21:4 他們從何珥山起行,往紅海那條路走,要繞過以東地。百姓因這路難行,心中甚是煩躁,
21:5 就怨讟上帝和摩西說:「你們為甚麼把我們從埃及領出來、使我們死在曠野呢?這裡沒有糧,沒有水,我們的心厭惡這淡薄的食物。」
21:6 於是耶和華使火蛇進入百姓中間,蛇就咬他們。以色列人中死了許多。
21:7 百姓到摩西那裡,說:「我們怨讟耶和華和你,有罪了。求你禱告耶和華,叫這些蛇離開我們。」於是摩西為百姓禱告。
21:8 耶和華對摩西說:「你製造一條火蛇,掛在杆子上;凡被咬的,一望這蛇,就必得活。」
21:9 摩西便製造一條銅蛇,掛在杆子上;凡被蛇咬的,一望這銅蛇就活了。
21:5 就怨讟上帝和摩西說:「你們為甚麼把我們從埃及領出來、使我們死在曠野呢?這裡沒有糧,沒有水,我們的心厭惡這淡薄的食物。」
21:6 於是耶和華使火蛇進入百姓中間,蛇就咬他們。以色列人中死了許多。
21:7 百姓到摩西那裡,說:「我們怨讟耶和華和你,有罪了。求你禱告耶和華,叫這些蛇離開我們。」於是摩西為百姓禱告。
21:8 耶和華對摩西說:「你製造一條火蛇,掛在杆子上;凡被咬的,一望這蛇,就必得活。」
21:9 摩西便製造一條銅蛇,掛在杆子上;凡被蛇咬的,一望這銅蛇就活了。
4 They
traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[c] to go
around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they
spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out
of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we
detest this miserable food!”
6 Then
the Lord sent venomous snakes
among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The
people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.”
So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and
put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So
Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten
by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
***********
火蛇和銅蛇的外型相同,但是內在不同,意義也不同。火蛇是傷害人的,銅蛇是醫治人的。也因為這樣,主耶穌說到上帝拯救的時候,將自己轉化成銅蛇,正如約翰福音3章14-15節:「摩西在曠野怎樣舉蛇,人子也必照樣被舉起來,叫一切信他的都得永生(或譯:叫一切信的人在他裡面得永生)。」
上帝利用銅蛇來醫治被火蛇咬傷的人的作為是甚麼?就是對摩西說:「你製造一條火蛇,掛在杆子上;凡被咬的,一望這蛇,就必得活。」
本來被火蛇咬傷的人,本是要死亡的!但是,他們相信上帝的話,來望一下銅蛇,就得醫治!這也告訴我們,要蒙上帝拯救,也要透過上帝的話,來信靠耶穌基督,不是靠自己的善行,就可以得永生了!
你是不是渴望被上帝拯救呢?只要信靠耶穌基督,就可以脫離罪和死的律,得著生命和聖靈,這就是上帝為我們預備的永生了!