The
Bronze Serpent
The
“Red-Letter Words” of Jesus
Day
32
“And 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. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:14-16 (NKJV)
Numbers 21:4-9 tells the account of the bronze serpent. In the wilderness, the Israelites complained to Moses about everything. God punished them for their ungrateful attitudes by sending poisonous snakes to bite the people. Many died. After the Israelites repented, God gave them an antidote. He had Moses make a bronze serpent on a pole. Anyone who looked at the bronze serpent was immediately healed.
In John 3:14-16, Jesus’ predicted His death to Nicodemus. Just like Moses raised the bronze serpent on a pole, Jesus would be raised up too. However, He wasn’t raised up in glory but on a cross where He suffered horribly.
Two provisions were made for all people when Jesus was lifted on the cross:
1. Salvation
Did you notice in verses 15 and 16 Jesus declared His
deity? He claimed Himself to be God’s only begotten Son who could offer
everlasting life. His declaration didn’t sit well with Israel’s spiritual leaders,
and it cost Him His life.
The Israelites who looked at the bronze serpent were
saved from physical death. When we look to the cross of Jesus Christ and
believe we’re saved from eternal death. (See page titled "Salvation" for further information.)
The Israelites who looked at the serpent on the pole
were healed of their poisonous snake bites. When we look to Jesus, His wounded
body provides healing for our sick and broken bodies.
He was bruised for
our iniquities;
The chastisement
of our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes
we are healed.
1 Peter 2:24
states: Who Himself bore our sins
in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for
righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed.
We are saved through Jesus' shed blood. We are healed because provision was made through
the stripes He bore. Receive salvation and healing now in the name of Jesus.
Father, thank You that through Your resurrection power, Jesus is alive. Thank You we
have eternal life in Him. Thank You for the healing that is ours through His broken body.
In Jesus' powerful and authoritative name, Amen.
http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john/3
http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john/3
http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/3
No comments:
Post a Comment