The Bronze Serpent

00:00:00 Speaker 1: The Lord is my light and my salvation. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: Whom shall I fear? 00:00:05 Speaker 1: The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm twenty seven, Verse one. Dear Lord, you are our light, our salvation, and our refuge. Yet in moments of fear and struggle, we lose sight of your goodness and allow our hearts to be troubled. Like the Israelites in the wilderness. We grumble and doubt forgetting the countless ways you have been faithful. We confess that when trials come, we often rely on our own strength instead of lifting our eyes to you. Forgive us for choosing complaints over trust and cynicism over faith. When fear coils around our hearts like serpents in the desert, remind us that you alone are our healer and our life. Just as you provided for your people in their wilderness, you are faithful to provide for us. Now give us the strength to trust in your protection, the grace to rest in your presence, and the courage to walk in your light without fear. Lead us forward with steady hearts, remembering that you are with us always. 00:01:23 Speaker 2: Amen. Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Chosen People. Remain here for a dramatic story inspired by the Bible. Be sure to leave a review and share your journey of faith today. 00:01:40 Speaker 3: Previously on the Chosen People. 00:01:43 Speaker 4: The Edamites already told us in no uncertain terms, they would meet us in battle. 00:01:50 Speaker 5: I had hoped that hearing our plight and drawing on our shared lineage with Esolv's descendants would sway their minds. 00:02:00 Speaker 4: Or do they mean to finish what they started thirty eight years ago? Well, technically we started it. Perhaps we should prepare ourselves for war. They seem intent on finishing it. 00:02:12 Speaker 3: Either way, Eliza cut in decisively and interrupted his brother. 00:02:17 Speaker 6: If we want to be haunted by our past, then fine, let it be our teacher. Why did the campaign against the Canaanites fail? Why were we crushed against the walls of Arad. Our forefathers went without the presence of the Lord. I remember the ark of the Covenant sat idle in Kadesh. Or they ventured out without a certain thought. No one thought to pray and asked the Lord to be with them. No one thought about anything but. 00:02:43 Speaker 7: The fear, and that is why they failed. 00:02:46 Speaker 6: I propose we changed that Joshua, draw up your plans and make the changes you need to our defenses. But first, let us pray and ask the Lord to be with us, and let us go a step further, and remember the warnings he gave about conquering the land of Canaan. We must make a holy vow. If the Lord should hand our enemy over to us, we must completely destroy their city, no health measures. We cannot allow ourselves to be led astray or a tempted to follow their ways. Now let us go. Let us go and defeat our enemies and win back our captives. 00:03:27 Speaker 3: Beaming with approval and paternal pride, Moses rallied the men to war to war. 00:03:35 Speaker 5: It is. 00:03:44 Speaker 3: The temperature in the tent was sweltering. However, it was the only place Moses could discuss the matters of Israel with his trusted advisors in privacy. Sweat beaded on Caleb's face, who was now officially in ord as a council member, as he led Israel's vanguard. The days since their victory over the Canaanites at Ormar had been grueling and relentless. Done with their days of wandering, and Israel pressed forward with a new found purpose, but it had also taken its toll. A warm spring had given way to a blistering summer, and the people were weary for months on the road. Moses cleared his throat and called the meeting to order. 00:04:29 Speaker 5: Let's hear the reports from the kingdoms of Moab and ammon Ithamar and Gersham Ah, faithful emissaries, We see that you had returned to us safely. We have also seen the bronze iron and horses you have returned with your diplomises to be commended. It seems that our kinsmen responded well to our gifts and promises of peace. 00:04:58 Speaker 3: Gersham nodded recip respectfully to his father and began. 00:05:02 Speaker 8: Yes, father, they were very receptive to our envoy. They were, of course pleased that we meant them no harm. 00:05:08 Speaker 3: If Amar never want to go without sharing the spotlight cut in with his retort. 