The bronze serpent...

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1) This conversation soon led to disobedience and sin.  The mankind lost its place to come close to Him.  The creation, to all it’s worth worked against its Creator. The curse followed. But God did not forget the Salvation plan He had for the creation.  He promised for a Redeemer.  He said, I will put enmity between you and the woman.  And Between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

As the days went by the promise was long forgotten and the guilt vanished into thin air.  Sin grew, soon the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal, his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6) The flood swept clean the earth. But God preserved Noah and his family.  Man’s sin weighed him down. But soon he learned to lived without God. Whenever he was pressed hard on all sides, he ran to God. His constant desire to master everything took him to Tower of Babel. God disrupted the plans of man.  But reminded man of His promise of Redeemer. 

God heard the cry of Israelites in the land of Egypt. The Lord brought them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.  Numbers chapter 21 records that, when the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them.  Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities.” The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. The fear of their enemy and love of their own lives made them to look unto their Saviour. What they thought they cannot do they sought the strength of the Lord.  What they could do, and were trained in slavery, they grew impatient.  They sought after water and bread and detested God’s provision - Manna.  A few verses later we read that the Israelites grew impatient and spoke against God and against Moses. (Numbers 21:5) God sent venomous snakes into their camp. People cried unto the Lord asking forgiveness and restoration. 

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

God did not offer a remedy that they were used to. Instead, He showed them that it is by faith alone you will live.  The world around them gave different solution, but what God offered was wholesome and restoring. But do you think this incident increased the faith in God? I doubt!

2 Kings 18:3,4 says,

Hezekiah 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.)

It is disappointing to see the instrument that was used to look unto God could turn into an idol. God had to raise a king to destroy the very thing that brought healing to His people.  The processes to remind them the promises He made, became mere rituals and symbols. It was easy for man’s heart to turn evil at any given time, to forget the Healer and run after healing. 

God sought after men and women who would remember His promise.  While Israelites turned away, Rahab saw God in every battle. When Naomi lost heart, Ruth stood firm in her commitments.  The scribes could tell where He will be born, but only heathen wise men could identify Him.  When Pharisees refused to heed to Jesus, Samaritan Woman saw the Messiah. 

Jesus reminded Nicodemus the Promise that was made in the beginning, reminded as a bronze serpent lifted high during Moses times is being fulfilled in Christ. 

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:14, 15)

What a joy to know that He is faithful to keep His Promises. Even if we forget His promises or stray away from Him time and again, fail Him in every way, He remains faithful.