“I have set before you life and death” (Deut 30:19).
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so, must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14).
In this verse of scripture, the Lord is referencing the time when the children of Israel had been delivered out of Egypt and were in the wilderness. They complained and “spoke against God” to Moses as the following verse tells us:
“And the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loathes this light bread” (Numbers 21:5).
They hated the Manna that the Lord had provided for them and their complaining brought judgment on them in the form of “fiery serpents” which took the lives of many of the Israelites.
And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died” (Numbers 21;6).
The people then admitted their sin against the Lord and asked Moses to intercede for them before the Lord. Moses prayed for them and the Lord answered his prayer.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass (copper), 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 21:7,8)
For us today, this serves as a type pointing to the Cross. Sin, represented by the serpent, will result in death for us as it did for the Israelites if we reject the true bread from Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ. The only answer for sin is the Cross. It was totally addressed at the Cross. When we look to the Cross, that is, place our faith in Christ and Him crucified, our sins are forgiven and we are given “newness of life” through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit.
All blessings come from our Heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. His sacrificial death on the Cross paid the sin debt owed to God and allowed the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. By faith, we are forgiven and will have victory over the sin in our lives. The following verse shows us the way:
“For the Law (Law of God) of the Spirit (how the Spirit works) of life (all life comes from Christ through the Holy Spirit) in Christ Jesus (by His sacrificial death on the cross which makes newness of life possible) has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death (the Law of God is the only way to victory over the Law of Sin and Death)” (Romans 8:2 plus commentary – mine & ESB notes).
In our introductory verse, the Lord Jesus is showing all those that will heed the call that forgiveness of sin and newness of life comes through His sacrificial death on the Cross of Calvary. It comes only through the Cross. We are warned in the New Testament against rejecting the Gospel. Hebrews 2:3 says “How shall we escape if we reject so great a Salvation. The Lord is calling out to all those in the world today. Mercy and Grace are there for anyone that will come in repentance and faith. The Lord was lifted up on the Cross and draws “all men” to Himself through His atoning death at Calvary as our closing verse tells us:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the Earth (His sacrificial death on the Cross), will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).
Always Remember,
God Loves you!
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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023
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