And
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man
be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned:
but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that
light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth
cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought
in God. John 3:14-21 KJV
Jesus used a striking
incident in Numbers to illustrate a point to Nicodemus. This is the one place
in the Bible where some the fiery serpents' incident is explained as
being a type of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
And
they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of
Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And
the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us
up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is
there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent
fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of
Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for
we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he
take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD
said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it
shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it,
shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it
came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent
of brass, he lived. Numbers 21:4-9 KJV
First many think it
strange that God commanded Moses to make a brass serpent when He specifically
commanded:
Thou
shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the
earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down
thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:3-6 KJV . God had also punished
the Israelites for making a golden calf as a God while Moses was receiving the
law up in Sinai!
However we also note that in giving
instructions for the tabernacle construction He says, And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work
shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. Exodus 25:18 KJV
Solomon's temple in its construction
also had figures in its construction e.g. 12 bulls supported the sea of brass.
It would seem that there is
something more than the mere construction that provokes God's anger. Years
later in the reign of King Hezekiah the same brazen serpent had become a
stumbling block to the nation! Now it came
to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah
the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. Twenty and five years old was he
when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His
mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. And he did that which
was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and
brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the
children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. 2
Kings 18:1-4 KJV An important lesson here is that when we begin
placing an object, event, person or place into prominence before God, it takes
the place of an idol and we become guilty of idolatry!
With that said we look at what Jesus
meant when He said he must be lifted up. The term is referred to elsewhere in
the Bible as we will notice:
Now
is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he
said, signifying what death he should die. The people answered him, We have
heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son
of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? John 12:31-34 KJV
Then
said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know
that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me,
I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left
me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these
words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on
him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:28-32 KJV
So we understand that Jesus is
referring to his death when he said 'even so must the Son of man be
lifted up'.
With that in mind we note Paul's
teaching to the Corinthians concerning the children of Israel: Now these things were our examples, to the intent we
should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye
idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat
and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of
them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us
tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the
destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are
written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1
Corinthians 10:6-11 KJV
They are examples, or as the word
used signifies, types. Christ used the lifting up of the brazen serpent in the
wilderness as a type of His own work of salvation on Calvary.
If we can imagine the area occupied
by approximately 2.5 million people living in their tents, with animals in
attendance, which would be several miles square, we grasp the vastness of the
camp. It is a single brass serpent on a pole in the center of the camp. it had
to be in a prominent position for all the camp to see. It may not have been
possible for one at the edge of the camp to reach to where the pole was erected
so it was necessary for it to be visible to all.
In looking at this picture that
Christ paints for us, we see several notable points.
The serpents' invasion and
affliction came because of sin.
Whoever was bitten died unless they
looked at the brazen serpent.
Similarly all mankind has been
serpent bitten and all are destined for death.
The enemy of our souls is referred
to as that old serpent And the great dragon
was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth
the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out
with him. Revelation 12:9 KJV
Death has passed to all mankind
through the original serpent bite: Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12 KJV
In Adam all died For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive. 1 Corinthians 15:22 KJV
As
it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Romans 3:10 KJV
For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23 KJV
As the uplifted serpent was the
means of healing to the Israelites so the uplifted Christ brings life to the
world.
The serpent was representative of
the very affliction plaguing the Israelites. As the afflicted ones looked to
that representative of their sin on the pole, they were healed. Similarly
Jesus took our sins upon Himself and as we look to Him in belief we have
eternal life! And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John
3:14-15 KJV
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that
we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV
Note the following about this
illustration:
1. Healing was free to all. Nobody had to pay any price for it. Even so salvation is
free no one has to pay for that which was already paid for! It's a gift!
For the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans
6:23 KJV
But
God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us. Romans 5:8 KJV
For
the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Titus 2:11 KJV
2. Healing had to be appropriated by faith! For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV
3. What had been provided was sufficient for deliverance. Nothing else was needed but that look! Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ
our Saviour; Titus 3:5-6 KJV
4. It was easy access!
There was no ritual or form to go through!
That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10 KJV
5. It was an immediate occurrence. There was no long waiting period.
6. It
applied equally and universally to all who would look. There was not one way for you and another for me and a third
way for them! For the scripture saith, Whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Romans 10:11 KJV
For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13 KJV
7. Not by own efforts, or assisting one another. Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by
the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on
us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; Titus 3:5-6 KJV
Look
unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is
none else. Isaiah 45:22 KJV
Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 KJV
And
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man
be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved. John 3:14-17 KJV
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