Jesus as Serpent (John 3:14-15)

This title is jarring - Jesus as Serpent - but it was Jesus himself who made the analogy. What did he mean?

Many years before Jesus was born into the nation of Israel, this same people were led by a man named Moses. They were a 'family' at this point (a big family of many tribes, thousands in number), and they were wandering in the wilderness. God was leading them through the prophet, Moses.

At one point this people group began to grumble against God, complaining about their hardship. As a result, the Lord sent venomous snakes among them, and these snakes would bite the people, and they would die. The people began to cry out to Moses and God, saying they had done wrong. So God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent, and set it up in the camp where people could see it. God said that if anyone was bitten by a snake, they could look up at the bronze serpent, and if they did this - lifted their eyes to the bronze serpent - they would be healed and not die. (Read this account in Numbers 21)

Jesus, over a thousand years later, said these incredible words, with an incredible promise:

'Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.' (John 3:14-15)

Like the Israelites in the wilderness, we have 'grumbled' against God, turned our backs on his leadership in our lives. This has left us 'bitten' by the mortal serpent of sin. We are destined to death, and eternal separation from God. When the Israelites recognized their sin, and cried out for help, God gave them something to 'turn towards', to believe in, as a way to show sincerity in their repentance.

In the same way, my friends, God has offered us a 'way' to walk free from our sin. He has provided us his Son, Jesus Christ, and calls us to turn and look to him for life. Jesus, crucified by man, was 'lifted up' in the camp for all to see, like the serpent. And he calls us to lift our weary eyes and look to him now for life, for salvation.

With a heart of repentance, and a heart of belief, lift your eyes to Jesus today, and be saved!

'...everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.'  (John 3:15)

For more on taking a 'First Step' of faith in Jesus Christ, please visit:  https://1peter1three.weebly.com/first-steps.html

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