Lesson 15: ‘Look to God and Live’

“Lesson 15: ‘Look to God and Live’” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide (2001), 10–11

“Lesson 15,” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, 10–11

Lesson 15

“Look to God and Live”

Study the following scriptures:

Numbers 11. The Israelites complain about the manna and desire to eat meat (11:1–9). As instructed by the Lord, Moses gathers 70 elders to assist him (11:10–17, 24–30). The Lord answers the Israelites’ desire for meat by sending them an overabundance of quail and smiting them with a plague because of their greed and overindulgence (11:18–23, 31–35).
Numbers 12. Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses (12:1–3). The Lord chastens and punishes Miriam and Aaron for their murmuring (12:4–16).
Numbers 13–14. Moses instructs 12 men to search the land of Canaan (13:1–20). They return with favorable reports of the land’s resources, but all except Joshua and Caleb fear the inhabitants and desire to return to Egypt (13:21–14:10). The Lord tells Moses that the faithless and complaining Israelites will wander in the wilderness 40 years, until all of the adult generation are dead but Joshua and Caleb (14:11–39).
Numbers 21:1–9. The Israelites destroy the Canaanites who come against them (21:1–3). The Lord sends fiery serpents as punishment for the Israelites’ incessant complaining (21:4–6). Moses makes a serpent of brass, fastens it to a pole, and tells the people that if they look at it, they will live (21:7–9).

Why did the Israelites complain about the manna? (See Numbers 11:4–6.) What are the dangers of wanting more than we have?
Just as the children of Israel needed to look at the brass serpent to live, we need to look to Jesus Christ to receive eternal life (Alma 37:46–47; Helaman 8:15). What does it mean to look to Christ?