As Moses Lifted Up The Serpent In The Wilderness

The Relevant Christian Magazine | 7/29/14 | Chuck Ness

[OneVike]

Have you ever given it much thought about the phrase, “Lift Christ up with Praise?”

Quite often you will hear a pastor use this phrase as he instructs you to give glory to God though His Son. But have you ever really consider what the significance of the phrase? Give me a moment of your time and allow me to introduce you to something very few Christians have actually ever considered when hearing this phrase, “Lift Christ up with Praise.”

Most people know the verse, John 3:16, many have even memorized it. For me, that was the first verse I ever memorized in Sunday school as a child. If there is any verse that says it all, it’s John 3:16. God’s gift to mankind was His only Son Jesus. With the death of His Son on the Cross, all we need to do is confess Him as our Lord and Savior and our sins have been paid for in full. It’s Salvation in a nut shell. Praise God for simplicity! Now, this verse is great, but what is truly interesting to me is the verses that precede it. (John 3:16) I lose count of how many times I have read these verses, only to have my mind mentally skip over and almost ignore their meaning.

When you read John 3:14, it should take you back in time to Israel’s past. It was a time when Moses was leading the twelve tribes through the wilderness of Sin, a time when God was showing them His power and love firsthand. In the Old Testament, we read that the children of Israel had grown discouraged and spoke out against Moses and God. (Numbers 21:4-9). As punishment, God sent down fiery serpents that would bite the Israelites and many would eventually die.

Realizing their sin, they went to Moses confessing and asking him to pray to the Lord that He might take the serpents from their presence. Well God would not remove the cause of their plight, but He did instruct Moses to make a serpent and erect it on a pole.

Moses told those who were bitten by the serpents to come to the pole and gaze upon the image of their pain and they would live. At that time, to look upon such an image erected on a pole would have been considered repulsive, and many would instinctively look away. However, if they wanted to live, those who had been bitten were required to look upon the image of the serpent, or they would die.

You may wonder what this has to do with Christ’s crucifixion. At the time, the Jews looked at crucifixion as the sign of a curse, just as the Israelites looked upon the sign of the snake on the pole. At the time when Jesus walked with men, death by crucifixion was only used for the worst of criminals. Thus, to see Christ lifted up and crucified meant that He was considered cursed under Jewish tradition. After all, God instructed the Israelites as follows:

“If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.” Deut. 21:22-23.

This is the verse Paul brought to mind when he wrote to the Galatians:

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13)

So, just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness to save his people from death, we too must look at the uplifted Son of Man to be saved.

Christ couldn’t just die. He had to die the death of a sinner, lowly and cursed. Lifted up on a pole, He was an image many found repulsive. He could have just come down and said, “Not today!” But he stayed. He died a death of pain and shame for sins he never committed. Sacrificed from the beginning of time, for sins He saw us commit, yet turned His eyes every time we did.

Every time you are tempted by sin, try to remember how the King of kings and Lord of lords was so humbly lifted on a pole for you. Take a moment and look up at the cross, and do not allow your head to turn away, or you very well may find yourself giving in to the temptation to sin. If you find yourself stumbling into sin, then take a moment and pray, take a moment and ask the One who stayed upon that cross for you, to take away your shame of sin. His arms are outstretched and waiting for you, all it takes is for you to look up willingly and accept His Father’s gift to you.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will listen to His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

[SouthernClaire]

Thanks, One Vike. As always, your article was interesting and a great read.

Jesus is the Old Testament, from beginning to end. The Aleph and the Tau (which is one interesting treat of a study in itself).

I’m going back to a favorite book for study for the week, the short Book of Ruth. The redemption by our Kinsman Redeemer. I am ever amazed to find things I didn’t see before … and that’s always the case. The Bible never ceases to amaze.

You are blessing, One Vike, and thanks again.

[OneVike]

You too kind.

I love the book of Ruth. So many lessons to learn from such a beautiful story. Enjoy your study.

Hmm, I think I’ll reread the book my self.

God bless you, and thanks again.

