The lifting up of the brazen serpent was to teach Israel an important lesson. They could not save themselves from the fatal effect of the poison in their wounds. God alone was able to heal them. Yet they were required to show their faith in the provision which He had made. They must look in order to live. It was their faith that was acceptable with God, and by looking upon the serpent their faith was shown. They knew that there was no virtue in the serpent itself, but it was a symbol of Christ; and the necessity of faith in His merits was thus presented to their minds. Heretofore many had brought their offerings to God, and had felt that in so doing they made ample atonement for their sins. They did not rely upon the Redeemer to come, of whom these offerings were only a type. The Lord would now teach them that their sacrifices, in themselves, had no more power or virtue than the serpent of brass, but were, like that, to lead their minds to Christ, the great sin offering. 431

Israel skulle lære noget meget vigtigt, da kobberslangen blev løftet op på stangen. De kunne ikke frelse sig selv fra den dødelige gift i sårene. Kun Gud kunne helbrede dem, men det blev forlangt, at de skulle vise tro på det middel, han havde tilvejebragt. De skulle se for at leve. Gud ønskede, at de skulle udvise tro, og det gjorde de netop ved at se på slangen. De vidste, at selve slangen ikke kunne hjælpe dem, men den var et symbol på Kristus. Deres tanker blev således henledt på nødvendigheden af at vise tro på hans fortjenester. Hidtil havde mange af dem følt, at de havde gjort fyldestgørende soning for deres synder ved at bringe Gud deres ofre. De stolede ikke på den kommende forløser, som disse ofre viste hen til. Nu ville Herren vise dem, at selve ofrene ikke formåede at gøre mere for dem end kobberslangen. Både ofrene og kobberslangen skulle lede deres tanker hen til Kristus, som er det store syndoffer.