Welcome to the “But first, Bible” daily devotional podcast with Dave Miers.
Our readings for today are Numbers 21-23 and Mark 7:14-8:10.
Just like yesterday, the pattern continues for Israel grumbling against God and against Moses in the book of Numbers.
In Numbers 21, God’s means of judgement for their grumbling and his salvation from it is intriguing.
Have a look at Numbers 21:4–9,
[4] From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. [5] 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 we loathe this worthless food.” [6] Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. [7] And 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. [8] And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” [9] So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (ESV)
It sounds terrifying to be confronted by many fiery serpents! Many of the people die. But then perhaps even more interesting is the way that the LORD spares his people from the fiery serpents. “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”
Look to the pole, and you will be healed from your serpent bite! A truly intriguing scenario.
Interestingly, the symbol used by medical professionals throughout the ages is a pole with a bronze snake wrapped around it. It’s still used to this day, keep an eye out on hospital logos or doctors and nurses uniforms. Most connect this to ancient Greek mythology, but the bronze serpent in the time of Moses well and truly predates Greek thought.
There are two more times that the bronze serpent is mentioned in the Bible.
The first is in the time of King Hezekiah. Have a look at 2 Kings 18:3–4,
[3] And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. [4] He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). (ESV)
As part of the good reforms that Hezekiah brought in, he destroyed the bronze serpent because it had become an object of worship for the people of Israel! It’s a tragedy that a something used by the LORD in one generation to bring salvation is inappropriately turned into an object of worship and then condemnation in another generation.
The second time that the bronze serpent is mentioned is in Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John’s Gospel. Have a look at John 3:14–15,
[14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (ESV)
Can you see it?? Jesus is saying that he will be lifted up on a pole! And just like those who had been bitten by a serpent could find healing by looking to the serpent, all who have been infected by sin can find healing by looking to Jesus who died on the cross for us.
Jesus is like us in every way, yet he was without sin. There is no pattern of disobedience and grumbling from Jesus, only obedience and godliness. And so when Jesus died on the cross, he isn’t dying for any sin he has committed, but he is the sinless one dying in the place of sinners.
The salvation that Jesus offers in his death on the cross is so much great than the serpent on the pole. In Numbers people were healed from their serpent bite for a time, but for those who look to Jesus we can receive eternal life!
The bad news of Christianity is that you deserve to be judged by God because of your sin and rebellion against the God who made you. The good news of Christianity is that Jesus did die on the cross for you, but more than that he rose from the dead showing that he has conquered sin, Satan, and death – and Jesus is now alive and calling people from every nation to look to him and find salvation and eternal life.
If you have never looked to Jesus to take hold of the eternal life that he offers. Let me encourage you to do that today! Let me know if you have any questions or would like me to get you in contact with a church in your area.
Until tomorrow, keep trusting Jesus.