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Numbers 21:9
Verse
Context
Sermons
Voddie Baucham
Zac Poonen
T. Austin-Sparks
Ron Bailey
Michael Catt
Noel GibbardSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
And Moses made a serpent of brass - נחש נחשת nechash nechosheth. Hence we find that the word for brass or copper comes from the same root with nachash, which here signifies a serpent, probably on account of the color; as most serpents, especially those of the bright spotted kind, have a very glistening appearance, and those who have brown or yellow spots appear something like burnished brass: but the true meaning of the root cannot be easily ascertained. On the subject of the cure of the serpent-bitten Israelites, by looking at the brazen serpent, there is a good comment in the book of The Wisdom of Solomon, (Apoch). Num 16:4-12, in which are these remarkable words: "They were admonished, having a sign of salvation, (i. e., the brazen serpent), to put them in remembrance of the commandments of thy law. For he that turned himself towards it was not saved by the Thing that he saw, but by Thee, that art the Savior of all." To the circumstance of looking at the brazen serpent in order to be healed, our Lord refers, Joh 3:14, Joh 3:15 : "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." The brazen serpent was certainly no type of Jesus Christ; but from our Lord's words we may learn, 1. That as the serpent was lifted up on the pole or ensign, so Jesus Christ was lifted up on the cross. 2. That as the Israelites were to look at the brazen serpent, so sinners must look to Christ for salvation. 3. That as God provided no other remedy than this looking for the wounded Israelites, so he has provided no other way of salvation than faith in the blood of his Son. 4. That as he who looked at the brazen serpent was cured and did live, so he that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, but have eternal life. 5. That as neither the serpent, nor looking at it, but the invisible power of God healed the people, so neither the cross of Christ, nor his merely being crucified, but the pardon he has bought by his blood, communicated by the powerful energy of his Spirit, saves the souls of men. May not all these things be plainly seen in the circumstances of this transaction, without making the serpent a type of Jesus Christ, (the most exceptionable that could possibly be chosen), and running the parallel, as some have done, through ten or a dozen particulars?
John Gill Bible Commentary
And Moses made a serpent of brass,.... Which was the most proper metal to make it of, that it might resemble the fiery serpents, whether of a golden or scarlet colour: and Diodorus Siculus (d) speaks of some of the colour of brass, whose bite was immediately followed with death, and by which, if anyone was struck, he was seized with terrible pains, and a bloody sweat flowed all over him; and this was chosen also, because being burnished and bright, could be seen at a great distance, and with this metal Moses might be furnished from Punon, the next station to this, where they now were, Zalmonah, as appears from Num 33:42 a place famous for brass mines, and which Jerom (e) says, in his time, was a little village, from whence brass metal was dug, by such that were condemned to the mines: and put it upon a pole; as he was directed: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived: which was very marvellous, and the more so, if what physicians say is true, as Kimchi relates (f), that if a man bitten by a serpent looks upon a piece of brass he dies immediately: the lifting up of this serpent on a pole for such a purpose was a figure of the lifting up of Christ, either upon the cross, or in the ministry of the word, that whosoever looks unto him by faith may have healing; see Gill on Joh 3:14,where this type or figure is largely explained: the station the Israelites were now at, when this image was made, is called Zalmonah, which signifies an image, shadow, or resemblance, as the brazen serpent was; from Mount Hor, where they were last, to this place, according to Bunting (g), were twenty eight miles: this serpent did not remain in the place where it was set, but was taken with them, and continued until the days of Hezekiah, Kg2 18:4. (d) Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 560. (e) De locis Heb. fol. 91. G. (f) Sepher Sherash. rad. (g) Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. 83.
Numbers 21:9
The Bronze Serpent
8Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”9So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
What Is the Gospel?
By Voddie Baucham2.0K57:36GospelEXO 12:13NUM 21:9MAT 11:28ROM 9:302CO 5:21EPH 2:8In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding and proclaiming the gospel. He warns against the tendency to focus on other issues while assuming the gospel. The gospel is described as the power of God for salvation, and it is the means by which man is made right before God. The speaker outlines five characteristics of the gospel: it is news, it is cross-centered, it is Christ-centered, it is faith-dependent, and it is universal in its scope. The sermon references the book of Romans and Acts to support these points.
Three Characteristics of God's House
By Zac Poonen1.6K56:47ChurchGEN 3:15NUM 21:9PSA 119:105ISA 66:1MAL 4:2LUK 24:13In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a solid foundation in God's word. He encourages the congregation to develop a habit of listening to God's word daily, regardless of the amount of time available. The speaker also highlights the need for the fire of the Holy Spirit in our lives, as it is a sign of God's presence. He shares a story from Luke's Gospel about two disciples who were sad until they encountered Jesus and had their hearts set on fire. The speaker warns against the false sense of security offered by worldly teachings and urges listeners to seek the true word of God.
The Heavenly Calling - Part 8
By T. Austin-Sparks1.5K59:40Heavenly CallingNUM 21:9JHN 3:3In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the significance of our past and how it can discourage us. He uses the example of Paul, who never forgot the tragedy of his past life. The speaker also connects various biblical stories to illustrate the theme of moving from death to life. He references the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well, the incident of the serpent lifted up in Numbers 21, and the story of the nobleman and his dying son in John 4. The speaker highlights the power of Jesus' words and how they bring life and healing.
