Bible Word of the Day
Bronze Serpent (Symbol of Christ to Come)
Meaning
This was a symbol and object lesson for the people, the “Bronze Serpent” was a symbol of the Messiah to come, the One who could save the people. During the wilderness wanderings when Moses was leading the people of Israel through the wilderness, they encountered a problem with the Edomites. The Edomites refused to let the children of Israel (their fellow brethren through a blood relationship) travel through their land. As a result the people led by Moses had to travel around the territory of the Edomites going a long distance out of their way. We have to remember that the Jewish people who left Egypt, for the most part were in rebellion against God.
And as a result of the detour began once more to complain. However, they complained against God and Moses and as a result God sent fiery serpents to kill the people. Moses intervened for the people and God told him to make a bronze serpent and hold it up on a stick and anyone who looked upon the serpent would be saved. Moses did so and the people were saved. The Bible tells us this was done as a picture of Jesus to come. It showed the people how Jesus the Messiah would be lifted up on the Cross to bear our sins and anyone who looks upon Him and places their trust in Christ alone will be saved. The history of the bronze serpent can be found in the Book of Numbers in chapter twenty-one. And its relationship to Christians, as a picture of Jesus to come can be found in the Gospel of John chapter three.
“Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 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 our soul loathes this worthless bread.’ So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore 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. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” (Numbers 21:4-9)
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18)