被举起的铜蛇
用举起的铜蛇代表从神而来的祝福，可能看似很奇怪。但从民数记所记载的故事来看，事情就是这样的。神就是这样做的。百姓们正如以前所经历的，又一次学习到，他们需要信靠神。
百姓在沙漠对神和摩西发牢骚，我们或许不会感到奇怪。他们周围是一片无路可走、咆哮着的旷野，酷热刺眼的沙尘暴。在他们前头还有强大的敌人，坚守在高高的城墙内。
但是神在这之前解决了他们所有的危机：带他们过了红海，每天赐给他们吗哪（饼），鹌鹑（肉），和水。有了这样坚实的信仰基础，百姓还有理由为未来的事不相信神吗？
同样的问题也适用于今天那些可能会抱怨神的人们。在历史中，我们还有许多神的信实作为来提醒祂的眷顾。我们也有藉着耶稣而成的救恩，祂为我们的缘故被挂在十字架上。祂承担了本应属于我们的所有罪和背逆的惩罚。耶稣甚至解释说，摩西时代被举起的铜蛇，是要指向祂在十字架上的拯救之工。所以，凡仰望并信祂的人，都可以得到永生。
祢信靠祂吗？
主啊，求使我们的眼目转向耶稣，赐给我们信心来信靠祂，求祢拯救我们。阿们。
民数记 21:4-9
4 他们从何珥山起行，往红海那条路走，要绕过以东地。百姓因这路难行，心中甚是烦躁，
5 就怨讟神和摩西说：“你们为什么把我们从埃及领出来，使我们死在旷野呢？这里没有粮，没有水，我们的心厌恶这淡薄的食物！”
6 于是耶和华使火蛇进入百姓中间，蛇就咬他们，以色列人中死了许多。
7 百姓到摩西那里，说：“我们怨讟耶和华和你，有罪了。求你祷告耶和华，叫这些蛇离开我们。”于是摩西为百姓祷告。
8 耶和华对摩西说：“你制造一条火蛇，挂在杆子上。凡被咬的，一望这蛇，就必得活。”
9 摩西便制造一条铜蛇，挂在杆子上。凡被蛇咬的，一望这铜蛇就活了。
A Bronze Snake On A Pole
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” — John 3:14-15
A snake on a pole may seem a strange image to represent healing and blessing from God. But in the context of the story in Numbers 21, that’s what happened. God made it so. And the people learned, as they often had done before, that they needed to trust in God.
We might not be surprised that the people grumbled against God and Moses in the desert. All around them was a trackless, howling wilderness, with searing heat and blinding sandstorms. Ahead of them were powerful enemies, barricaded in high, walled cities.
But God had solved all of their crises before: bringing them through the Red Sea, giving them manna (bread), quail (meat), and water each day. With such a firm foundation for faith, was there any reason for the people not to trust God with their future?
The same question can apply today for God’s people who might grumble against him. And we have a lot more of God’s faithfulness in history to remind us of his care. We also have the good news of salvation through Jesus, who was lifted up on a cross for our sake. He took on himself all the punishment for sin and rebellion that was rightly ours to bear. Jesus even explained that the snake on a pole in Moses’ day pointed to his saving work on the cross. So everyone who looks to him and believes may now have eternal life.
Do you trust him?
Lord, turn our eyes upon Jesus, give us faith to trust him, and save us. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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