Jesus and the bronze serpent

Jesus and the bronze serpent
Hello! I’m Danny and I was an active member of the LDS Church for 6 decades.
In this video I want to share a favorite story about Jesus or Yeshua and His connection to an Old Testament event. It’s two stories rolled into one.
When Moses led the children of Israel through the Red Sea and during the forty years of wilderness wanderings – God was constantly teaching the Israelites lessons about Himself and about their own sinfulness.
We read in Numbers 21:4-9, that while they were in the desert, they became discouraged and frustrated with Moses and with God (Vs 4-5). They had a track record of 40 years of complaining despite God’s faithfulness. He had delivered them from Pharaoh’s army. He had provided water and protection in that barren desert. He had given them food every morning with the heaven-sent manna. But despite God’s abundant goodness, they grumbled at Him about their circumstances. So, God sent among them as a judgment – because of their sinful rebellion and unbelief – deadly snakes called (Vs 6) “fiery serpents.” That description was based on either their fiery red color or the sting of their poisonous bite from which many people died. I can’t imagine anything more terrifying than being in a field full of deadly snakes. But, realizing they had sinned, they went to Moses (Vs 7) and asked him to plead with God to eradicate the snakes.
Yahweh or Yahavah had compassion upon them and instructed Moses (Vs 8-9) to craft a serpent of bronze and put it on a wooden pole for the people to see. When the poisonous snakes bit the people, they were to look upon the brazen serpent and live. God was teaching the people something about faith. It seemed illogical to think that simply looking at a bronze serpent could heal anyone from snakebite, but that is exactly what God told them to do. Of course, it worked! Those who had faith, obeyed, and looked upon the pole with the bronze serpent – were saved. Nothing else was required of them, like in man-made religion. It was simply a gift from God, which the people didn’t deserve or earn. Those who lacked faith and failed to look upon the serpent ended up dying from their own unbelief. Got it?
God could have simply removed the deadly snakes, but instead, He left the snakes and provided a remedy: Just look to the brass serpent that Moses put up on the pole and you will live. It’s important to note here that there was nothing magical or idolatrous about what God told Moses to do. Neither the serpent nor the pole had any healing power in and of itself. Rather, it was God’s power that saved and healed the Israelites. By looking at the serpent on the pole, the Israelites acknowledged their sin, repented of their rebellion, and turned to God in faith to save and heal them.
Now, you must admit that’s kind of a strange story! After all, one of God’s Ten Commandments was that His people should not make any graven images. Also, these people perhaps knew the story of the detested snake in the garden that had tempted Eve. To be clear – there is no connection between this brass serpent and that snake which Satan spoke through in the Garden of Eden. But God told Moses to make an image of a serpent and put it on a pole. This bronze serpent was symbolic of the serpents God used to chastise the Israelites for their unbelief.
Bytheway, this serpent pole Moses fashioned was later carried all the way into the Promised Land. Perhaps it was kept as a reminder of God’s miraculous healing and as a warning for disobedience. Clearly it was an enduring and well-known symbol in the nation. But the serpent of bronze wasn’t ever meant to be an idol to the Israelites. It was an artistic work of metal designed by the Lord. Unfortunately, years later when they reached the Promise Land this serpent on the pole did become an idol of worship to the sinful Israelites. And God hated idolatry more than anything else.
It was preserved for 700 years without the serpent being mentioned at all in the Hebrew record or Old Testament. Then we read 2 Kings 18:1-4 “In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan).” King Hezekiah destroys all the pagan images that became idols to the people and demonstrated that they had no divine power. He called the metal serpent on the pole “Nehushtan” meaning it’s simply “a thing of bronze.”
Now, here’s the cool part! Centuries later we find Yeshua having a conversation one evening with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin. In John 3, Yeshua tells Nicodemus in, order to enter the kingdom of God, he must be born again (Vs 3), meaning, born of the Spirit (Vs 5). Nicodemus thought that his righteousness would get him into the kingdom of God. But Jesus shocked him by saying (Vs 3), “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus needed the new birth. His good works and religious performances were not enough to get him into the kingdom of God. His righteous living was no cure for the snake bite of sin in his life. He was a sinner just like everyone else and he needed a Savior.
We find that Yeshua loved to refer to the Old Testament Hebrew scripture during His ministry. And, to make His point here – Yeshua draws upon, this story in Numbers 21:4-9 and relates it directly to Himself. Why? Because it was a type or foreshadowing of the coming promised Messiah – which was fulfilled in Christ’s death on the cross. Yeshua teaches Nicodemus in John 3:14-15 “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.”
