When the Israelites arrived in the Wilderness of Zin, they set up camp at a place called Kadesh. While they were there, some people started complaining about the lack of water. Gradually, a steady murmur of dissent grew throughout the camp. Neither Moses nor his brother, Aaron, had noticed what was going on, but they would learn about it soon, and they would learn the hard way...
The camp was running out of water and there wasn't even enough to satisfy the children. Everyone was completely parched and they began to get worried. If they didn’t get water soon, they were going to die. Some of the people started questioning Moses’ leadership for bringing them to the desert. Some even suggested that they might have been better off staying in Egypt where, at least, they wouldn't have died of thirst.
The camp was running out of water and there wasn't even enough to satisfy the children. Everyone was completely parched and they began to get worried. If they didn’t get water soon, they were going to die. Some of the people started questioning Moses’ leadership for bringing them to the desert. Some even suggested that they might have been better off staying in Egypt where, at least, they wouldn't have died of thirst.
As the grumbling grew in intensity, Moses and Aaron knew they had to do something. So they went to the Lord’s tent and fell down on their faces before God. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them and told them what to do.
“Take that staff over there,” God told Moses, “Go out and gather the people together. Then, while they're watching, speak to the rock and water will come out."
So Moses gathered the people together. But before he made the water come out, he scolded them for being such a bunch of rebels. Then he lifted up his hand, struck the rock twice, and water came gushing out.
“Take that staff over there,” God told Moses, “Go out and gather the people together. Then, while they're watching, speak to the rock and water will come out."
So Moses gathered the people together. But before he made the water come out, he scolded them for being such a bunch of rebels. Then he lifted up his hand, struck the rock twice, and water came gushing out.
All the people drank their fill and watered their livestock. Then God spoke to Moses again, but He was really upset now.
“Moses, you are a bad man!” God said angrily.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," said Moses a little puzzled. "Em...what was it I did exactly?" he inquired rather sheepishly.
“You didn’t honor me as holy in front of the people," God replied. "You've had it now.”
"Oh?" Moses said, getting s little worried. "Well, I...I suppose, if you say so," he continued still perplexed . "So what's my punishment going to be, Lord?” he said with a bit of a cringe.
“You will never get to see the Promised Land, which you waited 40 years to see. Instead, you will die in the desert.”
“Rats!” thought Moses.
“And as for that brother of yours,” God went on.
“There’s more?” said Moses
“Yes,” God said emphatically. “Aaron will not be allowed to see the Promised Land either. In fact, I'm going to kill him soon.”
"Oh," Moses said, somewhat shocked. "Well, I guess I'll go tell him the bad news."
"Yes, you just go and do that," said God, still very agitated.
"Ok, well bye for now God," Moses said, "Love you."
So with the bad news, Moses gathered up the people and they headed out towards Edom.
“Moses, you are a bad man!” God said angrily.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," said Moses a little puzzled. "Em...what was it I did exactly?" he inquired rather sheepishly.
“You didn’t honor me as holy in front of the people," God replied. "You've had it now.”
"Oh?" Moses said, getting s little worried. "Well, I...I suppose, if you say so," he continued still perplexed . "So what's my punishment going to be, Lord?” he said with a bit of a cringe.
“You will never get to see the Promised Land, which you waited 40 years to see. Instead, you will die in the desert.”
“Rats!” thought Moses.
“And as for that brother of yours,” God went on.
“There’s more?” said Moses
“Yes,” God said emphatically. “Aaron will not be allowed to see the Promised Land either. In fact, I'm going to kill him soon.”
"Oh," Moses said, somewhat shocked. "Well, I guess I'll go tell him the bad news."
"Yes, you just go and do that," said God, still very agitated.
"Ok, well bye for now God," Moses said, "Love you."
So with the bad news, Moses gathered up the people and they headed out towards Edom.
