Christian Stress Management: Bible Study Lessons from Mount Hor to Oboth

The Israelites left Mount Hor along the Red Sea (Numbers 21:4) so that they could go around the land of the Edomites who had refused them to travel through their land and they became very discouraged.

Mistake #1 Speaking Against God and Moses

The Israelites became very discouraged and spoke against God and Moses asking: "Why have you brought from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no food or water and we hate this worthless bread." (Numbers 21:4-5)

Lesson #1

Do not speak against God and spiritual leaders.

When the Israelites spoke against God and Moses, God sent fiery snakes which bit them and many of them died. (Numbers 21:6)

Lesson #2

Repent when you make a mistake.

When the Israelites were bitten by the snakes, they came to Moses and said, "We have sinned because we have spoken against God and against you. Pray and ask God to take away the snakes from us." (Numbers 21:7)

Moses prayed and God gave him a solution for the snake problem for he said, "Make a fiery serpent and set it up on a pole and when anyone who is bitten looks at it, he shall live." (Numbers 21:8)

Moses did as instructed and made a bronze serpent which he set on a pole so that anyone who looked at it after being bitten did not die. (Numbers 21:9)

Lesson #3

Manage discouragement effectively.

The Israelites brought the snake problem on themselves because they became discouraged as they journeyed around the land of the Edomites who had refused to let them pass through. (Numbers 21:4)

Therefore when you are discouraged because of a long-standing problem, deal with the discouragement effectively instead of taking out your problems on God and spiritual leaders.

To handle discouragement effectively read How to Encourage Yourself in the Lord.

Lesson #4

Be grateful.

God was providing the Israelites with manna from Heaven but they were ungrateful for they complained, "There is no food or water and we hate this worthless bread." Thus it is not surprising the God sent snakes to destroy them.

Therefore give thanks for what God has given you instead of complaining about what you are lacking.