OV

[Kandy Atz]

Bullinger’s explanation of the serpent in the Garden put to rest my uneasiness about the Genesis 3 account. And this same appendix from his excellent Companion Bible briefly touches on the serpent on the pole in the wilderness and the connection to Genesis 3.

http://www.levendwater.org/companion/append19.html

I would also add that it has been suggested that brass is symbolic of judgment of sin. A brass snake can’t do any harm. The death and resurrection of Jesus neutralized Satan for Believers. Observe.

John 12:24 (AMP)
24 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.
John 12:31-32 (AMP)
31 Now the judgment (crisis) of this world is coming on [sentence is now being passed on this world]. Now the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world shall be cast out (expelled).
32 And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw and attract all men [Gentiles as well as Jews] to Myself.

Colossians 2:14-15 (AMP)
14 Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross.
15 [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].

Hebrews 2:14-15 (AMP)
14 Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—
15 And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.

See also - Romans 5, 8, Galatians 3:13-14, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 2:9-11, 9 among others.

[CynicalBear]

>>An empty cross is merely an object used for torture.<<

Those who depict Christ on that cross miss the victory. The empty cross is a sign of Christ’s victory over death. If that cross were not empty that victory is incomplete.

[metmom]

Well, I suppose it depends on how you look at it.

That image of Jesus hanging on the cross that adorns Catholic churches is WAY too sanitized. If you really want to know what Jesus did, watch The Passion and realize that it was even worse than that.

It’s Jesus’ death and resurrection that brings us salvation. Sin was atoned for and death was conquered by Him dying, not by His suffering.

[Salvation]

Being Catholic: Sacred Things, Crucifixes and Crosses

[OneVike]

I agree with metmom

I worship Christ, not the cross, not the Bible, not the building, not a statue, not a human religious leader, and not men traditions. Christ and Christ alone is my Lord and savior.

There is no other way to the Father, but Christ.

However, if as metmom stated, you want an image of Christ on the cross to look to, try using this. It's a lot more accurate, and really tells the story of the punishment He suffered for us.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for that beautiful message, dear OneVike!

[Hoodat]

Jesus is not bound by the cross. He defeated it.

And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:14-15

[Salvation]

Disarming principalities and powers? Principalities and powers are levels of angels.

Yes, he rose above the angels.

[Hoodat]

If there is any verse that says it all, it’s John 3:16. . . . It’s Salvation in a nut shell.

Uh, no. Not even close. Salvation cannot be put in a nutshell. It is a living process. Christ came so that we could have life and have it more abundantly.

[OneVike]

So Christ was wrong? You think more is needed after His sacrifice, before he was crucified he walked with us and told those who believed they were forgiven and sin no more. There is nothing more. All you need is to BELIEVE. Nothing more, no works, no dances, no rituals, not songs, and as the thief on the cross learned, you don't even need to be baptized. You should be baptized as a public confession, but it is not needed for salvation. IT IS DONE!

Now God knew they would sin again, and thus he needed to die to become the ultimate and forever sacrifice, but for you to say Christ was wrong is pretty bold.

"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".

I would be careful of who you are calling a liar.

[Hoodat]

Nothing in my post even remotely suggested that Christ was wrong. I can only wonder why you felt the need to employ such a pathetic strawman at such an early stage.

[OneVike]

Well you stated to my comment that John 3:16 is salvation in a nut shell;

Uh, no. Not even close. Salvation cannot be put in a nutshell. It is a living process. Christ came so that we could have life and have it more abundantly.

So what am I to gather from your response to my statement of what Christ said?

After all, the thief on the cross did nothing but believe. It was his salvation, all wrapped up in what Christ told Nicodemus.

[Hoodat]

Christ didn’t say that John 3:16 was salvation in a nutshell. And nothing in my post even remotely suggested that Christ was wrong.

[metmom]

Disarming principalities and powers? Principalities and powers are levels of angels. Yes, he rose above the angels.

They're demons. He defeated the demonic forces. There's no need to disarm angels.

[Seven_0]

Thank you for the article. Did you notice that when Moses laid down his rod it became a serpent. That serpent deceives the whole world. Since biblical history is prophecy, we look for Christ to pick up that serpent and the rod of power will be restored. Then he will rule with a rod of iron.

[GOP Poet]

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