Looking into the lectionary - "Why did it have to be snakes?" 🐍

March 10, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Lent Numbers 21:4-9 Even though we must always keep the narrative of God’s grace, mercy and providence front and center in our proclamation, these verses will not let us ignore the fact that God has had it with the Israelites. To tell the truth, this is not the first time. Turn back to Numbers 11, 14 or 20. Complaint upon complaint upon complaint kindles God’s anger. The Israelites complain about water, so God provides water. They complain about food, and God gives them manna. Then they complain about the monotony of manna. In an interlude, God provides absurd amounts of quail while also punishing those who complained about manna (Numbers 11). Nonetheless, the Israelites continue to grumble about the lack of variety in their diet. But there is more: They start claiming that things were better in the past. “It wasn’t really so bad back in Egypt” (Numbers 11:4-6, 14:4). Except it was. In the immortal words of Yogi Berra, “Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.” What they remember is a lie. Finally, God is over it. Snakes rather than quail overrun their camp. Numbers is not a real-time account of history. Nobody in the Israelite camp looked around at the slithering mass and thought, “Why did it have to be snakes?” before whipping out a papyrus to record the event for posterity. In his Interpretation commentary, Dennis Olson writes, “The book of Numbers was the product of the Jewish Community’s struggle to understand the pain and punishment of exile and its implications for Israel’s relationship to God, Israel’s definition as a people, and Israel’s posture toward the promised land, which had been lost but was now about to be regained.” Numbers is a record of Israel’s attempt to understand what went wrong. ... Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Thank you to this week's writer Baron Mullis. Order of worship for March 10, 2024. These liturgies are free to use. How did Christian atonement theory get so pagan? by Fred R. Anderson Testing our faith (March 10, 2024) by Naomi McQuiller Why Jesus? — Weekly Christian ed lesson by Joelle Brummit-Yale Want the worship resources for March 3, 2024? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... PC(USA) discourages certain gatherings in Texas Texas’ immigration bill targeting immigrants and asylum seekers could also put others at risk. AI as an instrument of abolition  From a shorter work week to deeper personal growth, the implications of artificial intelligence point toward profits that are beyond simply economic, writes Chris Burton. Wounded Pastors: Navigating Burnout, Finding Healing, and Discerning the Future of Your Ministry "The authors ... beautifully model opening their lives to what God’s Spirit might be doing next, reminding us that God is never finished with us, with the church, nor with this yearning creation."  — Patti Snyder Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) delegation to Palestine and Israel A group of more than 30 people, mostly Presbyterians, is currently in Israel/Palestine. The trip, sponsored by the Israel/Palestine Mission Network, seeks to show solidarity with the suffering through their physical presence. A quartet of PC(USA) scholars and preachers offers up a how-to on preaching hope this Easter Elizabeth Caldwell, Cynthia Campbell, Thomas Long and Brian K. Blount engage in a lively and helpful discussion. Committee on the Office of the General Assembly recommends Milwaukee as site for 227th General Assembly Recommendation to go before 226th General Assembly this summer. On doppelgängers, bronze snakes and repentance If American Christians considered our complicity in the genocides of Jewish and Palestinian people, what would we realize about ourselves? SueAnn Shiah reflects on Numbers 21.