The Israelites were being attacked by poisonous snakes as punishment for complaining against God. God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten just needed to look at the bronze serpent to be healed. Jesus later referred to this story, saying he must be "lifted up" like the bronze serpent so that all who believe in him will have eternal life. All that is required is to accept Jesus into your heart to receive salvation and everlasting life.

1. Gospel

2. The Bronze Serpent

3. Did you know what this is?

4. A pole or staff with two intertwined snakes and two wings at the top, has become a well-recognized insignia of the medical profession. The caduceus

5. Did you know that thousands of years ago, Moses was instructed by God to make a similar emblem that symbolized God’s healing to the people of Israel?

6. The Bronze Serpent

7. The children of Israel repeatedly grumbled against God and Moses. God responded by sending “fiery serpents” among them (Num. 21:6), probably poisonous vipers whose bites caused intense fever, thirst, swelling, and eventually death.

8. Let’s read the Word of God.

9. Num. 21.6-9.

10. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Let’s see what we can learn from this.

15. The snakes may also have been “fiery” in terms of their appearance. One very poisonous species in the region has brightly colored red spots and wavy stripes, and is greatly feared by the Arabs even today.

16. The Israelites acknowledged their sin and cried out for mercy and deliverance (Num. 21:7). In response, the LORD told Moses to fashion a fiery serpent on a pole, which would provide a means of healing (Num. 21:8).

17. A bronze serpent was cast, which would have given off a fiery appearance in the sunlight, making a highly visible standard for the people to see.

18. All that they had to do, in order to live, was look at the Brazen Serpent. And they lived.

19. Jesus refers to the bronze serpent in his conversation with Nicodemus.

20. The Lord said that He would have to be “lifted up” just as the bronze serpent was in order to bring eternal life to those who believe in Him. (John 3:14,15)

21. Jesus was referring to His crucifixion

22. The Israelites, if they wanted to live, had to turn to the only means that God had provided for deliverance.

23. To fail or refuse to do that was a choice for death.

24. To fail or refuse to turn toward Jesus and place faith in His finished work of salvation is to choose death—eternal death.

25. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

26. That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

27. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3.14-16)

28. All that you need to do today is receive Jesus into your heart.

29. Accept Jesus Today!

30. You will have everlasting life.

31. May God Bless You!

32. Thank You!