When they arrived at Mount Hor, God told Moses it was time for Aaron to pay for that terrible thing he did. He told Moses to take Aaron, and Aaron’s son, Eleazer, up the mountain. Once they got to the top, Moses began removing Aaron's clothes. Then Moses put his hand on his brother's shoulder and said, "Thanks for everything you've done. I doubt I could have made it this far without you." "No" said Aaron. "It is I who should thank you, brother. You know how much I love and respect you. It's really been my pleasure to watch you grow into such a great leader. They're so lucky to have you." They looked at each other one last time and tears welled up in their eyes. Then, God told Moses to take a few steps backwards. Once he was far enough away, God killed Aaron.
Moses was heart broken, but he had to be strong. He picked up Aaron's clothes and took them over to Eleazer. Tears were flowing down Eleazer's face as he took the garments. Eleazer was very proud of his Dad. Aaron had been God's top priest for a long time now and he had done so many great things for the people. Eleazer managed to pull himself together long enough to put on his father’s robes. Then the two slowly made their way back down the mountain to give everyone the bad news. When the people heard what had happened, the whole community mourned for 30 days.
After 30 days, the people were able to recover from their grief and move on. But when they got to Edom, they found out the King wouldn't let them pass through his land. He made them go all the way round. It was a long, long way, and they began to run out of food and water again. They started thinking they were going to die and began grumbling against Moses again. Big mistake!
Moses was heart broken, but he had to be strong. He picked up Aaron's clothes and took them over to Eleazer. Tears were flowing down Eleazer's face as he took the garments. Eleazer was very proud of his Dad. Aaron had been God's top priest for a long time now and he had done so many great things for the people. Eleazer managed to pull himself together long enough to put on his father’s robes. Then the two slowly made their way back down the mountain to give everyone the bad news. When the people heard what had happened, the whole community mourned for 30 days.
After 30 days, the people were able to recover from their grief and move on. But when they got to Edom, they found out the King wouldn't let them pass through his land. He made them go all the way round. It was a long, long way, and they began to run out of food and water again. They started thinking they were going to die and began grumbling against Moses again. Big mistake!
This mumbling and complaining sent God into a furious rage again and He sent a huge gaggle of scary, venomous snakes to kill the people.
There was chaos everywhere as people tried to escape the serpentine hordes. They bit everyone, old men, women, and children. The bites had a very potent venom and it felt like you were on fire when they bit you. The bites were fatal and many people started dying.
The people were terrified. They went to Moses and pleaded for help, saying how sorry they were that they had made a fuss about being hungry and thirsty. Then Moses pleaded once more with God to stop killing people. God told Moses that He'd prefer to keep killing them for now, but there was something Moses could do. He could manufacture an antidote. But this wasn't the kind of antidote Moses was expecting. No, this was a real surprise.
There was chaos everywhere as people tried to escape the serpentine hordes. They bit everyone, old men, women, and children. The bites had a very potent venom and it felt like you were on fire when they bit you. The bites were fatal and many people started dying.
The people were terrified. They went to Moses and pleaded for help, saying how sorry they were that they had made a fuss about being hungry and thirsty. Then Moses pleaded once more with God to stop killing people. God told Moses that He'd prefer to keep killing them for now, but there was something Moses could do. He could manufacture an antidote. But this wasn't the kind of antidote Moses was expecting. No, this was a real surprise.
“Make a image in bronze that the people can look up at. When they gaze upon it, they will be healed,” God told Moses.
“Ok,” said Moses, a little shocked. “How about a bronze calf, like the golden one we made at Mount Sinai?”
“Of course not,” God scowled. “You know how I hate images of calves. Besides, how could a bronze calf cure a snake bite?”
“I don’t know,” said Moses puzzled. “What kind of image should it be then?”
“Think about it,” God said, trying to explain. “It would have to be an image of a snake to cure a snake bite wouldn’t it?”
“I suppose so,” said Moses, finally getting it. “Ok I’ll get on it right away”
“Good. Oh and Moses?” God said.
