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Ardith Arnelle-Price
a book bubble about
Just The Edge of God
Religion & Spirituality
Author Insight
The Bronze Snake
Why the bronze snake? (Numbers 21:8-9) I am not one to like snakes, but the lesson of the bronze snake is a message from God. Now let’s get to the story. The Israelites had complained to Moses when they left Egypt for the Promised Land. They had a problem with grumbling, a sin, and Yahweh had gotten tired of the constant complaining against HIM. (Numbers 11:1, 14:2) So the active wrath of Yahweh against sin began. (Numbers 21:6) “Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died.” Father God’s love of the Israelites and us did prevail, and HE did offer a way out of dying with the bites of the snakes. He told Moses to make a bronze snake image and put it on a pole. The people would look at it and recover. Yahweh delivered the people from HIS fierce judgment and gave HIS mercy. Because Almighty God is divine, HE must deal with our sins and show us his full holy nature to humanity. Since Father God is holy, Yahweh must deal with our sins. Because He is love, HE chooses to offer us mercy. So the next time you grumble or see a medical symbol on an ambulance. Stop, think, repent of your grumbling, and remember what happened to those in the wilderness who forgot that Father God is divine and our Creator.
Book Excerpt
Just The Edge of God
Now the Amplified Bible translation has a unique twist on the ‘edge of God,’ verse; “Yet these are but [a small part of His doings] the outskirts of His ways or the mere fringes of His force, the faintest whisper of His voice! Who dares contemplate or who can understand the thunders of His full, magnificent power?”
Translation of this verse puts a new perspective on the underlining meaning.
First, God’s fiery force - fierce when necessary, against man. Man has played a role in changing the Almighty’s mind about punishment. Moses changed God’s mind when the children of Israel were worshiping the golden calf while Moses was on Mt. Sinai. In Exodus 32:14, NIV, “Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.”
God did not destroy the Hebrew people because of Moses and his earnest request and repentance for his people. “And when Moses saw that, the people were unruly and unrestrained. (For Aaron had let them get out of control so that they were a derision and object of shame among their enemies)” (Ex 32:25, NKJV). It was God’s grace and mercy that saved the Hebrew people. There are many examples where a prophet, king, or apostle prayed, and God listened, sparing disaster to humankind.
Second, God whispers as He did to Elijah when he escaped from Jezebel’s death threats. Elijah ended up on a mountain where God asked him what you are doing here. “After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. And behold, a voice, a voice came to him and said, what are you doing here, Elijah? (1Kgs 19:12, NIV).” The gentle whisper was God’s voice asking the prophet why he was fearful when he had defeated so many enemies of God.
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