Abraham, My Friend: 03 Known Unto God
By Ron Bailey1.3K14:27AbrahamGEN 11:28NUM 21:9MAT 6:33LUK 2:51JHN 12:32ACT 17:30In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the concept of God's providence and how it relates to the lives of believers. He highlights the idea that while we may not fully understand God's plans in the present or future, looking back in retrospect, we can see His hand at work. The speaker uses the example of Jesus feeding the five thousand to illustrate how God already knows what He will do, even when we are unsure. The sermon also touches on the importance of doing the will of God, as it leads to eternal abiding. Overall, the message encourages listeners to trust in God's providence and to seek His will in their lives.
The Person That God Uses in Revival
By Michael Catt7101:19:58RevivalEXO 20:4NUM 21:9LAM 3:22MAT 18:20In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of adapting methods to effectively reach people with the message of God. He highlights how movies, television, and music have a significant influence on people's lives, often more than the church. The speaker shares a personal example of a movie they made that resulted in 36 people getting saved. They emphasize the need to be obedient to God's leading and not cling to traditional methods, but instead, find where the Holy Spirit is working and join Him in that work.
Sir, We Wish to See Jesus
By Noel Gibbard55553:17JesusNUM 21:9MAT 6:33MAT 21:9JHN 3:14JHN 9:25JHN 12:20In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the power and influence of the world and its desire to hide its sin. He highlights the significance of Jesus Christ coming into the world and being crucified on the cross, which serves as a judgment on the world's evil. The preacher contrasts the characteristics of the world, such as power and authority, with the selfless act of God giving His Son to die for others. The sermon also mentions the role of Satan as the ruler of the world in rebellion against God, and how the death of Christ on the cross serves as a judgment and casting out of the Prince of this world.
Gospel of John (Study 8 of 24, Chap 3 Cont)
By G.W. North10956:48Christian LifeNUM 21:9MAT 4:12MAT 5:1MAT 6:33JHN 1:29JHN 3:14JHN 3:16In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being born again and having a personal encounter with God. He highlights that the purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to reveal God and bring salvation to the world. The speaker encourages the audience to read the book of John to understand the true meaning of the Bible and to have a deeper relationship with God. He also mentions the significance of new birth preceding the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, indicating that the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are intended for believers.
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
And Moses made a serpent of brass - נחש נחשת nechash nechosheth. Hence we find that the word for brass or copper comes from the same root with nachash, which here signifies a serpent, probably on account of the color; as most serpents, especially those of the bright spotted kind, have a very glistening appearance, and those who have brown or yellow spots appear something like burnished brass: but the true meaning of the root cannot be easily ascertained. On the subject of the cure of the serpent-bitten Israelites, by looking at the brazen serpent, there is a good comment in the book of The Wisdom of Solomon, (Apoch). Num 16:4-12, in which are these remarkable words: "They were admonished, having a sign of salvation, (i. e., the brazen serpent), to put them in remembrance of the commandments of thy law. For he that turned himself towards it was not saved by the Thing that he saw, but by Thee, that art the Savior of all." To the circumstance of looking at the brazen serpent in order to be healed, our Lord refers, Joh 3:14, Joh 3:15 : "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." The brazen serpent was certainly no type of Jesus Christ; but from our Lord's words we may learn, 1. That as the serpent was lifted up on the pole or ensign, so Jesus Christ was lifted up on the cross. 2. That as the Israelites were to look at the brazen serpent, so sinners must look to Christ for salvation. 3. That as God provided no other remedy than this looking for the wounded Israelites, so he has provided no other way of salvation than faith in the blood of his Son. 4. That as he who looked at the brazen serpent was cured and did live, so he that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, but have eternal life. 5. That as neither the serpent, nor looking at it, but the invisible power of God healed the people, so neither the cross of Christ, nor his merely being crucified, but the pardon he has bought by his blood, communicated by the powerful energy of his Spirit, saves the souls of men. May not all these things be plainly seen in the circumstances of this transaction, without making the serpent a type of Jesus Christ, (the most exceptionable that could possibly be chosen), and running the parallel, as some have done, through ten or a dozen particulars?
John Gill Bible Commentary
And Moses made a serpent of brass,.... Which was the most proper metal to make it of, that it might resemble the fiery serpents, whether of a golden or scarlet colour: and Diodorus Siculus (d) speaks of some of the colour of brass, whose bite was immediately followed with death, and by which, if anyone was struck, he was seized with terrible pains, and a bloody sweat flowed all over him; and this was chosen also, because being burnished and bright, could be seen at a great distance, and with this metal Moses might be furnished from Punon, the next station to this, where they now were, Zalmonah, as appears from Num 33:42 a place famous for brass mines, and which Jerom (e) says, in his time, was a little village, from whence brass metal was dug, by such that were condemned to the mines: and put it upon a pole; as he was directed: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived: which was very marvellous, and the more so, if what physicians say is true, as Kimchi relates (f), that if a man bitten by a serpent looks upon a piece of brass he dies immediately: the lifting up of this serpent on a pole for such a purpose was a figure of the lifting up of Christ, either upon the cross, or in the ministry of the word, that whosoever looks unto him by faith may have healing; see Gill on Joh 3:14,where this type or figure is largely explained: the station the Israelites were now at, when this image was made, is called Zalmonah, which signifies an image, shadow, or resemblance, as the brazen serpent was; from Mount Hor, where they were last, to this place, according to Bunting (g), were twenty eight miles: this serpent did not remain in the place where it was set, but was taken with them, and continued until the days of Hezekiah, Kg2 18:4. (d) Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 560. (e) De locis Heb. fol. 91. G. (f) Sepher Sherash. rad. (g) Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. 83.