The Bronze Serpent - Week 3
Christ in Old Testament | The Bronze Serpent
Lesson 3 Numbers 21 & John 3
Connecting to one another
Moses’ command to the Israelites trapped between Pharaoh’s raging chariots and the Red Sea -- “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
What exists in you that resists taking such advice? Be careful to take this down to the root of the tree. Yes, that tree.
Understanding the Truth with one another
Verse by Verse ~ Topic by Topic ~ Argument by Argument
CONTEXT – Israel entered Egypt as a family of 70, but emerged as a nation of over 2 million when God delivered them from slavery and threw their captors into the sea. But there’s this little thing to notice about the Israelites before and after the deliverance through the Red Sea.
Just prior, they were complaining: “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?... It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than die in the wilderness.”
Just after, they sing, “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you majestic in holiness...?
At Mt. Sinai they make a covenant to obey the LORD who says He will bless them for obedience and judge them for disobedience. Then they follow Him into the wilderness where He leads them as a cloud by day and fire by night. God has drawn so near to them, but He is just as they praised Him to be on the far side of the Sea. As such, He seeks to preserve His growing family from death, but since He is truly holy and covenant keeping and like no other god, His salvation is beyond what fleshly hearts can think or imagine.
1. Read Numbers 21:1-3. We jumped into the last third of Numbers, so, you know, this second generation of wilderness wandering Israelites have learned a few things about trusting God. How do you see that here?
2. Read Numbers 21:4-5. In just these five verses, we have caught a glimpse of the recurring pattern for faith-walking Israelites in Numbers – and for ourselves. We move forward a few steps and then we seem to move backward.
How were the Israelites, who just relied on God’s provision, now exalting themselves above God?
3. Read Numbers 21:6-9. Now let’s look at God’s pattern for working our complete salvation.
a. How does God tailor His judgment to fit the Israelites’ offense?
b. How do the Israelites, including Moses, respond to His judgment? What is their suggested solution?
c. God is a good teacher. He commands the Israelites to construct a prophetic picture and enact a parable to teach them what their complete salvation really entails. He expected them to meditate upon this and figure it out. Pretend you are Israelites who looked upon the snake and lived. What did you figure out?
Read John 3:1-15.
4. In the Jewish theology of this time, all Jews, regardless of their sins, were saved because they were children of Abraham. Jews used the term “born again” themselves and would have seen Nicodemus as being born again when he had his bar mitvah, married, was ordained, and became head of a seminary.
How was the first-century Jewish perspective of salvation similar to the wilderness-wandering Israelites in Numbers 21? How are these first-century Jews still “complaining” against God?
5. What is the one point of comparison Jesus makes between the Son of Man and the serpent in the wilderness? How does this point serve to best teach Nicodemus, who was himself a teacher of teachers?
Living the Truth as we are sent out
6. The snake pictured God’s curse, which was death. Christ defeated death when He became the curse on the tree and died (Gal 3:13; Deut 21:22-23). Nicodemus gave costly myrrh and aloes to dress Jesus’ body and helped to bury Him (John 19:39). According to rabbinic writings, Nicodemus became a believer and as result, a pauper.
a. The curse of death can take many forms besides literal death. Discuss with your group, how Jesus was the best teacher because He refused to remove any “snake” for Nicodemus, but He never removed Himself.
b. How has Jesus done the same for you? How has He helped you to look UP at Him and live?
7. When you study Christology, you will hear things like Jesus is the Second Adam, the better Moses, the greater Elisha, etc. But did you know that Jesus is also the Ultimate Fiery Serpent because He will execute judgment on all human snakes who attempt to thwart Him (Isaiah 14:29)? How does this help you today?
8. Reflect on your attitude toward Christ lately. Is it one of “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you majestic in holiness...?
Close in prayer taking turning talking to Him about that and in praising His name.
Homework – Read Exodus 12 for next week’s lesson.
God’s joy & strength to you,
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org