Knowing The Word: Numbers 21:4-9, The Bronze Serpent

In Genesis 3 we met the serpent who deceived Eve into doubting and then disobeying God’s word. The serpent symbolizes all that is opposed to God and his created order and who brings sin and death in his wake. His role is to usurp God’s authority on earth. In Leviticus the serpent is listed among the unclean animals the people of God are to avoid and comes to represent all that is unclean. In Numbers 21 God tells Moses to construct a bronze serpent and lift it up on a pole for all the people to look at after they have been bitten by poisonous serpents. By looking at it they will be healed. In a similar way, Jesus, in John 3, says that he too will be lifted up and that all who look at him and believe will receive eternal life. In an ironic twist, Jesus defeats Satan not in power but in weakness, giving a new definition and meaning to grace. Additionally, the gospel declares that the cross heals us from our own sins and those sins committed against us.

4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronzeserpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

Prayer: Where has the serpent bitten you? Where are you bleeding? Where do you need healing in your life? Bring these issues to the cross of Christ in prayer to be healed by the grace of God.