Christ- The Serpent

## Serpents: Healing, Revealing, and Concealing

Last devotion we spoke of Old Testament questions and New Testament answers. We mentioned the Nekhushtan of Moses (Numbers 21). Due to its peculiarity, I wanted to spend a separate devotional on it with you. Numbers 21:5-8 “And the people spoke against God and Moses… Then the Lord sent fiery serpents, and they bit the people… the people came to Moses, ‘... Pray to the Lord...from us.’... And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’” The Hebrew word for "serpent" is ‫( נחש‬na-khash). Its root means "to practice divination"[think of a “seer”]. The Greek is όφις (O-phis). The root is linked to seeing and appearance. The serpent in the Garden "made the tree appear" desirable to Eve. More than just slight of hand, the serpent is linked from the first pages of the Bible to magic and deception. The material Moses used to make this is ‫( נחשת‬nay-khoshet), bronze/brass, the root of which is again ‫נחש‬. In Exodus, God gives Moses a sign of his staff becoming a nakhash, but pharaoh‘s sorcerers answered with their "secret arts". The root word for "secret arts" means "to cover in secrecy". So we can see God reveals things, and Satan conceals and hides things. Pagan beliefs link serpents and healing because of a Greek Nephilim named Asclepius. Legend says a snake licked his ear clean as a toddler in the crib and told him the secret knowledge of healing. So a snake was seen as being wise. The medical field’s single snake on a stick is called “Asclepius’ rod”. [the “caduceus” is linked to Mercury, the Roman god]

## Poles and Banners

The Numbers 21 word for "pole" is ‫( נס‬nayc) linked to "The Lord is my Banner"/"Yehovah Nissi"(Ex17:15). The root verb of nayc means "to lift up". Lift up the serpent as a banner to rally the people together to save them from their poisonous bites.

## Scripture’s Explanation of Scripture

The Jewish Study Bible 1 says, “Rabbinic interpreters were disturbed by the magical nature of this cure.” How did they explain it?! They said the people were looking past it to the heavens. So they just explained it away. Scripture never actually explains it directly until Jesus opens it Himself. John 3:14-15 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have Eternal Life." The poison is Sin. The Banner is the Cross (Isaiah 11:10, 12; Romans 15:12). Christ is the Bronze Serpent. What is required for Eternal Life? Look to Him. Believe in Him.

## Self-Check

I’ve noticed in my studies following words/symbols/icons through the Bible, that they all end up in the hand of Christ once all is said and done. We see the same for the “serpent”. It’s Satan in the beginning. It’s related to magic or Greek medical practice for a time on earth. Ultimately the serpent symbol is used to reveal Christ. For all eternity we may think of Moses' serpent on the pole as it relates to our Savior...but the great red dragon, the ancient serpent who hated and opposed mankind so vehemently, will be forgotten. All things belong to Him. He heals all things. He redeems all things; me, you, things, concepts, meanings. All end up in His hands in Eternity.

Berlin, Adele, and Marc Zvi Brettler(editors), Michael Fishbane(consulting editor), The Jewish Study Bible: Torah, Nevi'im, Kethuvim. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10016: Oxford UP, 2004. Print, Page 326 (marginal note on verse 9:)

## See For Myself