Numbers 21:5-7
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
It should NOT be necessary to "embellish" (AKA, lie) about what God says in Scripture. Seriously meditate on that.
NOW I ASK YOU TO REACH DOWN DEEP IN YOUR SPIRIT ON THIS - WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSED THE SNAKES TO ATTACK?
Now tell them this: 'As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. Numbers 14:28 NLT
In our vernacular, God told them they would get whatever they said. Can we agree to that? It was a warning. They were put on notice that their words were stout against the Lord and they would face the consequences of their negative words.
The concept also runs through the Bible as people sin, speak unbelief, act in fear, there are negative consequences. When people obey, talk/act faith, there is blessing. I am sure you've also heard what you sow is what you reap, which is a similar law that runs throughout the Word.
So here we have the entire nation grumbling and prophesying their own doom. They were "snared by their words."
But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? Numbers 21:4-5 NIV
Immediately snakes came, and their words had manifest. Some died. But immediately when they cried out to Moses who interceded for them, God provided the bronze snake on a pole, and all who looked at it lived. Now if God sent the snakes and wanted everyone to die, why was the bronze snake solution given so quickly. Meditate on this for a moment before a knee jerk response.
Instead of digging for scraps, trying to find anything to accuse God of evil, why not look for proof and evidence that proves that God is good? That He does not change? I guarantee you will see a whole lot more evidence of God's love and grace than any evil.
Jesus said that he did the works of his Father. And that if you have seen him, you have seen the Father. Did Jesus ever kill anyone, or make anyone sick? It almost seems like a totally different God in the OT compared to the New. But I thought God does NOT change?
So now we have a quandary. If Jesus is God who changes not, then just maybe the writers or possibly translators in the Old Testament missed it. Maybe instead of sent, it should be allowed? Maybe the OT writers saw God differently as us who are blessed with living and knowing God more perfectly through Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit. I am not saying this definitively, but we do have problem. We have God committing murder and violating His own nature. Are you willing to accept that as truth?
Are you willing to accuse God of being a liar and a murderer?
I'm not willing to make that accusation. If God says He is love and changes not, I am going to believe Him. I am going to prayerfully meditate on hard passages when it appears God violates His nature or Word. I am going to trust that the Holy Spirit will reveal truth and it will agree with the Word that says God is love and changes not. This will make me love and trust God even more, knowing that His Word is solid and cannot be broken, strengthening my faith in Him.