One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to help us understand other scriptures better. A good example of this is the story of the “fiery serpents”—that is, poisonous snakes—that troubled the Israelites while they were in the wilderness.
You’ve probably heard this story before. Nephi mentions it, and so does Alma. But the original account is in Numbers 21:6–9:
- The Lord sends fiery serpents, killing many people.
- The people realize it’s because of their sins and ask Moses for help.
- The Lord tells Moses to make a brass snake, put it on a pole, and place it where people can see it.
- Moses does as instructed, and everyone who looks at the brass snake is healed.
The end.
But wait a minute! Aren’t we missing something?
Some people refused to look at the brass snake! That’s a detail that the Old Testament doesn’t mention. But thanks to the Book of Mormon prophets, who apparently had a more complete version of the story from the brass plates, we know these additional details.1
We know that for some Israelites, the act of looking at the snake seemed too simple, and their hearts were so hard that they refused to look. Because of their stubbornness and pride, they died unnecessarily!
In some ways, this story can be a symbol of the Savior. Will we accept the healing He offers us?
Small and Simple
Note
1. See 1 Nephi 17:41; Alma 33:19–20; 37:46.