Contend with Snakes

 Jordan Peterson covers the story from Numbers 21:6-9, where the wandering Israelites grumble one more time and God sends poisonous snakes into the camp to kill them. Having read Numbers and Deuteronomy and Exodus, I'm pretty sure if God hadn't done stuff like this to kill people off, they would have wandered for 80 years instead of 40. Anyway, the Israelites repent, God tells Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole and anyone who looks at it is healed. Jesus refers back to the incident - which I, unlike Dr. Peterson, believe is a historical not allegorical narrative - in John 3:14, comparing Himself to the snake. 

It never occurred to me to ask "Why didn't God get rid of the snakes?" like Jordan did. It's a good question. Dr. Peterson answers because we have to learn how to contend with snakes. Life is very, very hard, and snakes are a daily part, and God almost never removes them. Even if He does, there's another snake just waiting around the next rock. 

I accepted the premise last year, and put "contend with snakes" up on my wall to help me through. However, I missed the rest of the story. 

We contend with snakes BY LOOKING UP. Focusing my attention, not on the snakes, but on the One who saves me from them. Peterson frames that One as Ultimate Truth. I'm fine with calling Him Jesus. 

Some Native American tribes believe snakes are powerful medicine. To see a healthy snake is a good sign of healing power. 

I haven' t seen a snake in the wild in decades. I have seen 3 different, healthy snakes in the last 6 weeks. All of them in places that are both contending with allegorical poisonous snakes and desperately in need  of healing. 

I am going to be a little C.S. Lewis about this and combine my myths. I choose to believe these snakes are signs of God's presence in the midst of suffering reminding me to keep looking up. God will bring all of us through. 

Keep the faith.