00:05:13 Speaker 4: Oh, yes, it went very well. I've spent so much time in foreign lands lately that my wife likely thinks I've run off to become a bard. I was singing a new song in a different chord every week. 00:05:27 Speaker 9: I'm surprised the meetings went as well as they did, considering your infamous charm if omar. 00:05:33 Speaker 4: Well, it's not my charm they enjoy. It's my grasp of our finances. Everyone respects the man holding the purse strings. 00:05:43 Speaker 9: It's a good thing. Gersham thought to bring the coin counter. 00:05:47 Speaker 3: Then the men around the table laughed. Caleb's playful and good natured spirit softened if Amar's prickly temperament, Moses sighed. It also had the added benefit of keeping the far more serious High priest Eliezer from pulling out his hair at his brother's sarcastic remarks. Every day, this new generation of leadership was learning how to work together, how to trust one another. Moses had gathered his counsel to discuss their plans as they moved out of Moab and into the viciously contested region on the Moabite Plains. It at once belonged to Moab, but it was now held by the Amorites, a cunning and formidable enemy to all the kingdoms. Descended from the patriarch Abraham. They were known for their depraved customs and the vile practice of child sacrifice to their cruel god, moleek Ithamar picked up the discussion. Once the table quieted. 00:06:47 Speaker 4: Well, now that you've heard of our sweeping success abroad. Tell us how are things at home. 00:06:54 Speaker 3: The men around the table looked at one another. No one seemed to know where to start. Joshua leaned forward and rubbed his brow. He put it as delicately as he could. 00:07:05 Speaker 7: People are restless, Moses, the tired and irritable. There are whispers of descent across the tribes. 00:07:13 Speaker 3: Eliezer, the newly appointed high priest, snorted and replied more directly, cutting to the heart of the matter. 00:07:21 Speaker 8: That's putting it mildly that people are towing the line of rebellion. They're unsatisfied with the manner. They grow impatient with the desert. It stems from their frustration with our plans to abandon Canaan instead of circuit mob. 00:07:35 Speaker 3: Joshua quickly stepped in to clarify, and Moses could sense that he was doing so out of a deep loyalty and desire to protect him. 00:07:44 Speaker 7: They believe we should have pressed north crossed into Canaan after Omah. They don't see the wisdom in waiting. 00:07:51 Speaker 5: They It's all right, Joshua, I can explain. It is true. The people cannot understand why we've in the long way when we were at the doorstep to the promised land. They are also confused about why we take the time to send emissaries and ask before we enter land peacefully. We've won one battle, and they think that we're now a nation of conquerors. They look to the kingdoms of Moab and Ammon and their eyes get greedy. The temptation is to take their lands and wealth. But the Lord has been clear. We are not savage plunderers. We must not harm the descendants of Lot, for Moab and Ammon are his children and this land is their possession. We are not to raise a hand against them. We must focus on claiming the land that has been promised to us. One day we may be grateful that we kept the peace with our neighbors. 00:08:59 Speaker 3: It was quiet for moment, but then Moses's eldest Gersham, spoke up, saying what he knew. Most of Israel was probably thinking, forgive me. 00:09:08 Speaker 8: Father, But I have to ask, why didn't we just press north after Hermah. Then we wouldn't be going through the Mobit and Ammonite kingdoms at all. 00:09:18 Speaker 5: The Lord forbid it. 00:09:20 Speaker 7: We're not ready. 00:09:22 Speaker 3: Moses knew. His answer was vague. He knew the younger men would likely not be satisfied with that answer. He wished Aaron was still alive to share this burden with him, the burden of being barred from the promised land he had told no one. He could only assume that Aaron had not either before he died. Eliezer and Ithamar certainly didn't seem as if they knew. Moses was trying to be grateful for the time he still had with this generation. He had time to prepare them, nurture them, but his positions, loneliness, and uniqueness were crushing on his soul. Joshua met Moses' eyes, gave him an encouraging smile, and then turned to rally the men. 00:10:08 Speaker 7: We must trust the Lord's timing, and we must prepare. We are now about to enter our enemy's domain. I do not think the Amorites will be as receptive to our gifts as Egyptian heirlooms of copper. 