The Brazen Serpent

J M Rowland

30/3/1941

To “The Holt” Juniors

We’ve all read with tremendous interest of the victories of General Warell in Libya, and we’ve all heard what terrible desert country his men have had to fight in.

Well, today we are going to hear a story about people who lived and fought and marched in a desert for 40 years – the Children of Israel.

We read in Numbers 11 verse 4 – 9 that they were becoming dissatisfied and were grumbling at God. You say, that is quite understandable under the circumstances, but God had promised the Israelites that he would see them through and to doubt God’s word is a very grave sin – it amounts to calling God a liar. And so, God had to punish the Children of Israel for their sins, for although God is a loving God, he cannot bear the sight of sin.

He sent “fiery serpents” into the Israelites camp and it says in verse 6 “much people of Israel died.” What a terrible predicament to be in – to be encamped in a wilderness with no water, and in a place infested by scorpions. The Israelites soon realised that it was their sin alone that had brought them into this terrible position and so they repented and entreated Moses to intercede with God for them.

When Moses did this, God provided a means for saving any Israelites who were bitten: He told Moses to make a big serpent of brass and place it on a pole and put the pole in the middle of the camp. Then, if any Israelite got bitten he could look at the Brazen Serpent and he would not die.

Shall we imagine for a minute some Israelite man, walking along in the camp, when suddenly his bare foot comes down on something slimy and squirming. Before he realises what it is there is a searing pain in his leg and he has been bitten by a scorpion. He remembers then, his friend who was similarly bitten – he died within a few hours. He is just about to resign himself to a similar fate when he remembers what Moses had said that morning ….”If ye look upon the Brazen Serpent ye shall live.” Instantly he grasps the chance. He swings round and there, in the midst of the camp he beholds the Brazen Serpent. He fastens his eyes upon it, and immediately the numbing pain in his leg begins to go, he feels better, he is saved.     

But do you know, fellows, there is another story, which you all know, which is very similar to that.

One person was lifted up, this time on a cross, that dying people might be saved. That person was the Lord Jesus Christ 1,900 years ago he was nailed to a cross to save you and me.

“But” you say, “I’m not dying.” Well, I’m afraid you are, old chaps, if you’ve not come to Jesus, because in God’s word it says …”all have sinned and all come short of the glory of God,” and again “the wages of sin is death”.

You know, a lot of people today say, when you tell them that, “Oh yes, I’ll come to Jesus some time, there’s no hurry.” Well, I can hardly imagine that bitten Israelite saying that. Others say “Oh, I don’t believe it will work, this coming to Jesus business.” Well, I can’t imagine that bitten Israelite saying that either. I can’t imagine him rubbing some patent ointment in the bite or anything like that; he would simply look.

That is all the sinful man or woman must do to be saved from his sins – look to Jesus. Listen to what St Paul says when he was writing to the Thessalonians: (1 Thessalonians verse 9 – 10)”God hath appointed us to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that we should live with Him.”  

That We Might Be a Testimony

Our lives can also be an example to others, on a campaign in Derby we met a lady who was about 80 years old.

She came from a Baptist church, but she said she did not believe in spiritual gifts.

David spoke to her and told her “You have had a dream, but you don’t know what the dream means, but if you tell me, I will interpret it for you.”

She had dreamt that that her mum and dad were there and the light shone on them and then her sister came and the light shone on all three of them.

Dave asked if her parents were Christians and she said that her parents were pastors in the church, but she didn’t understand because her sister was not a Christian and went away from the Lord, because she felt her childhood was taken away from her because her parents were at church all the time.

Dave asked her if her sister ever proclaimed faith in the Lord.

On her death bed her sister told her that she believed because of her.

Instead of living in her hurts, she saw her sister’s sacrifice and believed in God.  

Scripture says, “You and your family will be saved.”