Nehushtan—A Worthless Piece of Brass

Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. Hezekiah: he is called Ezekias Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. Abi: also called, Abijah And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. images: Heb. statues Nehushtan: that is, A piece of brass He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. from...: Heb. from after him And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. Gaza: Heb. Azzah - 2 Kings 18:1-8

    I can understand a person's interest in that brazen serpent. It would be extremely interesting to see the serpent which Moses made and lifted up. Our God used that serpent as a type of a crucified Redeemer (the Lord Jesus himself referred to it) and on that occasion healed all who looked to it. It would be interesting to see the rod of Moses, the tables of the law, the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, and the smitten rock. But interesting is all it would be, certainly not inspirational, nor edifying, nor of any spiritual value, nor of any consequence where our relationship with God is concerned.

    In the worship of God, Christ is all (John 14:6; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 1:12-20; 2:9-10). Believers believe, love, and worship God in Spirit, not in form, rituals, nor with visual aids. They rejoice only in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3). True believers have no superstitions regarding days, hallowed places, religious relics, symbols and signs, nor ancestors (Phil. 3:4-10). Christ is our Sabbath, our sin offering, our High Priest, our altar, our mediator, our Prophet, Priest, and King. By his blood we ourselves are made kings and priests to our God. We bow before no man, make pilgrimages to no place on earth (our God is everywhere), carry no religious symbols, and place no merit whatsoever in religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter. The Lord has given his church two ordinances to observe until he returns, baptism and the Lord's Table. In baptism believers confess faith in Christ alone and identify publicly with him in his death, burial, and resurrection. In observing the Lord's Table with the simple elements of bread and wine we show forth his death until he comes.

    I am confident that the religious, superstitious Israelites were shocked when King Hezekiah destroyed the brazen serpent which Moses had made, called it a “piece of brass” and declared it to be of no value in the worship of God. But if we could find the actual cross on which Christ died, it would serve no purpose and must be called a “piece of wood.” The grave in which Christ lay is but “a hole in the ground,” and the winding sheet in which he was wrapped is but a “piece of cloth.” Idolatry is such a subtle thing of Satan and must be avoided at all costs. God is a jealous God and will not share his glory nor the worship and affection of his people. We trust, rest in, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and abhor any effort to rob him of his pre-eminence.