--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Book of Numbers relates that when the…" description: "\"“The Book of Numbers relates that when the people murmured rebelliously against God, they were punished with a plague of fiery serpents, so that many l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/fulton-j-sheen-675_books_the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-th_2461362.png" --- # The Book of Numbers relates that when the people murmured… ![“The Book of Numbers relates that when the people murmured rebelliously against God, they were punished with a plague of fiery serpents, so that many lost their lives. When they repented, Moses was told by God to make a brazen serpent and set it up for a sign, and all those bitten by the serpents…” quote by Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/fulton-j-sheen-675_books_the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-th_2461362.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/fulton-j-sheen-675_books_the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-th_2461362.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/fulton-j-sheen-675_books_the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-th_2461362.png) > ““The Book of Numbers relates that when the people murmured rebelliously against God, they were punished with a plague of fiery serpents, so that many lost their lives. When they repented, Moses was told by God to make a brazen serpent and set it up for a sign, and all those bitten by the serpents who looked upon that sign would be healed. Our Blessed Lord was now declaring that He was to be lifted up, as the serpent had been lifted up. As the brass serpent had the appearance of a serpent and yet lacked its venom, so too, when He would be lifted up upon the bars of the Cross, He would have the appearance of a sinner and yet be without sin. As all who looked upon the brass serpent had been healed of the bite of the serpent, so all who looked upon Him with love and faith would be healed of the bite of the serpent of evil.”” [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God used a bronze serpent as a sign of healing, prefiguring Christ’s crucifixion where faith in Him removes sin’s bite. **In simple terms:** Faith in Christ heals spiritual sickness. Key Takeaway Look to Christ for healing. Themes faith redemption healing symbolism Mood hopeful reverent reflective Type theological inspirational explanatory When to use this quote - personal crisis - temptation - illness - spiritual doubt Key Concepts typology atonement spiritual illness Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing Christ as a healed sign affect your faith? - What does “lifted up” mean in your life? A Different Perspective Faith alone may not guarantee healing without repentance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) [Repentance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repentance/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) [The-cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-cross/) ## Related quotes > [“The Western post-Christian civilization has picked up the Christ without His Cross. But a Christ without a sacrifice that reconciles the world to God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-western-post-christian-civilization-has-picked-up-the-christ/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The more He loved those for whom He was the ransom, the more His anguish would increase, as it is the faults of friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-more-he-loved-those-for-whom-he-was-the-ransom-the-more-his/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“A dying man asked a dying man for eternal life; a man without possessions asked a poor man for a Kingdom; a thief at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/a-dying-man-asked-a-dying-man-for-eternal-life-a-man-without/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Love is a vicarious principle. A mother suffers for and with her sick child, as a patriot suffers for his country. No wonder that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/love-is-a-vicarious-principle-a-mother-suffers-for-and-with-her-sick/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“It was not enough that the Son of God should come down from the heavens and appear as the Son of Man, for then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/it-was-not-enough-that-the-son-of-god-should-come-down-from-the/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The deaf who deny they are deaf will never hear; the sinners who deny there is sin deny thereby the remedy of sin, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-deaf-who-deny-they-are-deaf-will-never-hear-the-sinners-who-deny/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The good repent on knowing their sin; the evil become angry when discovered. Ignorance is not the cause of evil, as Plato held; neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-good-repent-on-knowing-their-sin-the-evil-become-angry-when/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Even though Christ Himself would not deliver us from the power of the Totalitarian State, as He did not deliver Himself, we must see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/even-though-christ-himself-would-not-deliver-us-from-the-power-of-the/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The family tree of earthly ancestors was really not important; what was important was the family tree of the children of God He planted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-family-tree-of-earthly-ancestors-was-really-not-important-what/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The modern world, which denies personal guilt and admits only social crimes, which has no place for personal repentance but only public reforms, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-modern-world-which-denies-personal-guilt-and-admits-only-social/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Some religions draw by force of arms; He would draw by force of love. The attraction would not be His words, but Himself. