59 - You have lacked nothing

The Brazen Serpent
by James Tissot

Chareen's Thoughts:

• The Israelites are instructed to pass through the land the Lord had given to Esau as an inheritance.  He is quite specific about what they may or may not do. 
• Look at this beautiful verse that is a testomy of the Lords faithfulness to His people:
  For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your walking through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing. Deuteronomy 2:7  
• Once again the people became impatient and spoke against the Lord asking WHY ?  As a consequence of their descent the Lord sent a plague of snakes and many died.  The people then repented of their sin and the Lord instructed Moses to make a snake image and mount it on a pole so when anyone was bitten they could look on it and be healed. Moses did as the Lord commanded. 
• The congregation traveled to Oboth and Lye-Abarim and north through Moab.
• For 38 years the Israelites traveled from Kadesh-barnea until they crossed the Zered Valley.
• Why did they have to travel this long ? : ...until the whole generation of the men of war had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. Moreover the hand of the Lord was against them to exterminate them from the midst of the camp, until they were all gone Deuteronomy 2:14-15 The Lord is faithful to His word.
• The Lord instructed Israel was not to fight the Ammonites because their land was an inheritance to the descendants of Lot.
• The first land given as a possession to Israel was the land of Sihon.
• The second land given as a possession was from Og king of Bashan.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross], In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may [a]not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever! John 3:14-15

Blessings
Chareen 

Brazen Serpent Monument
Mount Nebo (Jordan)

For Further reading:

•  Lifted Up on Chritianity Today.
• Caduceus medical symbol over at Ancient Sculpture
• Caduceus over at Wikipedia
• Medical Iconography over at University of Virginia.
• Caduceus Sculpture Plaque over at Ancient Sculpture Gallery.
• Nehushtan over at Wikipedia
• Mount Nebo, Jordan over at Atlas Tours.