ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Sapate Me 7, 2023

Serpent of Salvation   נחֹשׁ נחֹשׁת

KO E NGATA ‘O E FAKAMO‘UI 

NUMBERS 21:8-9

AND THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, "MAKE A FIERY SERPENT AND SET IT ON A POLE, AND EVERYONE WHO IS BITTEN, WHEN HE SEES IT, SHALL LIVE." SO MOSES MADE A BRONZE SERPENT AND SET IT ON A POLE. AND IF A SERPENT BIT ANYONE, HE WOULD LOOK AT THE BRONZE SERPENT AND LIVE.

NOMIPA 21:8-9

8 Pea folofola ‘a Sihova kia Mōsese, Ngaohi ha‘o ngata vela, ‘o ‘ai ki ha fuka; pea ka pehē, pea ‘ilonga ha taha kuo ‘ūsia te ne sio ki ai, te ne mo‘ui. 9 Pea ngaohi ‘e Mōsese ha ngata palasa, ‘o ne ‘ai ki he fuka: pea hili ia, pea ka kuo u‘u ha taha ‘e ha ngata, pea ne fakasio ki he ngata palasa, na‘a ne mo‘ui ai.

Hebrew delights in word plays, even in undelightful, unplayful stories such as this one. The "bronze serpent" is the n'chash n'choshet. The word for serpent (nachash) sounds like the word for bronze (n'choshet). Snakes occupy a pretty low place in the biblical story-from Eden's serpent all the way to the Pharisaic "brood of vipers." How odd, then, that this bronze image of healing and life looked like the real source of the venom and death.

Odd, yes, but also splendidly fitting in light of Christ. He ties himself to this bronze serpent, saying, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up" (John 3:14). He who is healing and life absorbed the source of venomous sin and death. With eyes of faith we behold our "Serpent of salvation" (Luther). "For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:21).

Lord Jesus, lifted up on the cross, lift us up in union with you, that we might receive healing in your wounds.