In the Bodleian Library at Oxford, England, there is an ancient manuscript written by an old monk. In this volume is a picture which most strikingly illustrates the spiritual condition of multitudes of men and women in the present day.
The picture shows Moses in the wilderness pointing the Israelites to the brazen serpent. "And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died... And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." Num. 21:6, 86And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. (Numbers 21:6)
8And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. (Numbers 21:8).
The serpent's bite was deadly. No medicine could cure it, but God provided an exceedingly efficacious but simple remedy. Whosoever looked—"simply looked"—at the brazen serpent on the pole was completely and instantaneously cured.
The old picture referred to is divided into two parts: (1) Healed ones standing near Moses, gazing at the brazen serpent, and (2) those who have been bitten and will not look at the brass replica.
What a fore-shadowing of the cross of Christ! Even as His agony on the tree can be the divine and efficacious panacea for the cure of sinful man, so the brazen serpent on the pole depicted to all who would "look" a sure antidote for the venom of the viper.
The cross is the dividing line of the picture. In the foreground is a man attired as a pilgrim who, with sad and dejected countenance, kneels on the ground and fixes his earnest gaze on Moses. Moses, with rod in hand, points him to the uplifted serpent, but he persists in looking at the wrong object—a man. There is one, and only one, way of deliverance, and if he despises or neglects it he will assuredly die.
There is but one way of salvation from the guilt and doom of sin, unsaved reader, and it is clearly and fully revealed in God's holy Word: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14, 1514And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:14‑15).
This is God's way of salvation. Some declare that way is "too easy," and assert that they must do this, do that, or do some other thing before they can obtain it. Deliverance from coming wrath and judgment can only be obtained through faith in the finished work of Christ. The words of Him who cannot lie are: "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." Isa. 45:2222Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22).
The Philippian jailor questioned the Apostle, "What must I do to be saved?"
In the second division of the picture, we see behind him who is gazing upon Moses, a man lying on the ground. A serpent is seen at a very short distance from him, but the man appears to be ignorant of his peril.
How like he is to careless, worldly, pleasure-seeking ones who know not their danger and feel not their load of guilt! Many are in this class. They assert that they have always loved God, and don't remember a time when they did not believe in Christ. They refuse to think that they were ever "bad enough" to deserve eternal punishment, and maintain that they have always done their "best," were never "lost", and never needed to be "converted." They know not that they "MUST BE BORN AGAIN.' John 3:77Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7).
A third person in the picture appears to be busily engaged in attending the wounded. Not one look can he spare for the uplifted brazen serpent, nor does he point those whom he serves to that one efficacious remedy. Scripture says: "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Matt. 15:1414Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14).
My reader, salvation is "not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:99Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9). It is a free gift, and is offered you, even as you read these lines, by believing on Him who "gave Himself a ransom for all." 1 Tim. 2:66Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:6).
Behold the figure in the picture of a man striving desperately to kill the fiery serpents. With club in hand he is bent on the work of destruction. Many today are joining the battle, seeking to "elevate the masses." They enthusiastically demonstrate against the crying evils of society, while ignoring their own imminent peril.
An Israelite bitten by the serpent, even though he killed every one of them, could be cured in only one way—by a "look" at the brazen serpent. The people of Israel besought Moses to ask God to remove the serpents. If God had done no more than they asked for, what would have become of those who were already bitten? They would have perished. There was only one way to be cured, and that was looking at the serpent of brass upon the pole—not at the pole, not at Moses, not at his own wound. He must submit to God's way. The moment that his eye beheld the brass serpent glistening in the sunshine, he would be healed. And so it is with the sinner.
"There is life in a look at the crucified One:
There is life at this moment for thee.
Then look, sinner, look unto Him and be saved,
Unto Him who was nailed to the tree.
It is not thy tears of repentance nor prayers,
But the blood that atones for the soul.
On Him, then, believe, and a pardon receive,
For His blood now can make thee quite whole."