See Numbers 21:1-9 The Israelites had done it again.
It was clear their recent victory over King Arad and his powerful Canaanite army had been won through the strength of their God. The God who daily rained manna on their desert encampment to satisfy their hunger and strengthen their bodies. The God who satisfied their thirst by making a river come out of a rock. The God who shaded them every day with a pillar of cloud; and warmed them every night with a pillar of fire. The God who had shaken the world in the way He had rescued them from their brutal lives of slavery in Egypt. It was God’s strength and goodness that had given them each blessing and victory.
The Israelites forgot about God as soon as the danger of war had been overcome. It is natural for egos to grow as focus on God is diminished. And pride doesn’t like it when things don’t go his way. Soon the Israelites were complaining about everything that wasn’t going their way.
As the complaints grew more bitter, God allowed the Israelites to face a danger that He had been protecting them from all along: deadly snakes. Fear grew into terror as people suffered and died from the fiery venom of the snake bites. The number of people bitten steadily increased.
But God was there, ready to help as soon as He was called upon. He didn’t say “That was one fail too many,” and leave the people to their fate.
When the Israelites acknowledged their wrong, God told Moses to do something unusual. God told Moses to grab some copper*.
Why copper? Maybe because copper metal didn’t occur naturally? Rocks that contain copper ore must be heated to incredible temperatures to release the valuable metal. Copper was used extensively in the sanctuary. Most of the sanctuary infrastructure used for animal sacrifices was copper.
God told Moses to grab some copper – the valuable metal that belonged in the sanctuary – and to heat it and beat it until it looked like the snakes that were biting and killing the people. God told Moses to put the copper snake onto a battle standard**, and to hoist it up into the air. Everyone who beheld the copper snake was healed.
Jesus said, “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)
“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)
What did the Israelites see when they looked at the copper snake? Did they see a mirror image of themselves; the sinfulness of their own hearts, which was killing themselves and those around them? Did they catch a glimpse of a love strong enough to compel their Life Giver to give Himself to save them, to even allow Himself to be treated as if He were sin itself?
We are dying. We have been bitten by “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.” (Revelation 12:9) I don’t know about you, but when I really consider myself, I find that I’m a lot more than the Ancient Israelites than I’d like to admit.
What is our hope?
“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
“I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me.” (John 12:32)
“One who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (John 6:37)
“He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)
“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)
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV)
Is anything so important that we should let it eclipse our view of Jesus?
*The metal translated as “brass” in the King James Bible was probably copper, or possibly bronze, according to people who know more about those times than I do. Copper seems most probable, as Job 28:2 says “brass is molten out of the stone.”
**The Hebrew word translated as “pole” in Numbers 21:8,9 is elsewhere translated as “ensign” or “banner.” It was likely a battle standard (battle flag) that Moses put the brass serpent onto. May this battle standard have been two poles in the shape of a cross, as used in Medieval standards? Note: the featured picture for this post was AI generated