00:10:20 Speaker 5: You're right, Joshua, but we will still try near them. Ah and Gersham go to King Sihon of the Amorites anyway. We will come across his territory first. He is a fierce protector of the land that they have stolen away from the Moabites. But hopefully he will see our amicable dealings with them and allow us to pass through their lands in peace. 00:10:48 Speaker 7: Doubtful, same message as before, Father. 00:10:51 Speaker 5: Yes we will not bear our What was that? 00:10:55 Speaker 3: Joshua and Kleb sprang to their feet and drew their weapons as they charged out of the tent. The others were on their heels, but the scene outside moses tent caused them all to stop dead in their tracks. Pand ammonium. The people were screaming and running in every direction. Men had weapons drawn and were looking around at the ground wildly. Women clutched their children as they ran, sobbing through the pathways between the tents. It didn't take long to realize the source of their fear. Snakes. Snakes were slithering and hissing every hundred feet or so. Their triangular heads and glossy, sinuous bodies told Moses everything he needed to know. Poisonous vipers, deadly and by the hundreds. Moses counsels stood paralyzed with indecision. Should they attack the snakes, attempt to drive them back, help usher the people to safety. The serpents seemed to be everywhere already The snake's victims littered the ground, writhing and crying out of burning pains. The poison took immediate effect. The snakes were supple and could press under tent walls and squeeze through openings and entryways. One serpent raised its head and poised to strike a woman beside Joshua, but he swiftly drew his blade and cut off its head. Being the slash all the time, Moses shuddered. There would be no escaping them. The tents blocked his view, but he had a sneaking suspicion that there were thousands more out there. Moses tents stood before the tabernacle, and from where they were standing, they could see a group of terrified people huddling by the altar. Just then, a particularly robust snake, well over five feet long, slithered up to the entrance of the courtyard. Moses held his breath as he watched it lift its head, fans bared tung the air before the entrance, turn away, and slither on. Moses let out a sigh of relief and heard Eliezer do the same behind him, surely tracking Moses his thoughts. The snakes could not enter the Holy space of the tabernacle. 00:13:05 Speaker 7: To the tabernacle. I cannot enter it. 00:13:08 Speaker 8: We can decide what to do once we're inside the courtyard. 00:13:11 Speaker 3: The council didn't need to be told twice. They broke into a run as nearby snakes, tracking their sudden movement, shot forward, jaws snapping. Joshua and Caleb had their blades drawn, slashing back and forth like one would do to vines in a dense forest. Ihamah made it over the threshold just as a snake's mouth snapped shut inches away from him. It hissed in frustration at being deprived of its prey. Ihamar, wide eyed, slumped to the ground, panting. 00:13:42 Speaker 4: My family's out there. We can't hide in here while they're in danger. 00:13:47 Speaker 3: Before anyone could answer, the frightened people swarmed them. 00:13:51 Speaker 5: Please, Lord Moses, we have said by speaking against. 00:13:54 Speaker 7: The word against us, inter se is. 00:13:58 Speaker 3: Please Moses, needing no other encouragement, immediately fell on his face and interceded on the people's behalf. The other members of his council joined. The Lord responded to Moses frantic prayers over the desperate people's cries. 00:14:14 Speaker 7: Make a snake image and mount it on a pole. 00:14:18 Speaker 10: When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover. 00:14:23 Speaker 3: Moses immediately turned to his council. The frightened shouts of the people were unrelenting from the other side of the courtyard walls. Moses stood up, steal eyed, and determined to make it all right. 00:14:36 Speaker 7: Moses, where are you going? 00:14:38 Speaker 5: The Lord has spoken eliezar ishemar. Gather the priests and have them meet me in the courtyard. 00:14:45 Speaker 9: Caleb. 