In Numbers 21:4-9, the nation of Israel rebels against God on their Exodus pilgrimage, so God sends poisonous snakes into their camp. Recognizing their sin, the people repent and ask Moses to ask God to remove the snakes. Instead of removing the snakes, God sends a remedy for snakebite. God tells Moses to make a bronze serpent, and place it on a pole so all who are bitten can “look and live.”
Jesus recalls this story in John 3:14 when he says, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” During Lent, this is a story that captures our imagination, reminds us of the persistence of sin, and focuses us on God as the only one who can save us. Here’s the link — http://traffic.libsyn.com/chuckwarnock/02_The_Problem_With_Snakes.mp3
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