There are precious lessons to be learned from the incident of the uplifted serpent, lessons that apply equally to the Hebrews, as well as to ourselves, for it was in response to the Hebrews being bitten by the poisonous reptiles of the wilderness, that the brazen serpent was made. Then the instruction was given for all who had been stung to look and live.
But before we study the application of the remedy we must first observe why they were bitten in the first place, for we ourselves may be bitten in various ways, even though we may not attribute the bite to the true source. Also, we must realize that there are different kinds of serpents on the prowl, in our own wilderness experience, of which we must be aware.
There are financial serpents, disease serpents, and serpents whose venomous sting often produce an atmosphere in which continual disagreement with God, and with others is the order of the day. In fact, anytime our homes devolve into places of continual argument, where there is strife, name-calling, and a host of angry words being hurled left and right, it is quite possible that a fiery serpent has bitten one or more persons. Let’s read:
Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.
18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
In the case of the Hebrews, it was murmuring, and complaining about God, about Moses, and about everyone, and everything which ultimately caused the protection of God to be removed, and thus, the fiery serpents which were already indigenous to the wilderness environment, were permitted to invade the camp, unrestrained by divine power.
A very important note must be made here before we proceed, lest we misunderstand how things are triggered in the spiritual, and temporal realms. In the Bible, The Lord is often credited with doing that which He did not prevent, and thus, as we read, it’s important to remember that those fiery serpents of the desert were already living in their own natural habitat, but it was the restraining power of Christ alone that had held them at bay.
We too, are also living in serpent country, and it is because of God’s mercies alone why we are not consumed. However, if we were to pursue a similar course as the ancient Hebrews did, we can cause the protective watch-care of Christ to be removed temporarily, and consequently, we too may suffer adverse effects of the serpent’s sting. Let’s read:
Numbers 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Those of us who are prone to find fault with our blessings expose ourselves to unnecessary risks, and often become the objects of varied assaults by the enemy of souls. Hence the reason why the scripture always encourages Christians to cultivate a thankful attitude, for there are always millions of individuals who are much worst off than ourselves. The Hebrews complained about their food, but there are millions of starving people who would have greatly rejoiced to have a few crumbs of the manna that was so despised. In our refrigerators, there may be only leftovers, but at least we can be thankful to have some leftovers. Let’s read:
The Guardian: Rory Carroll in Port-au-Prince. Mon 28 Jul 2008 19.01 EDT First published on Mon 28 Jul 2008 19.01 EDT
"At first sight the business resembles a thriving pottery. In a dusty courtyard women mold clay and water into hundreds of little platters, and lay them out to harden under the Caribbean sun. The craftsmanship is rough, and the finished products are uneven. But customers do not object. This is Cité Soleil, Haiti's most notorious slum, and these platters are not to hold food. They are food. Brittle and gritty - and as revolting as they sound - these are "mud cakes". For years they have been consumed by impoverished pregnant women seeking calcium, a risky and medically unproven supplement, but now the cakes have become a staple for entire families"....
1st Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Thus, it was, according to their own testimony, that the Hebrew people acknowledged it was their sin that had caused the adversarial invasion of fiery serpents, the effects of which were taking a deadly toll on their numbers. When trouble, disease, or sustained afflictions, in various forms come upon Christians, it is in order for us to examine ourselves, to see whether there was any triggering mechanism in our words, or our deeds. This is not to say that sin is always the cause of trouble, but we should be humble enough to see if the sins of murmuring, whining, and complaining might have been the cause.
Thus, because we are now living at a time when the protective watch-care of God is to be permanently removed in the not too distant future, from those who are not sheltered by the blood of Christ, it is necessary for us to dig a bit deeper into how things of an adverse nature are often triggered within the spiritual realm, and then are inevitably transferred into the physical realm. The disciples of Christ had partaken of very large blessings, when Christ had miraculously fed the multitudes from five barley loaves and two fishes. It seemed as if heaven had come down to earth that day, and in their enthusiasm, the people had tried to take Christ by force to make Him King. But He refused, much to the chagrin of the disciples.
They believed that a mistake in Jesus’ judgment had been made, and in response to His command to put off from land immediately, they had left with hearts full of murmuring, and complaining, for no reason. In this state of mind, the atmosphere became ripe for a bite from the “Stormy” serpent, one which still stalks individuals even in our day. Let’s read:
[The Desire of Ages pp 380] They had left Jesus with dissatisfied hearts, more impatient with Him than ever before since acknowledging Him as their Lord. They murmured because they’d not been permitted to proclaim Him king. They blamed themselves for yielding so readily to His command. They reasoned that if they had been more persistent they might have accomplished their purpose. Unbelief was taking possession of their minds and hearts. Love of honor had blinded them. To be united with a teacher who could work mighty miracles, and yet to be reviled as deceivers, was a trial they could ill endure. Were they always to be accounted followers of a false prophet? Would Christ never assert His authority as king?
Why did not He who possessed such power reveal Himself in His true character, and make their way less painful? Why had He not saved John the Baptist from a violent death? Thus, the disciples reasoned until they brought upon themselves great spiritual darkness. They questioned, Could Jesus be an impostor, as the Pharisees asserted? The disciples had that day witnessed the wonderful works of Christ. Had they, out of the abundance of their hearts, been conversing together in regard to these things, they would not have entered into temptation. But their disappointment had absorbed their thoughts.
