The Bronze Serpent

In our study of Numbers 21, we discussed several ‘Types’, a major one being the snake on the pole. After the people sinned and spoke out against God and Moses, the Lord sent serpents to bite the people. (The consequence also speaks to God’s wrath against sin) When they repented, God instructed Moses to lift a serpent on a pole so that anyone who looked upon the serpent would be healed. God disciplined His people while simultaneously showing that evil MUST be punished. Since He is a Good God, He must be committed to eradicating evil from His presence. His Holiness will not stand for anything less than perfection. It was Righteous for God to punish his people, as Christ had not yet come to take the punishment, therefore this moment was designed to parallel our lives with Christ’s coming. Now that Jesus sacrificed Himself for us, we can find peace with God knowing that we are no longer at war with Him as the wrath we deserved was already poured out on Christ!