Apparently others have picked up on this already (shocking!). Here's a good YouTube video (only 8 mins long) on this:
In Matthew Chapter 23, Jesus is declaring woes to the authorities:
Mat 23:33 Ye serpents,
ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
I see these as the fiery serpents that God sent among the people.
The High Priests, the Saducees, Pharisees, lawyers, doctors of the law.
All of these were like serpents biting the people according to how they interpreted the law.
While at the same time holding themselves guiltless.
Mat 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Mat 23:2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
Mat 23:3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,
that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
There is this thing called "projection" . This is when you take your own attributes and apply it to someone else.
If you are a liar, then you call the other person a liar, deflecting the blame from yourself.
These serpents, cast their own sins on Jesus proclaiming him to be the Serpent himself.
Mat 10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more
shall they call them of his household?
The disciples witnessed the authority the serpents believed they had over God's people.
If they could destroy an innocent man, then what would prevent them from destroying us all?
So the fear of death which these serpents used to control the people, used their authority (like the tails of scorpions)
to keep their authority. What greater fear is there than the fear of death itself.
Jesus defied death. His faith was greater than his fear. And when they did all they could do to him, they no longer had any power of him.
This is your hour of darkness:
Luk 22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
Jesus told the disciples:
Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Jesus died. He was buried. But they did not have the victory over his soul.
The disciples witnessed a miracle. Jesus rose from the dead. The serpents had no power over him anymore.
This looking up at the serpent in the wilderness, is a reminder that there is no authority on earth greater than God's authority in heaven.
And one day as Peter was preaching in the town square, these serpents came to bite him.
Act 5:25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
Act 5:26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
Act 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set
them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Ah yes, this man's blood. The one you crucified and placed on a pole.
The one that has risen and has given us hope, and has healed us from your poisonous grasp.
And Peter replied:
Act 5:29 Then Peter and the
other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Num 21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Num 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
Num 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Num 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks
one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and
his hairs
were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes
were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance
was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Rev 1:18 I
am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
When the world is biting at our heals, when their only intent is to rule over us with their own power and authority causing fear,
This is when we must look up to the cross and the one that went before us. To show us that we need not fear man and what he can do to our body, but rather fear him who has the power of life in his hands.
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Paul goes on to say:
Let no man judge you, let no man beguile you, because from this day forth you belong to the Lord.
And we answer only to him.
That's how I heard that video.
I like Jordan Peterson. He always has a banquet of thoughts on the table.
Thank You for sharing
Hugs
