The Bronze Serpent
Type of Event: Worship Service: Children & Adult
Date Recorded: 28 Feb, 2010
Location: Ivyland New Church, PA 
Topics: Charity / Life of Use / Service , Forgiveness / Repentance
Description: The Lord heals all of our spiritual infirmities.
With the most ancient people, who were celestial, a serpent meant being completely watchful, and so also meant their sensory perception by means of which they were to show vigilance to avoid being harmed by the evil. This is clear from the Lord's words to His disciples,
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)
And also "the bronze serpent" which was raised up in the wilderness and which meant the Lord's Sensory Perception. He alone is Celestial Man, and He alone is completely watchful and provides for everybody. Whoever beheld it therefore was delivered.
(Heavenly Secrets #197)
The Lord's natural Divinity was symbolized by the bronze serpent that Moses was commanded to set up in the wilderness, so that all who had been bitten by serpents were healed by looking at it (Numbers 21:6, 8, 9). That this symbolized the Lord's natural Divinity, and that those people are saved who look to it, the Lord Himself teaches in John:
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14, 15)
The serpent was made of bronze because bronze, like fine brass, symbolizes the natural self in respect to good. (Apocalypse Revealed #49)
References: Readings Num. 21:6-9; Matt. 10:16; AC 197; (AR) 49
Paused:
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1Childrens Talk9m 39snot downloadable
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2Sermon17m 34snot downloadable
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