00:14:45 Speaker 5: Take some of the soldiers and have them carry the bit into me. Joshua, hack every snake you see. 00:14:53 Speaker 3: Moses took a hammer in his trembling hands. He commanded the blacksmiths to bring him the molten bronze. Like the pounding of a heartbeat, Moses swung his hammer down to form a coiling serpent of bronze. Its molten red hue cooled into a dark bronze sheen. Moses attached it to a large pole and took it out to the people. Caleb had assembled hundreds of suffering people, people who had been bitten nearing death. Moses rose the pole high, then drove it down into the dirt. The sound of vibrating metal silenced the crowd. All were still for a moment, awaiting deliverance as they always had. 00:15:35 Speaker 11: Look, Behold the very symbol of what's killing you. Behold it risen high for all to see. It is your salvation. 00:15:46 Speaker 3: The people peered up at the serpent, its bronze frame shimmering in the dying light of day. Their quivering faces dripped with tears of anguish as they beheld the very image of their sin. The sickness that plagued them subsided. Their bodies, once racked with pain, were healed. This serpent high and lifted up before them brought healing. Moses looked at it, wondering what it truly meant. He sensed deep in his bones that the Lord was working out something for the future, a symbol of salvation to come. Moses resolved to keep the bronze snake with them on their journey, a tangible reminder of repentance. Each time they looked upon it for healing, they would remember where that healing truly came from. The men were huddled together for warmth in the foothills of the Pisca Mountain range. Their horses similarly grouped together, nickered softly in their sleep. Joshua had stationed, their units, gone over orders, oversaw the distribution of rations, set shifts for the night's watch, and now there was nothing to do but wait. Sleep would be hard to find to night, for they would attack the Amorites in the morning. Joshua sat away up the hill from the other men, the distant peak of Mount Nebo at his back to keep an eye on the plains below. Israel's fires were like a night sky of warm, inviting stars that stretched for miles. Joshua scanned the landscape for the thousandth time. 00:17:29 Speaker 5: All was well. 00:17:30 Speaker 3: Joshua's fingers tapped his dagger and repeated irregular patterns over and over. A pile of wood shavings littered the ground at Joshua's feet. He had started out shaping something, but then slowly whittled it away to nothing. Joshua didn't have to look up to know that Caleb approached him, returning from his watch, his footfall and tread as familiar as his own. 00:17:53 Speaker 9: Ah, I'm surprised this part isn't getting any easier. 00:17:59 Speaker 10: What do you mean, the waiting. 00:18:04 Speaker 7: True? I doubt it ever will. 00:18:06 Speaker 3: Caleb sat heavily next to Joshua, letting his legs and feet sprawl before him. He sighed as he leaned back on his elbows and relaxed his shoulders. 00:18:16 Speaker 7: How are the men? 00:18:17 Speaker 3: Caleb gave Joshua a conspiratorial look and pretended to look concerned. Joshua bit back a smile. He would let Caleb play out his joke. 00:18:27 Speaker 10: They're telling ghost stories again. What about they say? The blood and the waters we found earlier? The dead emeralds are haunting us. The men fear they will take their vengeance on us tomorrow. 00:18:42 Speaker 7: Are the men actually worried? Are they interpreting the bodies we found as a bad omen? 00:18:47 Speaker 4: No? 00:18:48 Speaker 10: No, no, no, We all know was the Lord. 00:18:50 Speaker 9: He cleared the way for us. It was a miracle. Your plan will work, Joshua, It will work. 00:18:56 Speaker 3: Joshua and Caleb took a detachment of men and horses from the tribe of Judah. They broke off from the larger army a few days ago as it continued along the King's Highway into Amorite held territory without them. Together, they led their unit through the foothills, where they would travel parallel to the larger army on the road down on the plains. They knew King Sihon was coming for them. He practically spat in Ithamar and Gersham's faces where they delivered MOS's message. But Israel had marched forward, and their spies had reported that the Amorite king's army was now headed to meet them. But when they did, the Amorites were in for a surprise. The two armies would meet on the plains below, and Israel would drive them to the foothills, where Joshua and Kleibh would be waiting on the higher ground with a cavalry. Joshua smiled. It was a good plan, but it was not an original one, as it turned out. When the men stopped to water the horses yesterday, they noticed the blood in the water. They followed the trail of blood until they