A Bronze Snake and God's Love - Steve Bang Lee | Mariners Church

Main message: God used the bizarre bronze serpent incident in Numbers 21 to reveal a spiritual principle: the thing that is cursed can become the cure — a pattern fulfilled in Jesus being lifted up on the cross, who absorbs sin and gives life to all who look/ believe. Salvation is received by simple trust, not by earning.

Key points:

• The Israelites grumbled in Numbers 21, God sent venomous snakes to expose their spiritual condition (not just bad circumstances).
• Moses made a bronze serpent and lifted it on a pole; those who looked were healed — a strange cure that points beyond itself.
• That event foreshadows Jesus being lifted up on the cross (John 3): what looks like foolishness is the power of God to save (1 Corinthians 1).
• Jesus, cursed in our place, absorbs our sin so his righteousness becomes our cure (2 Corinthians 5); grace covers both small and great sin.
• The required response is simple looking/believing — faith, not works — which gives assurance that God’s love is fully poured out (John 3:16).

Scriptures mentioned: Numbers 21, Genesis (serpent in the garden), 1 Corinthians 1, John 3:16 (John 3), 2 Corinthians 5