a snake & a savior

We just hosted an amazing conference at our church: the C3 conference. Now I am spending the week at another conference of sorts - a 3DM learning community. With all this going on, I won't be able to post much this week. But in the meantime, here's one brief thought on Numbers.

Numbers is - surprise! - a challenging book as well. God and the people of Israel are not getting along very well. The story illustrates again and again that the relationship between God and humanity has been profoundly disrupted, and that restoring that relationship is hampered by the people's complaining and lack of trust. Numbers 21 describes an outbreak of snakes that come upon the people because of their disobedience.

The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

The snake, which was cursed for its craftiness in Genesis 3, in the story of Moses becomes the emblem of health and healing. Jesus referenced this story when describing himself and his purpose to Nicodemus in John 3:

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him."

There is an interesting reversal here; in his crucifixion the Son of God becomes like a snake, which is THE creature that began the unraveling of God's good plans.  And as he says in John 12:32:

"When I am lifted up, I will draw all people to myself."