That I May Know Him

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. ~ 1 John 5:20 (KJV)

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Why the serpent?

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.
Numbers 2:9

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:14-15

I asked a simple question over dinner with some church family, and received a simple answer.

We know that the serpent in the Bible is the devil. Why then, in John 3:14-15, would God use the serpent to be lifted up as a type for Jesus Christ?

Answer:

What happened to the serpent in the garden of Eden? The serpent was CURSED. What did Christ do to redeem his people? He bore our sins on the cross, and became Sin for us.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

That is amazing. Far too powerful for man to even begin to comprehend what that must have been like. And yet the simple answer as to why God would die for His people is found in the very famous verse of John 3:16.

But I had always wondered about John 3:14-15. Why would God use the example of the serpent, which is the devil? Would anyone have further explanation and/or comments?

posted by Redeemed @ 8:35 PM  

6 Comments:

  • At Sunday, May 07, 2006 11:47:00 PM, Blogger Angie said…

    I never thought of it in those terms before. Good question. I always assumed the type of the serpent that Moses lifted up was a serpent because that's what was afflicting the people. Serpents afflicted the people, and looking to a serpent lifted up saved them. Sin afflicts people, and looking to Him who knew no sin but became sin on our behalf is what saves us from sin.

    I'll check back tomorrow when I am actually awake and make sure that my comment made sense...

     

  • At Monday, May 08, 2006 7:48:00 AM, Blogger Matthew Celestine said…

    I suppose the serpent made a good symbol of sin, because Satan was the author of sin. Hence, typically they look to Christ who became sin for us.

    God Bless

    Matthew

     

  • At Monday, May 08, 2006 8:55:00 AM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    Yeh, that seems to make the most sense.

    Thanks Angie and Matthew.

     

  • At Monday, May 08, 2006 7:35:00 PM, Blogger Consecrated said…

    And why not?

    God has a way of using the very instruments of the perpetrators and using them in judgement thereof.

    Examples abound in the Bible. I can think of Haman right away.

    The pit that Satan dug, our Father made it lay bare for the purpose of salvation.

     

  • At Monday, May 08, 2006 9:06:00 PM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    Excellent point!!!

    Hadn't thought of that, thanks.

     

  • At Tuesday, May 09, 2006 12:12:00 PM, Blogger Revelation 2:17 said…

    the answer your church gave you fits.

    The serpent is cursed in Genesis 3:14.
    Jesus makes his remark in John 3:14.
    Conincidence? I think not.

    That same Genesis verse however classifies Satan as "cattle".

    Guess why?

    Anyway, Ruckman says Jesus was made to resemble a serpent on the cross because of the effect of the curse

    Isa 52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

    make of it what you will

     

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