Those were hours of large blessing to the disciples, but they had forgotten it all. They were in the midst of troubled waters. Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds. God often does this when men create burdens and troubles for themselves.
It is worthy of note, that on this occasion on the stormy lake, it was Christ who came to the disciples’ rescue. Similarly, when the Hebrews were bitten by the fiery serpents in the wilderness, it was Christ who ordained that the brazen serpent be uplifted on a pole, so that everyone who believed may look and live.
This leads us to the core of our study, because the remedy provided by God back then, is the same remedy provided in our day. And the method of accessing the remedy is no different than the simple instruction given to the Hebrews. Let’s read:
Numbers 21:7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
It was Christ who was represented by the uplifted serpent, for He became sin for us, so that we might have eternal life, and forever be freed from the ill effects of the dragon’s poisonous sting. And the same way the Hebrews were to look and live, we too must look to Christ and live. There is nothing we can do of our own selves to reverse or remove the adverse effects of sin, except to choose Christ. It’s that simple!
This central and simple truth of the gospel needs to be embraced, and understood by Christians, and all unbelievers alike today because those humanistic remedies that are recommended to fix our society’s problems only address the symptoms, not the real cause. Thus, our mission here at Omegatruth, and on Facebook, is summed up in one brief statement, “Sharing Bible-based solutions for our spiritual and physical well-being”.
Thus, it will constitute a very serious dereliction of duty if we were to advocate external remedies for internal problems of the soul. Christ, the uplifted serpent is the only answer for broken marriages, for dysfunctional families, for pornographic addiction, for health issues, for mass shootings, for terrorism, for our spiraling national debt, for infidelity in high and low places.
He is the only permanent solution to breaking those habits that have held us in chains for many years, or that argumentative spirit which surfaces in us from time to time. He is the only solution for racism, for fear, for low energy, for positive lifestyle changes, and for every other known, and unknown problem that afflicts humanity. It’s all about Christ alone!
In fact, any solution we can come up with, or may offer, that does not include Christ as the center, is sure to fail sooner or later. The mass shooting in Las Vegas was reportedly one of the worst in the United States’ history. But according to the Bible, the worst one is yet future, and that is why we must advocate for our country to return to God, in the right way. Let’s read:
2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
1st Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Thus, it is a sad statement that we make, that even though the simple solution God has provided us in Christ, is just within reach, millions are going down into Christ-less graves each year, just as very many Hebrews died from the venomous serpents, even though just one look is all it took. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 430] Many had already died, and when Moses raised the serpent upon the pole, some would not believe that merely gazing upon that metallic image would heal them; these perished in their unbelief.
It was the simplicity of the remedy that caused the unbelief, for some would not believe that by simply looking to that brazen object they would be healed. Again, it was the same simplicity of the remedy that caused Naaman to go away in a rage, after Elisha told him to dip seven times in Jordan.
If Elisha had recommended one of those drugs with a long, difficult name, that cannot be pronounced, like Clofazimine, he would have readily taken it, but the simplicity of the remedy of water was offensive to him. The same is true of the gospel, for although we are seeing with our own two eyes, that we don’t have the answers to society’s deepening problems, yet the simplicity of the gospel causes many to be offended.
And thus, we find ourselves looking to intellectuals and professionals for answers, while the medicine God has provided in Christ is well within our reach. As a result, penance seems more appealing to fallen human nature than grace, a regimen of drugs, and daily injections is preferable to the simple diet, and natural remedies God has given in His word, and the ostentatious performances of those so-called faith healers, are more appealing than a simple faith in God.
And whilst we grovel in our national woes, whilst we bemoan the wanton loss of life, and whilst so many millions are dying from starvation, hunger, wars, gun violence, and whilst morale is at an all-time low, and scandals of all sorts haunt our minds on a daily basis, many of us still refuse to look to Christ, the uplifted serpent that we may be healed. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs & prophets pp 432] Many Israelites saw no help in the remedy which had been appointed. The dead and dying were all around them, and they knew that, without divine aid, their own fate was certain; but they continued to lament their wounds, their pains, their sure death, until their strength was gone, and their eyes were glazed, when they might have had instant healing.
Thus, as stated before, we present to you Jesus as the One and only answer to the world’s problems, for He brings many literal benefits in His train. Not only does Christ offer to us pardon and peace, and forgiveness of sins with eternal life, He also gives us a deep-down joy and contentment, He brings to us individual, and national stability, and security, and He removes fear of the unknown from the hearts of students and teachers alike.
Christ will also provide guidance and wisdom to our national leaders, so that they will not be deceived into basking in irrational exuberance, nor will they be flattered into thinking all is well, when all is not well. More than this, Christ offers to us peace and quietness that no man can take away, and that’s the reason why America needs to turn back to God, in the right way. Let’s read:
2nd Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Psalms 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
In closing, let us remember that any individual, or national solution that is recommended, which does not have Christ at the center, is certain to fail, and thus, in harmony with this sacred truth, we will do well to look to Jesus, the uplifted serpent that we may be healed. Which leads us to our final passages of meditation for today, and this upcoming week. Let’s read:
1st Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, Christ the power, and the wisdom of God.
Romans 10:8 The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
God Bless!