The LORD Jesus referred to this image as a token of the Divine cure for sin, and to the faith of those who looked upon it as an example of the simple trust required of all who would be saved from the deadly effects of sin through the "Uplifted Savior."
Just as the Is'ra-el-ites who were bitten by those fiery serpents suffered from a communicated, painful, and deadly poison; so humanity under the curse of sin has a fatal spiritual malady. Just as the uplifted brazen serpent was provided as a cure by the Sovereign Grace of God; so God freely gave His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin, and for sin, as the only cure for the malady of the soul. Just as Is'ra-el was healed by looking; so men today are healed by believing.
In their superstitious awe the Is'ra-el-ites preserved the brazen serpent, and, in times when they forgot the LORD, some of them would set it up in a high place and bow before it in idol-worship. Four hundred and fifty years later the good king Hez-e-ki'ah, about whom we shall learn in future stories, completely destroyed the image. Thus we are taught that the material things through which God's blessings are brought to us should never be worshiped; the LORD is the source of all blessings, and He alone should be worshiped.
After the snakes had been removed from their camp, the Is'ra-el-ites continued their journey in a northeasterly direction. The names of several encampments are given, but the exact location is not certain until the people reached the plains of Mo'ab directly east of the Dead Sea. The Mo'ab-ites were descendants of Lot, and the LORD had directed Mo'ses not to make war upon them, or to take their land.
The Is'ra-el-ites encamped for some time at a place called Ar, which was on the plains of Mo'ab. Here they dug a well, and praised the LORD in special hymns for the gracious way in which He was leading them on their perilous journeys.
Continuing the journey, and making brief stops at several stations, they arrived at Ja'haz, on the border between the Mo'ab-ites and Am'or-ites. Here Mo'ses sent messengers to Si'hon, king of the Am'or-ites, with a similar request to the one presented to the king of the E'dom-ites. Si'hon's answer to this request was a prompt refusal, and immediate war against Is'ra-el. The Is'ra-el-ites, however, overwhelmingly defeated Si'hon, and occupied his territory. Among the important towns captured was Hesh'bon, which was Si'hon's capital.
