Numbers 20-25

These chapters give us a series of significant events:

Miriam and Aaron die.
Moses hits the rock instead of obeying God's command to speak to it... which results in him never entering the promised land.
The people started complaining again, this time resulting in a judgement of poisonous snakes and many deaths.
Adonai told Moses to make the bronze snake which was lifted up, so that those bitten by the snakes could look up to it and be healed. 
Israel conquered and took over the cities of the Amorites and began living there.

And then Moab's king Balak starts to get worried.  He calls for Balaam to come and curse Israel.
Three times Balak offers sacrifices and orders Balaam to curse Israel.  Three times Balaam speaks blessings over Israel as the Lord intervenes.  No amount of money could change the words that God put in Balaam's mouth. God even gives Balaam a prophecy..  " I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel.. " 

Sadly, Balaam also seems to have given Balak some ungodly counsel that leads to the Moabite women seducing the Israelite men, leading them into adultery and idolatry.  The anger of the Lord pours out in another plague that kills 24,000 people.  It is only stopped there because Phinehas, the son of  Eleazar the priest, takes a spear and kills a man, Zimri, from the tribe of Simeon, and Cozbi, a woman who was the daughter of a leader of Midian.  God blesses Phinehas with a "covenant of peace".. because, " he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the sons of Israel." ( 25:12-13)

Jesus said, " And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; " ( John 3:13)  Then  in John 12 He said,  " And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself."  ( John 12:32)  But, look at the verse that precedes verse 32, " Now judgement is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out." 

There is judgement.
And there is Jesus.

 These excerpts are from  Spurgeon's sermon based on John 12:32 :

 " God's ministers must preach God's terrors as well as God's mercies... "

"Did the loving Savior talk of the pit that burns, of the worm that never dies, and of the fire that can never be extinguished? It is ours to speak as he spoke and not to mince words. It is no mercy to men to hide their doom. But, my brothers, terrors ought never be the prominent feature... "

"...but far more often let us preach the wondrous love of God."

 " We must preach Christ and him crucified. Nothing but the gospel is the power of God for salvation. 'I, when I am lifted up form the earth, will draw all people to myself'.  Then Christ Jesus will draw al his people to Heaven. He is in Heaven; then Christ is the chariot in which souls are drawn to Heaven. The people of the Lord are on their way to Heaven - they are carried in everlasting arms, and this arms are the arms of Christ." 

" O blessed be God, the cross is the plank we hold to as we swim to Heaven."

" And now, poor sinner, I desire before God that Christ would pardon you. Remember his death on Calvary; remember his agonies and bloody sweat.  All this he did for you, if you feel yourself to be a sinner. Does not this draw you to him?"

"You have rebelled agains him and revolted, but he says, 'Return backsliding children'. Will not his love draw you? I pray that you may be drawn to Christ now and at last be drawn to Heaven."

Father in heaven, this is our prayer.. that all people will be drawn to Jesus, who was lifted up on a cross.. who alone can give life.. the only One who can save us and bring us to You.  Yet,  we cannot even come to Jesus unless You, by grace draw us to Him. " No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him." ( John 6:44).  Draw us to Jesus, Father.  Our world is in desperate need of the only One who can save us and bring us to You in Heaven.  I  specifically pray for my unsaved loved ones.. asking that You will do this wonderful work of grace, for nothing is impossible to You.  and for that I am forever grateful!  amen and amen.