“Yes Lord?”
“Stick it on a pole, would you?
“Certainly,” said Moses.
So Moses got his best metallurgists together and they set to work to make a snake that looked just like the ones that were killing the people. Once they were satisfied that they’d made a nice, life-like serpent, they covered it with wax and left the wax to harden.
Next, they started packing clay round it to act as the cast for pouring the bronze ore into. Then they baked the clay to harden it while the wax melted and ran into a receptacle beneath. So all that was left was the clay cast. Next, they melted down some copper, added one tenth tin, and then poured the ore into the space vacated by the wax.
When the ore cooled and hardened, they removed the clay and looked at the serpent. They were pleased. Now all they had to do was polish it, mount it on a pole, and then, Bob’s-your-uncle, the serpent would be ready to work its magic.
“Ok,” said Moses, a little shocked. “How about a bronze calf, like the golden one we made at Mount Sinai?”
“Of course not,” God scowled. “You know how I hate images of calves. Besides, how could a bronze calf cure a snake bite?”
“I don’t know,” said Moses puzzled. “What kind of image should it be then?”
“Think about it,” God said, trying to explain. “It would have to be an image of a snake to cure a snake bite wouldn’t it?”
“I suppose so,” said Moses, finally getting it. “Ok I’ll get on it right away”
“Good. Oh and Moses?” God said.
“Yes Lord?”
“Stick it on a pole, would you?
“Certainly,” said Moses.
So Moses got his best metallurgists together and they set to work to make a snake that looked just like the ones that were killing the people. Once they were satisfied that they’d made a nice, life-like serpent, they covered it with wax and left the wax to harden.
Next, they started packing clay round it to act as the cast for pouring the bronze ore into. Then they baked the clay to harden it while the wax melted and ran into a receptacle beneath. So all that was left was the clay cast. Next, they melted down some copper, added one tenth tin, and then poured the ore into the space vacated by the wax.
When the ore cooled and hardened, they removed the clay and looked at the serpent. They were pleased. Now all they had to do was polish it, mount it on a pole, and then, Bob’s-your-uncle, the serpent would be ready to work its magic.
Moses called together all the people who had been bitten but had not yet died. “Listen everyone,” he said. "We've made a bonze replica of the snakes. It's on a pole over there. If you walk up to it and gaze upon it, you will be cured."
“Do we take any medicine or herbs while we’re gazing at it?” asked one of the men.
“No,” said Moses. “The image of the serpent will cure you by itself.”
“Should we gaze at it in any particular way?” asked someone else a little baffled.
“What do you mean?” Moses replied.
“Well, does it need to be a kind of sideways squint, or like a humble, head down eyes up kind of thing?”
“It doesn’t matter,” said Moses, a little irritated now. “It’s quite simple. You just gaze upon it and you’ll be healed. Ok?”
“Do we take any medicine or herbs while we’re gazing at it?” asked one of the men.
“No,” said Moses. “The image of the serpent will cure you by itself.”
“Should we gaze at it in any particular way?” asked someone else a little baffled.
“What do you mean?” Moses replied.
“Well, does it need to be a kind of sideways squint, or like a humble, head down eyes up kind of thing?”
“It doesn’t matter,” said Moses, a little irritated now. “It’s quite simple. You just gaze upon it and you’ll be healed. Ok?”
The people shrugged their shoulders and got in line. And so, anyone who had been bitten by God's snakes, was able to look at the bronze serpent and be magically healed.
When everyone was healthy again, they took the snake down. But they didn't throw it away. After all, they'd put a lot of work into it and it looked pretty cool. The people never forgot the serpent that saved their lives. It remained with them as a symbol of healing for a long time.
When everyone was healthy again, they took the snake down. But they didn't throw it away. After all, they'd put a lot of work into it and it looked pretty cool. The people never forgot the serpent that saved their lives. It remained with them as a symbol of healing for a long time.