to life!

If you are waiting on God, continue to seek Him.  He will present a path and a way to life!

Blessings,
Pastor Amy