found the crushed bodies of a unit of Amorite soldiers, men who clearly had the same idea Joshua had. They were planning to wait in the foothills. When the scattered army was sent their way, and they were in the foothills before Joshua, the Amorites would have seen them coming and could have quickly taken the unawares. The Lord, however, had something else in mind. Joshua shivered at the memory of their mangled bodies. They had been crushed by large rocks that had fallen from higher up the peaks, but the Israelites had not felt the earth shake or heard the rocks shift, and they were never more than a few miles away from these unfortunate Amorites, and Joshua's keen eyes saw that all the men had been lethally crushed, despite inconsistencies with how the rocks had fallen or how near or far away they were from each other. Joshua shook off the memory and gripped Caleb's shoulder affectionate. 00:21:00 Speaker 7: The Lord has already gone before us and stopped the first blown. We will pressed the advantages laid before us tomorrow and strike. The second. 00:21:13 Speaker 3: Morning arrived swiftly, but Joshua, Caleb. 00:21:16 Speaker 7: And their men were ready. 00:21:17 Speaker 3: The battle unfolded as Joshua had envisioned. The vanguard tribes Judah, Isakar, and Zebulen led the eastern unit. They fought valiantly, driving a powerful wedge through the Amorite army and breaking their lines. The tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant were securely placed at the center of the formation protected by the southern unit and the Levite clans. The western unit, Ephrai, Manassa and Benjamin herded the shattered enemy toward the foothills. That is where Joshua and Caleb's cavalry awaited them. The Amorites, thinking they were retreating toward their allies, showed shock in their eyes as the cavalry smacked into their scattered lines. Meanwhile, the Northern unit and Israel's rear guard ensured no stragglers escaped. The battle was fierce, yet swift. It was a decisive victory for Israel. The killing calm had settled into Joshua's bones. His breath was steady as his arm blocked and cut down his opponents with masterful ease. The motions were a practiced, familiar rhythm. Years of training and the wilderness with their army had shaped him. His calloused hands knew the handle of his blade as if it were an extension of his arm. His mind filtered out the gruesome dicing of his sword and the contorted faces of his dying enemies. Any empathy he might have felt for this butchery was quickly set aside when he beheld the city's altars. Though hastily abandoned while the city fortified itself. The remains of small charred, undeniably juvenile bones still adorned the bias. The sight of the remains of sacrificed children twisted Joshua's stomach with a haunting memory, one that would stick with him for a lifetime. His enemies all fell before him. As the Israelites smashed their forces against the walls and fought their way into the city, Joshua focused solely on the repetition of his breath and the motion of his arm. After seeing the altars of child's sacrifice, Joshua felt the weight of his mission. This wasn't just about getting to the Promised Land. This was about exacting justice for the innocence they had slaughtered and the atrocities they committed on behalf of their false gods. In hail, guard, exhale, cut, in hal guard, exhale, thrust, repeat for hours. Joshua lost himself in the cycle as the bodies fell before him and his feet steadily advanced through the city's narrow streets. It wasn't until Joshua yanked his blade free from a weak spot in his opponent's armor, watching him fall lifeless to the ground with a soft thud that he realized no more soldiers were left to fight. The thick wooden door of the keep stood before him. Joshua wasn't surprised when he saw his men were already bringing up a battering ramp. Joshua finally paused to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. It came away stained with grime, gore, and who knows what else, matting his hair and dripping down the back of his neck. In the commotion of the men readying to work on the door, Joshua saw Caleb trot up to him. 00:24:46 Speaker 9: There you all right, there, brother, didn't leave any men for the rest of us to kill. 00:24:53 Speaker 3: A grin tugged at the corner of Joshua's mouth at Caleb's surprisingly upbeat attitude in the middle of a killing field. But then he looked behind him. Israelites struggled to climb over the Amorites who had been in Joshua's path. The carnage was staggering. Crows were already circling and perching on the walls above them. Joshua looked back to Caleb as their men began battering the door. 00:25:18 Speaker 7: DoD worry Gallab, I've saved some for yours will beyond this door is the last of the guard protecting the king. 00:25:25 Speaker 3: A confident smile stretched across Caleb's face as he responded enthusiastically to his general, the. 00:25:31 Speaker 9: Last stand of king. Let's make it a fight worth remembering. 