Prayer for the Sick: Brazen Serpent

When the Israelites came out of Egypt there were no sick among them (Psalm 105:37 [show] Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold, and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.
), but as they wandered in the desert they became dissatisfied and complained against God. For this ingratitude they received snake bites that killed many. Moses prayed for the afflicted people and God responded with a remedy – Numbers 21:4-9 [show] From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 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 we loathe this worthless food." Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 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. (ESV)
. To receive their healing, the Israelites were required to look up, to look upon a brazen serpent fashioned according to God’s instructions.

In the new dispensation, Jesus advised his disciples: And 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. John 3:14-15 [show] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (ESV)
and then the Promise – John 3:16 [show] "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)
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The Cross is a symbol of Salvation from all forms of earthly ills. So when prayers for the sick are offered, you might have the suffering one imagine placing that sickness at the foot of the Cross as you read these passages from the Bible:

John 10:10 [show] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (ESV)
| Isaiah 53:4-6 [show] Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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