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/some-religions-draw-by-force-of-arms-he-would-draw-by-force-of-love/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Skeptics always want miracles such as stepping down from the Cross, but never the greater miracle of forgiveness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/skeptics-always-want-miracles-such-as-stepping-down-from-the-cross/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“If, in his pride, he considers God as a challenge, he will deny Him; and if God becomes man and therefore makes Himself vulnerable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/if-in-his-pride-he-considers-god-as-a-challenge-he-will-deny-him-and/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“To those who rejected Him, righteousness would one day appear as a terrible justice; to the sinful men who accepted Him and allied themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/to-those-who-rejected-him-righteousness-would-one-day-appear-as-a/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“To shame our sins He blushed in blood; He closed His eyes to show us God; Let all the world fall down and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/to-shame-our-sins-he-blushed-in-blood-he-closed-his-eyes-to-show-us/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) ## More by Fulton J. Sheen > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [There are 200 million poor in the world who would gladly take the vow of poverty if they could eat, dress and have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/there-are-200-million-poor-in-the-world-who-would-gladly-take-the-vow/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Love is the key to the mystery. Love by its very nature is not selfish, but generous. It seeks not its own, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/love-is-the-key-to-the-mystery-love-by-its-very-nature-is-not-selfish/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“This is what Aristotle meant when he said that the object of science is the necessary and the universal; man and not this man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/this-is-what-aristotle-meant-when-he-said-that-the-object-of-science/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Pride is an admission of weakness; it secretly fears all competition and dreads all rivals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/pride-is-an-admission-of-weakness-it-secretly-fears-all-competition/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Calamity, war, famine, plague, death, adversity, disease, injury do not necessarily produce repentance. We may become better in a calamity but it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/calamity-war-famine-plague-death-adversity-disease-injury-do-not/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [No one has ever laughed at a pun who did not see in the one word a twofold meaning. To materialists this world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/no-one-has-ever-laughed-at-a-pun-who-did-not-see-in-the-one-word-a/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Love is a mutual self-giving which ends in self-recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/love-is-a-mutual-self-giving-which-ends-in-self-recovery/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [The Soviet Union is like the Cross without Christ, while American culture is like Christ without the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-soviet-union-is-like-the-cross-without-christ-while-american/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The 'fullness of reality' in the second sense of the term is perceived by a combination of both intellect and sense, the senses knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-fullness-of-reality-in-the-second-sense-of-the-term-is-perceived/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The mathematical method is disinterested in the efficient cause and the final cause or the goodness of a thing and it should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-mathematical-method-is-disinterested-in-the-efficient-cause-and/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The Church makes no man less free than he was before. But we chiefly value freedom in order to give it away; every man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-church-makes-no-man-less-free-than-he-was-before-but-we-chiefly/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“To those who rejected Him, righteousness would one day appear as a terrible justice; to the sinful men who accepted Him and allied themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/to-those-who-rejected-him-righteousness-would-one-day-appear-as-a/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [It is easy to find truth, though it is hard to face it, and harder still to follow it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/it-is-easy-to-find-truth-though-it-is-hard-to-face-it-and-harder/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [One function of the angels is illumination, and the other function is that of being a guardian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/one-function-of-the-angels-is-illumination-and-the-other-function-is/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) [Explore all 414 Fulton J. Sheen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Book of Numbers relates that when the people murmured rebelliously against God, they were punished with a plague of fiery serpents, so that many lost their lives. When they repented, Moses was told by God to make a brazen serpent and set it up for a sign, and all those bitten by the serpents who looked upon that sign would be healed. Our Blessed Lord was now declaring that He was to be lifted up, as the serpent had been lifted up. As the brass serpent had the appearance of a serpent and yet lacked its venom, so too, when He would be lifted up upon the bars of the Cross, He would have the appearance of a sinner and yet be without sin. As all who looked upon the brass serpent had been healed of the bite of the serpent, so all who looked upon Him with love and faith would be healed of the bite of the serpent of evil.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fulton J. Sheen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-the-people-murmured/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-the-people-murmured/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/fulton-j-sheen-675_books_the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-th_2461362.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/fulton-j-sheen-675_books_the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-th_2461362.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/fulton-j-sheen-675_books_the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-th_2461362.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Book of Numbers relates that when the people murmured rebelliously against God, they were punished with…” — Fulton J. Sheen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Fulton J. Sheen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Book of Numbers relates that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-the-people-murmured/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-book-of-numbers-relates-that-when-the-people-murmured/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```