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NUMBERS 21:5-9

"THE BRAZEN SERPENT"

I. THE HISTORY OF THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
        A. Made by Moses in the wilderness.
                1. The people were speaking against God.
                2. God sent fiery serpents among them.
                3. They came to Moses confessing their sin.
                4. God commanded to make a brass serpent and place it on a pole.
                5. Whenever a person was bitten. if they would look at the brass serpent
                   they would live.
        B. In the days when Hezekiah became king they had made an idol of the brazen
           serpent and were worshipping it.
                1. Hezekiah broke it in pieces and said Nehustan (a thing of brass)
                2. Worshipping idols indicates two things.
                        a. Loss of consciousness of God.
                        b. Desire to regain that which is lost.
        C. Jesus in His talk with Nicodemus in answering his question. "How can a man be
           born again?"
                1. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. so must the Son of
                   Man be lifted up..."
        D. Today at St. Ambrose cathedral in Italy in a showcase they affirm that they have
           the brass serpent.

II. THE SYMBOLISM OF THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
        A. Brass is the symbol of judgment.
                1. The brazen alter where sacrifices made.
                2. The brazen lauer where priest washed from their defilement.
                3. "Your heavens shall be brass."
        B. The serpent a type of Satan and sin.
                a. Satan first appeared in the form of a serpent.
                b. In Rev. 20 "the old serpent."
        C. The brass serpent on the pole would symbolize the sins judged.
                1. The destroyer destroyed.

III. WHAT IT SAYS TO US TODAY.
        A. The people were judged and dying for their sins.
                1. God provided a remedy.
                2. It was very simple, just look and live. The look of faith.
                        a. He did not have them concoct an antidote.
                        b. He did not drive the snakes away.
        B. Today we are conscious of our sins. "All have sinned..."
                1. Sin is destroying your life. God called to the people through Ezekiel.
                   "Turn, so iniquity will not be your ruin."
        C. God has made provision for our sins. they were judged on the cross.
                1. "All we like sheep..."
                2. "And God made Him to be sin for us.."
                3. The destroyer has been destroyed.
                4. Just the simple look of faith to Jesus Christ.

I can imagine one of the hard heads in Israel being bitten and lying on the ground, writhing
in pain, begging for his friends to do something for him.
        "I can't see how by just looking it can help."