“They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. 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 wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. ” [Numbers 21: 4-7]
Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. ” [Numbers 21: 4-7]
The serpent of brass was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ
Once again the people complained about their living conditions, with the result that God sent fiery serpents among them. Many of the people died, and many more were dying. In answer to the intercession of Moses, God commanded that a bronze serpent be lifted on a pole and promised that whoever looked at the bronze serpent would be healed of the snakebite. This incident was used by the Lord Jesus to teach Nicodemus that Christ must be lifted up on a pole (the cross), so that sinners looking to Him by faith might have everlasting life.
The serpent later became a stumbling block to the nation and was finally destroyed in the days of Hezekiah. King Hezekiah conducted a campaign against all form of idolatry, destroying even the high places and the bronze serpent. God did not want the people to make the bronze serpent as an idol. Similarly, God will not allow us to worship a cross or any idol.
Jesus quoted this Old Testament incident to illustrate how the new birth takes place. Men and women have been bitten by the viper of sin and are condemned to eternal death. The serpent of brass was a type or picture of the Lord Jesus. Brass, in the Bible, speaks of judgment. The Lord Jesus was sinless and should never have been punished, but He took our place and bore the judgment which we deserved.
The pole speaks of the cross of Calvary on which the Lord Jesus was lifted up. We are saved by looking to Him in faith. The Savior was made sin for us, He who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ receives eternal life as a free gift.
"...the Son of Man must be lifted up..."
“The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."
"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” [Numbers 21:8, John 3:14-15]