I love this illustration – because this story brings out a distinct contrast between religion and Christianity. Religion tends to either ignore human sin and say that God is so loving that He will overlook our sin; or, it says that we can pay for our sins through our effort and good works. But biblical Christianity recognizes that God cannot overlook sin, or He would not be holy and just. And we cannot pay for our own sins, because our good deeds and self-righteousness are useless in God’s sight. It states in Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
The serpent in the desert wilderness was put on a wooden pole and “lifted, up” from the earth, which was a symbol of the curse of sin and judgment. Referencing Deuteronomy 21:22-23, Paul teaches in Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.” Not hung but attached to a tree. Under Mosaic law, capital punishment was carried out by stoning. Then the body was attached to a tree to display the dead person, who came under the curse or judgment of the law. And that symbolizes OUR sinful condition. As humans, we sin, and we die – spiritually. So, Yeshua took the curse of all mankind upon Himself and was hanged on a tree or nailed to a cross and was “lifted, up.” The message is the very same today – if we look to Christ alone in faith and keep our eyes fixed on Him, we too will have eternal life.
My friends, it is the only solution for our sin!
Just as the bronze serpent on a pole brought physical life to the children of Israel, Yeshua Mashiach brought eternal life to all who trust in His atoning work on the cross. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:21 “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.” Thus, the record of all our sins – past, present, and future, have been nailed to the cross. Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
Yeshua then shares with Nicodemus the well-known and most important declaration in John 3:16 “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.” This verse is often considered a summary of the Christian gospel, highlighting God’s love for humanity and the provision of salvation through Yeshua Mashiach. It emphasizes that God’s motivation for sending His Son was out of love for the world, and that belief alone in Yeshua is the only path to eternal life.
Interestingly, today’s symbol of modern medicine is a snake twined around a pole. Notice it next time you’re in a doctor’s office or hospital.
Paul wrote this sobering statement in 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The cross alone is God’s remedy for all mankind. But I have found that people have a difficult time accepting that the work of righteousness has been done for us. Just like the Israelites bitten by snakes and their sin – people today find it too simple and difficult to just look to Christ for salvation.
You don’t have to join a church. You don’t need to add your good works to what Christ has done. Yeshua paid for it all! There’s nothing for you to do, except to look unto Him in faith. Trust, in Him alone and not in any of your works. Because to trust in Yeshua plus your works, like baptism and ordinances and tithing, etc. is not 100% trusting in what Yeshua did to save you. It demonstrates that you lack faith. You don’t believe He accomplished it all for you.
Paul taught in Romans 3:24 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Let me ask you – when does addition, equal subtraction? When you add to the finished work of Christ, you are taking away and subtracting from the from fully trusting in His perfect sacrifice. It’s like kneeling at the foot of the cross and trying to offer something in addition to His perfect atonement. What an insult!
Do you know that God’s grace actually cancels out human effort? It states in Romans 11:6 “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” This is the Bible’s consistent message. 2 Timothy 1:9 speaking of Yeshua, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
Can you imagine – a woman is given as a gift a masterpiece of art, a flawless Rembrandt? It is priceless! She is overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. But then as time goes by, she thinks she ought to add something to it. Thinking herself to be a “good” artist, she decides to take up her brush and paint a tiny delicate flower down in one corner of the Rembrandt. What would be your reaction to that? Is it something you would recommend she should do? What has she really done, instead? She has ruined it, destroyed it. Right! She has taken away from the masterpiece’s original value! Likewise, when we try to add even the smallest bit of our own good works to God’s perfect masterpiece of atonement – it significantly devalues it. It has the opposite effect on our salvation. Trying to keep covenants, ordinances, laws, and commandments will do nothing to improve our perfect standing with God – if you have placed your faith in Christ alone.
The cross of Christ is the only remedy for your sin. But first, you must admit that you’re a hopeless sinner. That’s a huge stumbling block for “good” people like Nicodemus and Latter-day Saints who hardly ever admit they are lost sinners. Like Nicodemus, we think – “I have my faults, but I’m not a bad person! I’m trying my best to be good person!” You see people like Catholics and Latter-day Saints in this passage of Paul’s writing, Romans 10:1-4 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel (or LDS) is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.” Let that sink in.
It is tough to admit you are FAR more sinful than you ever imagined! And to admit that you can’t do anything to save or improve yourself. Thankfully, Yeshua did it all for us. All you must do is place our trust in, Him. His salvation is by His grace (meaning – undeserved favor) through faith so that no one can claim credit for their efforts. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9 “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.”
Again, Yeshua said in John 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Every time this phrase “lifted up” is used, it refers to the cross. John 8:28 “So Jesus said, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.’” John 12:32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” John 12:34 “The crowd then answered Him, ‘We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up”? Who is this Son of Man?’”
There is, also a double meaning in the phrase “lifted up.” It also means “to exalt” or “lift, up in majesty.” So just as the serpent had to be lifted, up in the wilderness – so Yeshua would be despised and lifted, up on the cross. But God didn’t leave Yeshua there. God raised Yeshua from the dead and exalted Him to God’s right hand in glory. He was “lifted up” in His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation. (1 Peter 3:22–23) (Ephesians 1:20–23).
As Yeshua prays in John 17:3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” When we come to know the only true God and His Son, Yeshua Mashiach – we will look to Him alone for our salvation and accept His free, gift of eternal life.
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Keep on praising God!