00:25:38 Speaker 3: With that, the door shattered from the final slam of the battering ram. The Israelite soldiers cleared the splintered wood away to create an opening for their commanders. As one, Joshua and Caleb turned and their swords lifted into a practiced guard. They advanced through the open door with war cries. Og pressed himself against the stone wall and blubbered in fear. It was a pitiful sight. What remained of his king's guards shakily stood their ground. They knew they were outmatched. As he and Caleb, who stood head and shoulders over most men, strode toward them, Joshua almost felt remorse for what was about to happen, but Joshua knew that their God was delivering them this victory. The Amorites would never let the people of Israel live if the rolls had been reversed. Without looking away from their foe, Caleb asked in a steady voice. 00:26:35 Speaker 7: Three and three, you brig left, I'll go right with that. 00:26:40 Speaker 3: Joshua lunged forward and chopped down with force, obliterating the first soldier's guard. Joshua's body continued through the movement, and his elbow connected with the man's face, breaking his nose and causing him to stagger back. Before the second soldier could respond, Joshua's saw changed direction from its chop and cut upward, splitting him from navel to nose. Blood sprayed. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Joshua wondered at the weakness of the King's guard. Were they purely ceremonial guards so much for a last stand? Caleb would be disappointed. The third soldier hesitated at the quick brutal death of his companion, and Joshua closed the gap between them with a lethal thrust just under the man's breastplate, impaling him through the gut. Joshua turned to see that the first man was still stumbling and disorientated by his broken nose. Joshua ended his life quickly and efficiently. Beyond him, Caleb stood similarly victoriously among the three fallen soldiers. Together they turned to the now defenseless king. His eyes flashed with hate, and he spat at their feet. Before he could say anything, vile, Joshua struck him down with a mighty love. Joshua triumphantly climbed back up the rubble of the toppled gate and thrust his sword over his head, declaring victory. They had done it. They had battered the gate and stormed the city walls of Edria. They had done what everyone thought would be impossible for nomadic shepherds. They had taken a fortified city. Moses approached the city to survey the damage. He stared in awe at what his army had inflicted. Then, with a determined look, he made to climb the rubble and join Joshua at the top. Joshua leaped down the stones to meet him. 00:28:40 Speaker 7: The stones are unstainable. 00:28:44 Speaker 5: But you're standing on them. Why can't I? 00:28:47 Speaker 4: I am standing, but you're not ancient like me. 00:28:55 Speaker 3: Joshua laughed in surprise at moses lightheartedness. He had not seen Moses smile in a long time. This victory brought Israel the confidence and assurance it so desperately needed. Moses made to move again, one on the steady foot after another, edging his way up the broken stones. Joshua reached to him and offered an arm. They climbed together, shoulder to shoulder. 00:29:21 Speaker 5: The Lord told me he would had the city over to us, and then he told me that I would stand on the battle so that the wake. 00:29:30 Speaker 4: In our loproo. 00:29:32 Speaker 3: They arrived at the top and looked out at the trans Jordan Plains, the entire area. 00:29:38 Speaker 10: Now in their control. 00:29:40 Speaker 3: The Jordan River lay directly to the west, and beyond it was Canaan. Still catching his breath, Joshua looked at Moses and saw that his mind was far from here. He followed Moses's gaze to the Pisca mountain range and saw it linger on the tallest peak, Mount Nebo. Beyond its crest, just out of view was the Promised Land. This Prey dot Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave a review,