The Bronze Serpent Series

Numbers 21 The Bronze Serpent

Introduction:

The Nehushtan is the name given to the bronze image of a serpent on a pole. The snake’s bites were the punishment for the Israelites for speaking against him and Moses. Yahweh instructed Moses to erect it so that the Israelites who saw it would be cured and be protected from dying from the bites of the "fiery serpents" (Numbers 21:4–9). These serpents are called fiery, from their color, or from their rage, or from the effects of their biting, inflaming the body, putting it immediately into a high fever, and scorching it with an insatiable thirst.

The serpent in the Talmud stands for evils such as talebearing and defamation of character (Genesis 3:4-5), and the Midrash finds in the plague of the fiery serpents a punishment for sins of the evil tongue (Numbers 21:5). The serpent is often used in the Bible to represent evil (Genesis 3:1-5, Revelation 12:9). But here bronze is associated with salvation. God commanded Moses to make an image of a serpent, even though such images were otherwise forbidden by Exodus 20:4.

Rebellion of New Generation:

In spite of many manifestations of God’s grace, we all have grumbled against the Lord, and thus we deserve His judgment. Israel’s new generation sounded like the old generation that died in the wilderness. This was a major problem. They were on the threshold of Canaan, closer to it than the previous generation of unbelief had been, and now they started to act with the same unbelief – or worse. They also had hearts softer and quicker to repent. They quickly humbled themselves before the LORD and Moses, confessed their sin. There was no immediate logical connection between merely looking at a serpent on a pole and living or refusing to look and dying. God looks for real trust in Him and obedience to His word.

Relief in God’s way:

God ordered Moses to make the representation of a fiery serpent, which he did, in brass, and set it up on a very long pole, so that it might be seen from all parts of the camp, and everyone that was stung with a fiery serpent was healed by looking up to this serpent of brass. The people prayed that God would take away the serpents from them (Numbers 21:7), but God gave an effectual relief in the best way. God didn’t remove the snakes but rather provided a remedy for their bites.

The brazen serpent was lifted up and so was Christ. He was lifted up upon the cross (John 12:33, 34), now by the preaching of the gospel. The word here used for a pole signifies a banner, or ensign, for Christ crucified stands for an ensign of the people (Isaiah 11:10). The lifting up of the serpent is a figure of Christ's triumphing over Satan, the old serpent, whose head he bruised in his cross. The principalities and powers had spoiled and destroyed, (Colossians 2:15). They looked and lived. We believe and shall not perish (Hebrews 12:2). Look unto me, and be you saved (Isaiah 45:22).

God’s remedy was singular. It was the only remedy. Apart from the cross, there is no human cure for sin. Christ and Him crucified is the only way. If you only looked at that bronze snake God would heal you. In the same way, the cross of Christ is sufficient for the salvation of the worst of sinners. God’s remedy was sweeping. God said, “Everyone who is bitten when he looks at it, he will live.” (Numbers 21:8). It was not too hard whoever looked would live (John 3:16, Romans 10:13).

Discussion: How do we react to the Word of God? Individually or with the group?