The Brazen Serpent

Numbers 21:4-9; Institute Student Manual Points to Ponder section (pg. 212). 

•        What did the children of Israel do that resulted in the curse of the “fiery serpents”?

The children of Israel spoke against God and Moses, complaining that there wasn't any bread or water and that they would die in the wilderness because of it.

•        In what ways are people today sometimes like unto the children of Israel anciently? (See also 1 Nephi 17:45.)

Just like in 1 Nephi, we can be "past feeling" in hearing the voice of God, or recognizing the many blessings that come from him. I know many people from high school who just state how awful their life is going and that if there was a God then their life wouldn't be the way it was. They don't recognize that all the good that happens to them is from God nor do they even recognize that they have good in their life. Waking up to a new day is a blessing and gift from God! But, sadly, many people don't see life as a blessing.

•        According to Alma 33:18-22, what did the brazen serpent symbolize?

The serpent symbolized healing and the belief that God could heal them from their infirmities.

•        How does one “look to” Jesus Christ for healing?

One looks to Christ through obeying His teachings and trying to follow in His ways, that is where we can receive healing. Asking God our Father for comfort and relief through the Atonement that Christ made for us can give us the comfort and healing we need. 

•        Aside from physical healings, how can “looking to” the Savior heal a person in other ways?

Looking to the Savior can heal a person in other ways through emotional well-being. Christ can give us comfort and help heal our emotional wounds because of the Atonement that He made for each of us. He knows the pains that we've felt, not just the physical hurt, but also the pain we feel in our hearts. 

•        Where else do people sometimes turn for healing other than the Savior?

Sometimes people turn to worldly things for "healing," even though it's more of a distraction than anything else. These can be in the forms of television, movies, shopping, videogames, eating, reading books (other than the scriptures), etc. These only give temporary satisfaction and not true healing. They can be great distractors, but once they are gone, the pain comes back and you are not truly healed. Only through Christ can we be saved from the pain we feel and be truly healed again.

•        What are simple things in the gospel of Jesus Christ that can heal us?

Some of the simple things in the gospel of Jesus Christ that can heal us are praying. It's such a simple thing, but praying for comfort and relief from your pain is a very important step to make it happen. Faith in Christ is another simple thing that can heal us, because if we have the faith that Christ's Atonement can work through us, then it will. 

•        How have you experienced the healing power of the Atonement in your life?

I've experienced the healing power of the Atonement in many ways. I've received comfort and relief from pain that I wouldn't have been able to get rid of on my own or through any other means. I've received forgiveness from my sins through the Atonement, which heals me from the imperfect state that I would be in, unable to have the presence of God or the Spirit in my life. The Atonement is real and powerful, and freely available to anyone and everyone who wants to come unto God and change for the better.