Book of Mormon prophets derived multiple lessons from the story of the brass serpent. Nephi taught that we shouldn't reject simple solutions. Alma added that we shouldn't be too sure of our doubts. And another prophet named Nephi emphasized that we too can be healed by looking up to Christ.
An Offering for Sin
Lehi and his descendants followed the law of Moses, including offering sacrifices. Book of Mormon prophets used that practice to teach their people about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and to encourage them to live a consecrated life.
The Four Cups
During the Seder service, four cups of wine are blessed and consumed. Each corresponds to a promise God made to Israel: removal of burdens, freedom, redemption, and divine acceptance. The third cup is associated with the sacrament, which we partake of every week to remember the Savior's redeeming sacrifice.
The Sign of Jonah
Jesus highlighted the prophet Jonah as a symbol of His Atonement. Jonah prefigured Christ by offering himself to save his shipmates. Additionally, he learned to accept Christ's individualized mercy during his three days in what he called "the belly of hell."
Into Thy Hands
The Atonement of Jesus Christ is not only the mechanism through which He saves us but also emblematic of the process by which we receive that salvation. As He suffered on our behalf, He quoted from a psalm, reaffirming His commitment to submit fully to the will of His Father.
Silver Pieces and the Worth of a Soul
Joseph's enslavement prefigures the Savior's Atonement. Like Joseph, the Savior was sold for a small amount of silver. Like Joseph, He was betrayed by someone close to Him. That betrayal set in motion the very events through which He would save all of God's children, including His betrayers.
With the Rich in His Death
Two members of the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, prepared Jesus's body for burial and buried Him in Joseph's tomb. Their courageous service literally fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy that the Messiah would be "with the rich in his death."
Christ Our Passover
Jesus fulfilled the Passover principle. As an unblemished Lamb, He suffered and died so that we could be delivered from destruction and freed from bondage. Just as Jewish people keep the Passover feast with joy, seeing themselves in the story, Christians can find personal joy in their remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
“Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?”
David's heartfelt description of abandonment provided the Savior with appropriate words to describe His loneliness on the cross. The words may not have dulled the pain, but they did connect Jesus with an ancestor who never gave up on God, even when he felt completely forsaken.
The Akedah: a Similitude
The Book of Mormon prophet taught that Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac "is a similitude of God and His Only Begotten Son." Here are some similarities between this event, known as the Akedah, and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.