Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Reward of Obedience to the Lord

The Snake Made of Bronze

^4 (A)The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba, in order to go around the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience ^5 (B)and spoke against God and Moses. They complained, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We can't stand any more of this miserable food!” ⁶ Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many Israelites were bitten and died. ⁷ The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Now pray to the Lord to take these snakes away.” So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸ Then the Lord told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed. ^9 (C)So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed.

Jesus Is Greater than Moses

3 My Christian friends, who also have been called by God! Think of Jesus, whom God sent to be the High Priest of the faith we profess. ^2 (A)He was faithful to God, who chose him to do this work, just as Moses was faithful in his work in God's house. ³ A man who builds a house receives more honor than the house itself. In the same way Jesus is worthy of much greater honor than Moses. ⁴ Every house, of course, is built by someone—and God is the one who has built all things. ⁵ Moses was faithful in God's house as a servant, and he spoke of the things that God would say in the future. ⁶ But Christ is faithful as the Son in charge of God's house. We are his house if we keep up our courage and our confidence in what we hope for.