BITTEN!

And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. —John 3:14-15

When the Israelites were bitten by poisonous snakes, they would die unless they were obedient and looked at the bronze snake that “Moses lifted up” while they were in the wilderness. The people were complaining once again that they did not have any food or water. They asked Moses why he brought them out in the wilderness just to die. This complaint was actually against the Lord and He sent venomous snakes among the people as a judgment.

The people confessed they had sinned against the Lord and Moses. They asked Moses to pray that the Lord would take the snakes away. Instead, the Lord told Moses to “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” This is exactly what happened. When anybody was bitten by a poisonous snake if they just looked at the bronze serpent on the pole then they would be healed and not die. This was done by faith— obedience to what they had been told.

So too it is with the Lord Jesus Christ. All people have been “bitten” by sin and will experience eternal death. God sent His Son to be “lifted” up on the cross. People are commanded to repent and look to the Son so they can be healed of their sin and receive eternal life (Isaiah 53:5; I Peter 2:24; John 3:16; Acts 17:30-31). Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

Dear Father, thank You for providing Jesus that we can be healed by sins eternal bite. Thank You for eternal life through Your Son, Jesus. May I live a life of gratitude in His authority and by the Holy Spirit’s power. May it be so!