I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      In John 3:14-15, Jesus compared Himself to the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses.

                                                             1.      Jesus said that just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness, so also He would be lifted up so that believers in Him may have eternal life.

                                                             2.      By “lifted up,” Jesus was referring to His eventual crucifixion by which He became the sacrifice for our sins (see also John 8:28; 12:30-33).

B.      To further appreciate the illustration used by our Lord, let us consider the story of Israel and the bronze serpent and the lessons we can learn by the Lord’s comparison.

II.      ISRAEL AND THE BRONZE SERPENT

A.      Moses made the bronze serpent at the point in Israel’s history when the nation was wandering in the wilderness south of Canaan.

                                                             1.      Because Israel refused to trust God in taking the land of Canaan following their exodus from Egypt, God required them to wander in the wilderness for forty years – one year for every day spent by the spies who inspected Canaan for them (Num. 14:28-35).

                                                             2.      These forty years allowed for the disbelieving generation of Israelites to die before they entered the promised land (Num. 32:8-13).

B.      As their wilderness wanderings were coming to an end, Israel complained against God, so He sent fiery serpents among the people to punish them.

                                                             1.      In the final year of the wilderness wanderings, the Edomites prevented Israel from passing through their land on their way to Canaan (Num. 20:14-21).   Because of this difficulty, Israel complained against God (Num. 21:4-5).

                                                             2.      Because of their impatient, ungrateful complaining, many of the Israelites never saw the promised land, for they died by the bites of the fiery serpents (Num. 21:6).

C.      When the people confessed their sins to Moses, God chose to save them by means of a bronze serpent.

                                                             1.      At the request of Israel, Moses interceded with God for them as he had done several times before (Num. 21:7).

                                                             2.      God responded to Moses by commanding him to make a bronze serpent to be raised up on a standard.  If any Israelite was bitten by a serpent, then he could look on the bronze serpent and live (Num. 21:8-9).

III.   COMPARISONS

A.      In the story of Israel and the bronze serpent, we all can identify with the nation of Israel, for we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).  Let us compare Israel’s condition with our own.

                                                             1.      Just as Israel was dissatisfied with God, so also men express dissatisfaction with God today.

a.       Israel complained because of the difficulty of the way God had led them and their dissatisfaction with His provisions.  They often complained that it would have been better for them to have remained in Egypt (Num. 14:1-4).

b.       People today complain because the way of Christ is difficult.  Some become dissatisfied with God’s ways and turn to the ways of men (2Tim. 4:1-4), and some choose the sinful life over salvation through faith in Christ (2Pet. 2:20-22).

                                                             2.      Just as the Israelites were dying as a result of their sin, so also souls are dying in their sins today.

a.       Many Israelites perished without seeing the promised land because they sinned.

b.       Many are dying today without any hope of eternal life because they are without Christ and still in their sins (Rom. 3:23; 6:23).

                                                             3.      Just as Israel was helpless to save themselves, so also men are still helpless to save themselves.

a.       Israel asked Moses to appeal to God for help because they could not save themselves from the fiery serpents.  They had to acknowledge their sin against God.

b.       We likewise are helpless to save ourselves from the punishment of sin (Rom. 5:6).  Like Israel, godly sorrow must prompt us to seek help from God (2Cor. 7:10; Jas. 4:8-9).

B.      Jesus compared Himself to the bronze serpent because our salvation is through Him just as Israel’s salvation was through the bronze serpent.  Let us consider how Israel’s salvation through the serpent compares to our salvation through Christ.

                                                             1.      Just as God’s grace interceded for Israel, so also His grace intercedes for us.

a.       Israel deserved the punishment that they received, but God had mercy on them through His grace and provided a way of salvation.

b.       Likewise, we have earned the wages of sin, but the free gift of God’s grace is salvation in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8).

                                                             2.      Just as Israel’s salvation depended on their faith in God, so also our salvation depends on our faith.

a.       An Israelite who was bitten by a serpent would look on the bronze serpent because he believed and trusted in God.  His faith in God played a part in his salvation.

b.       Similarly, a sinner believes and trusts in God through the gospel in order to receive forgiveness of his sins.  His faith in God also plays a part in his salvation.

                                                             3.      Just as Israel was saved because they obeyed the words of Moses, so also we are saved because we obey the words of the gospel.

a.       If an Israelite believed that God would save him from the bite of a serpent but failed to look on the bronze serpent, then he would die.  He had to both believe and obey in order to be saved.

b.       For us, we must both believe and obey the Lord Jesus in order to be saved.  Simple mental acknowledgement of Jesus is not enough to be saved (Heb. 5:9; Jas. 2:17-26).

                                                             4.      Just as there was no choice of remedies for Israel, so also there is no choice of ways of salvation for us.

a.       For Israel, to look on the bronze serpent that Moses made was only one way to be saved if they were bitten by the serpents.  There was no other alternative.

b.       For us, the gospel of Christ is the only way to be saved from our sins (Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16).  There is no alternative to Christ’s sacrifice, His word, His church, and His way.

                                                             5.      Just as the word about the brazen serpent had to be spread, so also the word of the gospel must be spread.

a.       The bronze serpent made by Moses would not have been effective if the people had not been told to look on it for their salvation.

b.       Likewise, the gospel of Christ cannot be effective for those who have not heard it.  The process that God has chosen for our salvation consists of men preaching so that others will hear, believe, and obey (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Rom. 10:13-17).

                                                             6.      Just as God did not force the Israelites to look on the bronze serpent, neither does He force anyone to obey the gospel of Christ.

a.       Any Israelite who was bitten by a serpent and did not look on the bronze serpent died by his own choice.  God was not at fault for the failure of men.

b.       Similarly, if any sinner refuses to obey the gospel, then he will die in his sins by his own choice.  God is not to blame for a world of stubborn sinners who will not believe Him.

                                                             7.      Just as Israel’s looking at the bronze serpent did not nullify God’s grace, neither does obedience to the gospel nullify His grace.

a.       When an Israelite was saved by looking on the bronze serpent, it was not because he had done some marvelous act to save himself.  The power to save was by the grace of God, but God would not save the Israelites unless they obeyed Him.

b.       Likewise, when we have faith in Christ and obey His gospel in order to be saved from sins, we have not done anything that earns our salvation.  We are saved by God’s grace, but God offers salvation on the conditions of faith and obedience.

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      When God saved the sinful Israelites from the bites of the fiery serpents, He was merciful to a disobedient and obstinate people.  That same mercy has been extended to us for salvation from our sins through the sacrifice of God’s Son, Christ Jesus.

B.      Let us not forget that the Son of God was lifted up like the bronze serpent because God so loved the world.

                                                             1.      Moses lifted up the bronze serpent on a standard, but God lifted up Christ on a cross so that we could be saved.

                                                             2.      After Jesus compared Himself to the bronze serpent in John 3:14-15, He said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).