Christmas by the Numbers-- Part 2

Likewise, Christ is our Snake in Numbers...

As the events of Numbers 21 unfold, the Israelites start grumbling again (strange timing given their recent military success in 21:1-3—in answer to their prayer!). So, “the Lord sent venomous snakes" to bite them. Interestingly, we’re told that the Lord had mercifully preserved them from such attacks throughout their time in the Wilderness (Dt 8:15).

The Israelites “repent” (but how credible is it once you’ve been busted?!) and request (ironically) Moses' intercession. Moses here is a type of Christ—one who interceded effectively on behalf of his persecutors.

God’s answer? He tells Moses to "make a (bronze) snake and put it on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live"—a creative punishment followed by a creative cure. A number of things are of interest here. First, God leaves the snakes and does nothing about the external bites, but provides a cure/antidote to the internal venom. Second, the cure runs counter (although it doesn’t exactly contradict) the 2^nd Commandment (Exodus 20:4). (Later, we’re explicitly given a great reason for that prohibition—in II Kings 18:4.)

Third, spiritually, it’s noteworthy that the cure required an “act” of faith by the one to be healed—not just talk from them or an automatic healing from God. Moreover, their faith had to be placed in the proper thing—where and to whom one looked was vital. So, too, in our prospective cure from the deadly venom we have.

Fourth, to be more explicit, check out John 3:14-16! (Everyone talks about John 3:16’s “For God so loved the world…”, but do you know what sets it up in context?). We too have been bitten by a snake (Genesis 3). The outcome is spiritual and physical death—unless we embrace the solution: looking to the Snake/Christ who has been “lifted up” on a pole/cross and eventually, allowing resurrection (Romans 6:23). Finally, the solution comes in a similar form to that which was the problem (Rom 8:3, II Cor 5:21).

Why not accept the Bronze Snake—then or today? One must know that they’ve been bitten. (How many people today see themselves as bitten—rather than “good enough” on the basis of their own merit?) One must know that they will die without an antidote. (How many people recognize the bite, but vastly underestimate its impact.) One must have an appropriate antidote. (The wrong antidote—even with the best of intentions will not work.)

May we all look up to the Bronze Snake who has graciously been lifted up for our sake.