Caduceus

So, I'm back! In case any of you were wondering... workshop and then a non-internet territory (my mom's house!).

And as I was driving back I got to thinking... You know the symbol of the healing profession... the caduceus... at right? I know it has its origins in Greek mythology with Hermes... but it reminds me a lot of the story in the Old Testament (Num 21:4-9). The Israelites are begin killed by poisonous snakes and God tells Moses to erect a snake on a pole. All who gaze at the pole after being bitten by a snake are healed and live.

The snake is actually redemptive in this story... it has healing powers... Later, in the New Testament, Jesus himself mentions it when he says: "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).

So, there's a link between the serpent on the pole and Christ on the cross. And I probably knew all this before, but for some reason it just really came together... The snake is often seen as the representative of Satan (e.g. story of Adam and Eve in Genesis and even in Revelation 12:14). But what about the redemption of the snake?? What about the event with Moses in the desert, which is really a foreshadowing of Christ on the cross... The redeemed snake... Now there's a topic for discussion....