H- Highlight

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

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 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

E- Explain

This is a third illustration that Jesus used in this passage.  First, birth.  Second, Wind.  Now, He speaks of the brass serpent.  This refers to a piece of history that happened when the children of Israel were in between Egypt and the promised land.  You can read this narrative in Numbers 21:4-0.

Numbers 21:4-9

4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

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.

The children of Israel were complaining about their situation.  Interestingly what had been their deliverance from slavery is in this passaged leveled as what God was doing to them.  The provision of Manna was now something that they began to despise.

Look at God’s actions here.

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

Obviously this was a very concerning situation.  God is disciplining his people.  So, after the people came to Moses, Moses went to God.

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.

God responded to Moses, and gave him very specific instructions.  This will help us understand Jesus’s illustration.

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.

This is exactly what Moses did.  He took that serpent he made of brass.  He put that brass serpent on a pole and lifted up high enough that it could be seen throughout the camp.

The discipline worked; the people repented and begged for mercy. God met the people’s need by telling Moses to make a bronze image of a serpent and to hold it up upon a pole in the midst of the people. The person who looked upon the lifted up serpent was healed.

Jesus said that He must be lifted up just as the serpent was lifted up. What did He mean? There are several pictures here.

The children of Israel had a great need in this moment.  They needed forgiveness and healing.  This is exactly what people need today.  People are broken.  People are in need of a Savior.  They are dealing with the poison of sin, from that old serpent, the devil.

I believe there is a symbol of the evil one, Satan (Gen 3:1f; Rev 12:9; Rev 20:2). Jesus Christ destroyed the works of the devil by being lifted up (Heb 2:14-15); therefore, the serpent’s hanging upon the pole symbolized the defeat of Satan. By looking upon the defeated evil (the serpent), Israel was healed. Today man is healed by looking upon the Son of Man who has been lifted up upon the cross.

“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (Jhn 12:31-32).

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb 2:14-15).

The serpent was a cursed creature from the very beginning (Gen 3:14-15). Jesus became a curse for man (Gal 3:13).

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal 3:13).

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1Pe 2:24).

When the people remembered what God said He would provide in healing, they believed Him.  They looked at the serpent and God healed them.  They weren’t healed by that serpent.  They were healed by God Himself. 

If an Israelite believed God’s message (the good news of healing), he looked upon the lifted up serpent, and he was healed. If a man did not believe God’s message, he did not look, and he died. 

Thus it is with us today: every man must believe the message of Christ in order to be healed, that is, be born again.  

God provided His Son.  We look to Him and live!  This is exactly what Jesus said was the direct connection.

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 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.

He said this later in John.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (Jhn 5:24).

This was predicted by Him in Isaiah.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa 53:5).

A- Apply

The application is so straightforward. Call on Christ to save you! Look to Jesus Christ and live today!