Helaman 8:11-16

¹¹ Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying: Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up? ¹² And now behold, if God gave unto this man such power, then why should ye dispute among yourselves, and say that he hath given unto me no power whereby I may know concerning the judgments that shall come upon you except ye repent? ¹³ But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all the words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the words which were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of the Messiah.

Helaman 8:11 – 13 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi₂ continues speaking to the multitude.  He reminds them they have read that God gave Moses power to part the Red Sea.  The Israelites successfully escaped the Egyptians when that army was swallowed up in the Red Sea.

“[I]f God gave unto this man such power, then why should ye dispute among yourselves, and say that he hath given unto me no power whereby I may know concerning the judgments that shall come upon you except ye repent” (v. 12).  Nephi₂ tells them they not only deny his words, they deny the words spoken “by our fathers, and also the words which were spoken by this man, Moses” (v, 13).  The words of the prophets have testified of Christ, he reminds them.

¹⁴ Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come?  And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come. ¹⁵ And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal. ¹⁶ And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham.

Helaman 8:14 – 16 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi₂ tells the story of Moses lifting the brazen (brass) serpent in the wilderness. 

And the LORD sent fiery [or poisonous] serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.  And Moses prayed for the people.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Numbers 21:6 - 9

After being bitten, all the people had to do was look at the serpent and they would be healed.  Many refused to look and died.

He tells them this is a representation of Christ.  Christ is represented by the serpent.  The serpent being raised up represents Christ being raised on the cross.  “[A]s many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal” (v. 15).

Allen J. Christensen explains further about the role the serpent had in both Christianity and as a Mesoamerican symbol.

“This is similar to the recurrent Mesoamerican symbol of the serpentine god Itzamna lifted up into the branches of a cross-shaped tree of life. The persistence of this symbol may be seen in a prophecy given 600 years later by Nephi, the son of Helaman. It was delivered from a tower to a large multitude of people at Zarahemla. In this prophecy, Jesus Christ is again compared to a serpent who will be ‘lifted up.’ He further declares that ‘as many as should look upon that serpent should live … even unto that life which is eternal’ (Helaman 8:15). The recurrence of this theme before large congregations of people may imply a formal ritual or reference to such.”[1] (Emphasis mine)

The snake can be a symbol of resurrection and healing.

“The snake as an ancient symbol took two forms. The first form is a personification of resurrection and healing, typified by the Egyptian god Amun-Re, the Greek god Asclepius (from whom is taken the symbol of the medical profession, the caduceus), the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, and ultimately the Savior. Early in Israelite history, Moses placed on a pole a brazen serpent that healed those who looked at it (see Numbers 21:5-9). Jesus made it clear that this serpent represented him (see John 3:14-15). "The righteous peoples of the Book of Mormon understood the symbol of the serpent in exactly [this] way," Skinner notes, citing Helaman 8:13-15.”[2]  (Emphasis mine)

All the prophets, Nephi₂ said, prophesied of Christ.  Abinadi said, “[D]id not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?” (Mosiah 13:33—35).

The men on the road to Emmaus walked with Christ after His resurrection.  They were taught, “O fools [GR: unwise], and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25 - 27).

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[1] Maya Harvest Festivals and the Book of Mormon, Allen J. Christensen, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 21, 2012.

[2] New Festschrift Explores Scripture and Ancient World, Insights Volume - 20, Issue – 4, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 21, 2012.