In the previous post we discussed the Kingdom system of feeding on Jesus the Kingdom–word or true Manna. This is in order to move from slavery to ruler-ship in our practical life as a believer.
In this post, we will directly see our Lord Jesus as Moses’ Bronze serpent. You know as a result of having to go round Edom and calling the Kingdom diet that God gave them worthless bread, God sent wild snakes to bite many of them.
The sin and its punishment
First of all, we need to re-establish that Israel’s sin was murmuring about the food God gave them – Num. 21:5,
“And the people spoke against God and against Moses: why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread”.
And the punishment for their sin was that serpents came to bite them to death – Num. 21:6, “So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.”
Jesus overshadows existing challenges
So Israel humbly confessed that they had sinned against God and Moses. Therefore they asked Moses to pray that God would take away the serpents (or punishment) from them.
But, God did not take away the wild snakes. In other words the punishment or serpents were still around in the camp of Israel.
The Kingdom arrangement of neutralizing punishments
Rather, God gave them a solution that was capable of neutralizing the presence and effect of the punishment or snakes.
In other words, God asked for another Serpent to be introduced into the camp to overcome the existing serpents indirectly.
That is what happens even now. Sometimes, God will not take away a punishment or challenge. But He will give you power to overcome it whether the challenge or punishment for sin exists or not. That is what He does in His Kingdom system or scheme of things.
Passively overcome problems
My friend, in God’s Kingdom arrangement on earth now, He does not take away the devil but gives power over him through our application of Jesus Christ the Conqueror or Over-comer. This way, He prepares a table before you in the presence of your enemies – Ps. 23.
You know, some people lose their appetite for blessings in the face of general problems in society. But this should not be so.
Even today, the devil (the first serpent) is still with us. But, we can overcome him when we learn to just look at or focus on Jesus Christ and His obedient performance for us on the Cross. You know, the devil will want you to focus on your own obedience which is imperfect at any point in time.
He knows that when you focus on Jesus’ exquisite performance or obedience, He will be totally overcome – 2 Cor. 10:5; Rom. 5:19.
So, He will keep you focused on your problems and difficulties, just so that you will not focus on what Jesus has already perfectly done for you, which you inherit.
Taste now consume later
Beloved, every believer will have a person or problem that will not be taken away from him; but for which he will have to look to Jesus on the Cross to rule over, and not have it disorganize him.
This is important to under-stand, because too many times, God’s people want to live in the full Kingdom-era which is yet to come (when Jesus Christ physically comes again).
These good fellows are uncomfortable with the presence of people and elements that they do not like (and with which they would have to cope or manage).
But, these fellows have to be patient in their current tribulations till God’s full-fledged Kingdom comes – Rom. 12:12.
So beloved, as you await the consummation of the Kingdom system, you can taste the powers of this Kingdom-future now, by ruling over the effects or results of all problematic-people and elements.
The Solution looks like the problem
The new Solution-snake that Moses introduced to the camp on God’s instructions was like all the other sinister-snakes. But, it was not the same in substance.
This speaks to the fact that our dearest Jesus came in the form of a man, but was actually God in spirit.
This is the mystery of godliness that we have to embrace as believers – 1Tim. 3:16.
So, God’s Solution to the devils bite is Jesus Christ on the Cross. You know, whatever Satan messes up, God uses the same thing to mesmerize him. So when he used the serpent to mess up mankind in the first Kingdom era of Eden, God raised up a Serpent to swallow up all his evil on earth. Hallelujah!!
Also the Solution-snake was ‘dead’ on the pole but was alive in terms of its power over the sinister-snakes who were alive, but were actually dead in the face of the dead looking Solution-snake. This speaks to the fact that the Cross may look like a dead message because it took place over 2000 years ago, in the face of your current living challenges.
But this death of Jesus on the Cross has power over what seems living in your present circumstances. Praise God!
Judged for us
The Serpent that Moses introduced was to be made of bronze and was to be placed on a high pole for all in the camp to be able to see, even in their snake-bite sufferings.
This is the picture of our dearest Jesus on the Cross. On the Cross, Jesus was judged with our judgment. That is why the Serpent of Moses was made of bronze.
Bronze generally stands for judgment in the Bible, just as gold stands for kingship or leadership and silver for redemption.
In other words, our Lord Jesus took away both our sins and the punishment for our sins – Is. 53:6b, 8b. Wow!
So, it is improper for you to suffer the results of your sins if you look to the fact that Jesus bore them on the Cross – Jn. 12:31-32.
“Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
This judgment of Jesus for us on the Cross and its blessings were prophesied about in the Old Testament – Zeph. 3:14-15,
“Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away your judgements, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord is in your midst; you shall see disaster no more.”
Beloved, Jesus Christ is our Bronze serpent because He took away our judgment on the Cross, became sin for us, bore the punishments for our sins and cast out the devil our enemy.
So now, we will see evil no more because as our King, He bore it all on the Cross. Hallelujah!
