How is looking to Christ like looking at the brazen serpent?

Looking to Christ mirrors the brazen serpent because both involve looking to the one who bears judgment for sin. The brass serpent pictured judgment; when Israelites looked, God judged their sin and healed them. Christ took our sin, God's judgment fell on Him, and looking to Him brings forgiveness, salvation, and justification.

Les explains that the brazen serpent was another foreview of the work of Christ. He notes that brass always speaks of judgment in the Bible, so the serpent was made of brass because it was a subject of judgment. When the Israelites looked at that brazen serpent, God would judge their sin and they would be healed. It is the same now when we look to Christ, who took our sin and on whom God's judgment fell. Then we are healed of our sin problem in what we call forgiveness and salvation and justification and all the rest.

Numbers 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.

See the rest

John 3:14

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

See the rest

How does looking to Christ heal us of our sin problem?

Looking to Christ heals our sin problem because He took our sin and God’s judgment fell on Him. Just as the brazen serpent was lifted up and the people were healed by looking, so now when we look to Christ we receive forgiveness, salvation, and justification.