And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Num. 21:5-9)
Because of their grumbling and complaining, especially in light of their recent victory by God’s help, God afflicted the Israelites with an infestation of fiery serpents. The serpents, which Isaiah later described as flying, making them mini-dragons, would bite the people and the people had a choice, to look at the bronze serpent which Moses made or not. Those who looked, because they believed God, were healed, and those who did not died. Once again life came from obedience and faith, faith in God and obedience to His Word.
Jesus Christ described this account as foreshadowing His being lifted up for our sins. Whosoever looks unto Jesus in faith, faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, will live and whosoever does not believe in Him will perish, being already judged and guilty before God. Jesus did not come to condemn the world, for all who are not secure in Christ are condemned already, but that the world through Him might be saved. Those who are not born again from above, not by their own works or by any merit of their own which cannot save, have only to look and live in faith and obedience for forgiveness and redemption. This account of the serpents is a reminder to all that God saves by grace all those who come to Him on His terms and surrender to Him in repentance and faith and He will do so to the uttermost, not to go and sin but to sin no more and live the life which He came to give.
God has sent those of us that know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our GOD has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of GOD so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of GOD might have life in His Name.
GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet