MEDITATIONS ON THE SERPENT OF BRASS

A few weeks ago, I brought a message titled “The Serpent of Brass” which was originally written and preached by my pastor, Dr. R. L. Hymers Jr. In this message we were reminded of the murmurings of the Israelites against God and against Moses, despite being rescued from slavery in Egypt in the greatest show of miracles this world had ever seen. Then we saw the consequence of the murmurings when God finally removed His hand of protection and the serpents that initially shunned the camp now invaded it and bit the Israelites and killed them. Lastly, we saw how God in His grace provided a cure for the judgment through the serpent of brass and how it can be closely compared to the sacrifice of Christ. As I began to meditate more upon these verses, there are additional points that can be drawn out that apply to both lost and saved.

First, Dr. Hymers had once pointed out that looking toward the serpent of brass was sufficient to save those who were afflicted. We learn from Numbers 1 that there were over 600,000 who were the sons of the various tribes of Israel. This number made up the army of Israel and only included men aged 20 and upward that were able to fight. So, if we were to include women, children and others, the number would be well over one million. With over one million people and their herds, supplies, carts, and tents all packed in tightly together, it would be difficult to see the serpent of brass even if it was large and on a very high pole. But if the Israelites couldn’t physically see the serpent of brass, how could they be saved? That is where the beauty of the Gospel continues to shine through. Let’s look at 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” (John 3:14-15; p. 1117).

Here we see that the act of faith in Christ is what is counted for salvation, not by physically seeing Him. If seeing was required for salvation, we would all be out of luck after Christ ascended into heaven. Jesus Himself provided that clarification in the verse we just read, “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” So, what would happen to an afflicted Israelite from the outskirts of the camp who lost his vision from the high fever brought upon by the bite of the fiery serpent? Is he to stagger around blindly groping through the darkness? We wouldn’t question it if it were so, since we must remember that this was the consequence of his own sin. But God in His mercy provided a cure in the brass serpent. If he were to look toward the direction of the serpent in faith, he too would live.

Second, we notice that those who looked upon the serpent lived, but that does not mean that they did not suffer. Though I would not be surprised of the depths of the depravity of men, I found it hard to believe that the afflicted Israelites would refuse to look upon the serpent of brass after they had seen those around them miraculously healed. But there was a flaw in my thinking. The Bible never said that the Israelites would be healed upon looking at the serpent of brass, the Bible simply states repeatedly that they would live.

“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” (Numbers 21:7-9; p. 195).

“Why is that important?”, you may ask? It is because on the outside, the lost and saved may appear the same. We cannot look upon the outward form and determine whether someone is lost or saved. Like the afflicted Israelites who experienced pain, high fevers and convulsions after the fiery serpents had bitten them when they looked upon the serpent of brass, they would still be experiencing the same pain, high fevers and convulsions…the difference is that they did not die. A Christian will go through similar trials as a child of the world. Both will go through trials, tribulations, sicknesses, and sorrows. The difference between the two is whether they believe in Him and have eternal life. If you believe that life will be all sunshine and happiness after conversion, I regret to inform you that that is not the case. All Christians will experience highs and lows in life. As stated earlier, we will go through many of the same trials and tribulations of the world. Add to that, Christians will also experience attacks from Satan and the demonic. If this is the case, why should we trust Christ? Let’s look again at John chapter 3.

“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” (John 3:14-15; p. 1117).

Life. A Christian will not perish but have eternal life. After trusting Jesus, a Christian will have eternal life. We will experience highs and lows, which I liken to an EKG machine in medicine. Having peaks and valleys are evidence that you are a living person. Fortunately, the God of the mountain is also the God of the valley. If you do not experience peaks and valleys, you have flatlined and someone needs to check if you are alive. Yes, a Christian will still have to face many of the same trials and tribulations of the world. Yes, he will become a target for Satan and the demons. Yes, the road to eternal life will be treacherous and paved with sorrows and tears and perhaps even blood…but the Christian will not be walking this road alone. Others who have walked this path before us can be there to guide us. Dr. Hymers has provided invaluable guidance to those in this church and also to those outside the church through his sermons and email responses. More than this, God has promised that He will not allow you to go through a temptation you cannot handle.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (I Corinthians 10:13; p. 1220).

We have brothers and sisters around the world who are living martyrs. They are experiencing trials and tribulations from family, friends, neighbors and the government. They are being denounced, beaten, imprisoned, tortured, and even killed. Yet they faithfully continue to walk the path that leads to eternal life. If you were to pull one aside and ask them why they are willing to go through such hardship, they will answer like Christian in The Pilgrim’s Progress fleeing from the City of Destruction, “Life, Life, eternal Life.” Jesus did not promise us that the Christian life would be easy. He actually said the opposite. He told us that,

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33; p. 1139).

“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…” (John 15:20; p. 1137).

And Peter told us in I Peter chapter 2:

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (I Peter 2:21; p. 1313).

From these verses, we see that tribulation is the norm. The religion of Easy-Believism and purpose driven life and prosperity theology is NOT the norm, and I will go as far as to say that it is NOT Christianity! They are different religions! A preacher says, “The Christian Life is going to be easy!” My reply, “Tell that to Richard Wurmbrand who endured 14 years of prison and torture for speaking up for Christ.” A preacher says, “Living a purpose driven life will help you live longer.” My reply, “Tell that to Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was killed by the Nazis in Germany at the age of 39.” A preacher says, “God wants you to be rich!” My reply, “Tell that to the Apostle Paul who suffered the loss of all things and counted them as dung that he might win Christ.” It was also the Apostle Paul who wrote,

“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:3-5; p. 1197).

Now we see that many verses in the Bible support the idea that the Israelite bitten by the fiery serpent may have continued to suffer from the affliction rather than be instantly healed. Trials and tribulations are used by God to test the faith of the Christian. A great old-time hymn says:

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply; The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
(“How Firm a Foundation,” “K” in Rippon’s Selection of Hymns, 1787).

Third, notice that God did not give the Israelites exactly what they prayed for. Look again at Numbers 21:7.

“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” (Numbers 21:7; p. 195).

The Israelites confessed their sin to Moses and pleaded with him to ask God to take away the serpents. However, God did not remove the serpents, but rather provided a way to neutralize the ultimate effect of the serpent’s bite (death). This is an important thought. What good would it be to rid the camp of the fiery serpents that one time if they could encounter the same serpents later? It is equivalent to asking God to eradicate mosquitos in Africa to get rid of malaria, and God answering that prayer by providing a vaccine that makes you immune to the parasite. What we see here is God giving us what we need, not necessarily what we want, and there is nothing the world needs more than the Blood of Jesus. God gave Jesus to die on the Cross to pay the ransom for man’s sin. That fulfills your need. But God is also merciful, and He will also draw you to Jesus by changing your desires and affections so that you want Him, thus uniting your want and your need in simple faith in His beloved Son. I pray you will trust the precious Saviour. Amen.