Since the beginning of the new school year in September 2015, Rev Foster has been speaking at two morning assembly meetings each week. His theme for 2015-16 is DV, "Pictures of Christ in the Bible." Ninth Picture - The serpent in the wilderness Numbers 21:5-8. (Opening comments on Psalm 46 which had just been sung by the school) These verses are not so much a picture of Christ as seen in the person of Moses but rather it is to a most remarkable incident during his days of leading Israel that I wish to draw your attention. The incident of the fiery serpents is used by the Lord Jesus to illustrates how man are saved. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life," John 3:14-15. 1. The Saviour's reference to the fiery serpents shows us how old testament events and history do indeed illustrate the gospel. "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come," 1 Corinthians 10:9-11. "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope," Romans 15:4. So here specifically we are told that the fiery serpents' event set forth the New Testament message of the cross.