The Bronze Snake

Wednesday:	Snakes in the Desert
Story Passage:	Numbers 21:4-9
Other Passages:	John 3 (especially v.14-15)
Objective:	We should look to Jesus to save us from our sin.
Visuals	Available (updated 2016)

Introduction: People are Whiners, Did You Know That?

Remember what we said Monday when the people wouldn't listen to Caleb and Joshua? They had to wander around in the dessert for 40 years.

They didn't like it. And even though God took care of them, they fussed. They fussed at Moses and they fussed at God. God got tired of their fussing, so he sent a punishment.

Story: Snakes in the Desert

God sent poisonous snakes to bite them. When someone got bit by one of these snakes, they got so sick that they died. So the people ran to Moses and begged for help. We're sorry! We were wrong. Pray to God and ask him to make the snakes go away. Moses did pray, but God didn't take the snakes away.

Instead, God told Moses what to do to keep the people from dying from the snake bites. He told Moses to make a metal snake and put it up high on a pole where everyone could see it. God said that if someone was bitten by a snake, they should look at the metal snake on the pole, and then they wouldn't die. And because God said it, it worked: when people who were bitten by the snakes looked at the metal snake, they didn't die. But the people who wouldn't look at it, did die. It was their choice.

Application: Trusting God

There was nothing magic about the metal snake. But the people had to trust God and obey Him. They had to believe that he could save them. Looking at the snake was how they showed God that they trusted Him and would obey Him.

Story: Nicodemus

Many years later, when Jesus was on earth, he told a man named Nicodemus that he needed to be born again. He needed to be saved from sin. But Nicodemus didn't understand. So Jesus told him, Just like when Moses lifted up the metal snake in the dessert and people were saved from snakebite, someday I will be up on a cross, so that people can believe and have their sins forgiven.

Application: Salvation

Just like the people who got bitten by the snake had to believe God and look at the snake to be well, we must believe that Jesus died for our sins and ask Him to forgive us.

Invitation: Salvation

Invite any children who want to be forgiven to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

Copyright © 2004—2010, Jill Eady and the Galion Grace Brethren Church. See licensing for information about rights and permissions.