Historical Background
First, let's begin with the historical context of the serpent. Scripture says:
Let's break that down into smaller parts, so we can digest it:
The problem: The people sinned by speaking against the Lord and against Moses.
The consequences: Fiery serpents came and bit the people, so that they died.
The source of the serpents: The Lord sent the fiery serpents.
The people's response: The people confessed their sin to Moses and asked him to pray for the Lord to remove the serpents.
Moses' response: He interceded for the people.
The solution: The Lord commanded Moses to make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard.
The outcome: Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard.
The process: If a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.
A Type of Christ
The apostle John tells us in his gospel that the bronze serpent was a type of Christ. He says: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life." (Jn 3:14-15, NIV). This is plainly and simply set forth to us to understand: As Moses lifted up the bronze serpent, even so Christ was lifted up on the cross. Let's break it down even further, so that we can better see the truth of that statement.
The problem: All people have sinned.
The consequences: The wages of sin is death, so that men die as a result of it.
The solution: God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).
The outcome: Jesus was lifted up and crucified on a cross, similar to the standard upon which Moses set the bronze serpent.
The process: Whoever believes and looks to Jesus Christ on the cross for salvation from sin and its deadly consequences shall have eternal life.
A Word of Caution
The bronze serpent later became a snare to the Israelites and they worshiped it by burning incense to it. It became known as Nehushtan as recorded in 2 Kings 18:4. Likewise, many turn the crucifix into an idol and worship it, but it is just a symbol. Yet in the Roman Catholic Church, to which I used to belong, they have a ceremony known as the Veneration of the Cross, in which I used to participate before I came to know Christ. It is typically done on Good Friday. During this ceremony, church members approach the cross, kneel before it, and kiss it. In fact, I believe some crosses have been kissed so many times that the feet of Jesus on it are probably worn off. This is simply idolatry, which God forbids in the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:4-6).
Closing Words
Just as the bronze serpent was a model of the poisonous snakes that were biting the people who sinned, so also the Lord came in the likeness of men who were fallen in sin (Phil 2:7). He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21). He hung upon that cross as if He were a sinner, though He Himself was not, and thereby identified Himself with us and our sin problem. Just as the serpent was set upon a standard, so that it could be lifted up for all those who were bitten to see, likewise Jesus was lifted up on a cross, so that all those who realize they are dying in their sin may look to Him and live. Have you looked to Jesus?
Studying types of Christ like this can help us grow in our love and knowledge of the Lord. I trust this has helped to accomplish that very goal in your life as you have read this article. I hope you will come back again later to enjoy more articles on the types in the Bible.
Author's note: Also see Adam as a type of Christ, Manna as a Type of Christ, The Tree of Life as a Type of Christ, Noah's Ark a Type of Christ, Isaac as a Type of Christ, Moses as a Type of Christ, The Temple as a Type of Christ, and The Mysteries of the Faith. You can access the Main Directory for Biblical Typology, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master. Now I'd like to ask a very important question.
Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus. Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15). He preached that we must repent and believe.
Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.
