It just seemed like yesterday that I was trudging through Numbers, and now here I am again. But just like last time, just when I thought the book had nothing really to offer me, I come across chapter 21, and the bronze snake.
For those not familiar with the story, the Israelites had just defeated the Canaanites and were working their way around the country of Edom when—surprise, surprise—they started grumbling against Moses and God, accusing them of bringing them into the desert to die. Then they complained about not having enough water and having terrible food.
In response to their ungratefulness (and lack of memory over what God had done for them) God sent poisonous snakes, which killed a lot of people. The people then came back to Moses and repented and asked God to take away the snakes.
Well, he didn’t. The snakes remained, but he did tell Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Then if someone was bitten, if that person looked at the bronze snake he would live.
A number of things stood out to me. First, that God did not answer their request to remove the snakes. The consequences of their disbelief would remain. BUT the salvation from those consequences was there if they would 1) have faith in the remedy, and 2) obey by looking up at it.
All scholars agree that the bronze snake is a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We have all sinned and, as a result of that sin, we are going to die. (Romans 3:23; 6:23a) And, as much as we would like to avoid the consequences of our sins, we will not. However, if we will believe in the remedy, the sacrifice of Jesus, on the cross, and accept his sacrifice, and allow him to rule our life, then eternal life is ours (Romans 6:23b; John 3:16).
We will live.
Forever.
For those not familiar with the story, the Israelites had just defeated the Canaanites and were working their way around the country of Edom when—surprise, surprise—they started grumbling against Moses and God, accusing them of bringing them into the desert to die. Then they complained about not having enough water and having terrible food.
In response to their ungratefulness (and lack of memory over what God had done for them) God sent poisonous snakes, which killed a lot of people. The people then came back to Moses and repented and asked God to take away the snakes.
Well, he didn’t. The snakes remained, but he did tell Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Then if someone was bitten, if that person looked at the bronze snake he would live.
A number of things stood out to me. First, that God did not answer their request to remove the snakes. The consequences of their disbelief would remain. BUT the salvation from those consequences was there if they would 1) have faith in the remedy, and 2) obey by looking up at it.
All scholars agree that the bronze snake is a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We have all sinned and, as a result of that sin, we are going to die. (Romans 3:23; 6:23a) And, as much as we would like to avoid the consequences of our sins, we will not. However, if we will believe in the remedy, the sacrifice of Jesus, on the cross, and accept his sacrifice, and allow him to rule our life, then eternal life is ours (Romans 6:23b; John 3:16).
We will live.
Forever.
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