THERE is, in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, a valuable old manuscript which contains on one of its pages an illustration of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness (Num. 21).
Drawn by some cloistered monk at the commencement of the fifteenth century, that simple outline has outlived its originator, and now to the careful observer conveys the lessons which it is evident had been learned by the medieval recluse.
Let me seek to describe it.
In the center of the drawing is the pole upon which the brazen serpent hangs. Upon the left-hand side, pointing with his rod to the serpent, Moses is seen; his lips are parted, as though saying to those around, "Look! look! and live!”
Behind the leader of Israel is a man standing with his arms crossed, and his eyes fixed upon the suspended figure. Near to him are others, who, like himself, have evidently obtained the life and healing promised to those who looked. All seem restful and happy. There are no fiery serpents to disturb the peace which they enjoy.
Upon the other side are the figures-of five men, in differing states and varied postures.
All have been bitten, but none of them have obeyed the command to look at the brazen serpent lifted up above the desert sand.
One is lying stretched out, as though perfectly at ease, perhaps wrapped in sleep, a sleep of death; whilst close to his ear, as though whispering into it, is one of the venomous serpents.
How many are in a similar condition today! As it was in the days of that monastic, so it is now. All around we may see those who, in fancied security, are taking their ease.
Although dying in their sins, they are unawakened, unalarmed, hearing not the Saviour's call, " Look unto Me, and be ye saved " (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)). His solemn words of warning, telling of judgment to come, are alike unheeded; the lullaby of the soul-deceiver and soul-destroyer is so soothing, for he whispers, “Peace, peace; when there is no peace " (Jer. 6:1414They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. (Jeremiah 6:14)).
Are you in such a state, my reader? Are you still careless and unconcerned; content to live without Christ; content to neglect the "so great salvation” provided at so great a cost by the Lord of glory? (Heb. What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God!" (Jonah 1:66So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. (Jonah 1:6)). A little longer, and you may have passed the unknown boundary line of "the accepted time," “the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)), and then your poverty, your eternal poverty, will come as one that travelleth, and your want; your eternal want, s an armed man. “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?" (Prov. 6:9-119How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. (Proverbs 6:9‑11)).
In the background of the picture is another man, but not asleep. No, indeed, he is wide awake, and, with a heavy cudgel firmly clasped in both his hands, is earnestly endeavoring to slay the serpents, which, however, still raise their poisonous heads, and dart at their would-be destroyer. His gaze is so fixed upon their wily movements that he cannot turn to look upon the life-giving serpent, but continues his useless labors; soon, doubtless, to wax feebler and feebler, until, the poison overcoming him, he sinks lifeless to the ground: And are there not many such (aroused to see their danger, knowing their sinful state) who seek, in their own fancied strength, to overcome sin, struggling day by day to obtain the victory; often defeated, and yet, with enfeebled efforts, laboring on? They think not of the work of Christ, for their own doings occupy their whole attention. As yet they have not received the truth, so oft declared upon the sacred page, that salvation is "to him that worketh not, but believeth,” that it is " not of works, lest any man should boast"; for" not by works of righteousness mercy "God saves; that" when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly " (Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5); Eph. 2:99Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9); Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5); Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)).
Not your doings, but His; not your works, but His, avails for forgiveness and salvation, and His one work once done, and done once for all, avails for "every one that believeth” (Rom. 10:44For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4)).
A little to the left of the man last described are seen two figures with most rueful faces, both bitten, both dying, but neither obeying his leader's call to "look." The one sitting upon the sand is plainly nearing his end, growing weaker and weaker every moment.
The other, bending over him, is seeking to soothe and comfort his dying friend; but, alas! he too is bitten, and must soon succumb to the effects of the serpent's venom.
Surely this also may speak to us of many who are seeking to do temporal good to those around them, but forgetful of their own deep need, forgetful that they, as well as those whom they seek to serve, are sin-bitten, and thus in need of the "so great salvation.”
In the foreground is another who, knowing his need, is kneeling near the pole at the feet of Moses. Plainly he is praying or confessing to the man of God, for his eyes, instead of being directed to the object upon the pole, are fixed upon the servant of the Lord. Near though he is to the means of healing, he is as yet not a whit the better, but, like the rest, is dying, slowly dying, when a look at the right object would bring virtue and healing to the heated frame.
Alas! how many have heard of our Lord Jesus Christ, of His finished work and glorious resurrection and ascension, and yet are looking for healing to professed servants of the Lord, are seeking forgiveness through the affected power of the priest, and salvation through the ordinances which he administers.
But all this is only to fail. The unerring Word of God declares that there is salvation in one name alone, the name of Jesus, whose precious blood flowed forth at Calvary (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)). As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Lord Jesus, the Son of man, has been lifted up.
Then the blessed promise made to those bitten Israelites was, " It shall come to pass, that EVERY ONE that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live "; and the faithful record is, " It came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten ANY MAN, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived " (Num. 21:8,98And 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. 9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Numbers 21:8‑9)).
Now the message runs, “That WHOSOEVER believeth in Him” who has been lifted up upon the cross, and who is now on the throne, “should not perish, but have everlasting life," and the blessed fact is told," He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)).
Death is approaching, and judgment is nigh.
Cease your work, O worker! Your vain efforts cannot avail. Turn, turn ye, from all of self, from all of man! Look, look to Christ, and live!
"It is not thy tears of repentance, nor prayers,
But the blood that atones for the soul;
On Him, then, believe, and the pardon receive
Of thy sins; not of part, but the whole.
“Oh, doubt not thy welcome, since God hath declared
There remaineth no more to be done.
Christ once in the end of the world hath appeared,
And completed the work He begun.
“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;
And know thyself living and free:”