Spiritual snakebite ∙∙
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. – John 3:14
John 3:14-18
14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him.
18 There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
Have you ever been hiking in the woods and had a close encounter with a venomous snake? How did you react? Most people would feel gripped by fear and quickly seek medical attention.
Thankfully, modern medicine offers solutions for poisonous snake bites. Antivenoms can effectively prevent or reverse the effects of most snakebites, significantly reducing the risk of death or severe injury. If antivenom were available, would you use it?
About 3,500 years ago, the Father provided a cure for physical snakebite that saved countless lives.
While wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites frequently complained and griped.
In Numbers 21, they whined and grumbled about their boring, humdrum lives wandering around in the wilderness, being forced to eat the same food day after day, manna from heaven. Their longing to return to slavery in Egypt overshadowed their willingness to follow Moses and God.
The Father devised a straightforward plan to address their woes: death. He sent venomous snakes into their camp, making their lives anything but boring. As people were bitten, many died, and fear gripped the survivors. They thought it was dreadful before; this was far worse than they could’ve ever imagined.
They came to grips with their attitude of disrespecting the Lord God Almighty and His clearly specified plan for their lives. But more importantly, they realized their complaining and griping were sins.
The people repented and approached Moses for help. In response, Moses prayed to God, who provided a clear solution.
The Father told Moses exactly what to do.
The Father instructed Moses to create a replica of a venomous snake and mount it on a pole. This snake on a pole was to serve as a means of healing for anyone bitten. He told the people who were bitten to look at it if they wanted to live.
Numbers 21:7-9 details this event:
7 The people came to Moses and confessed, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and you. Pray that the LORD will remove the snakes.” So Moses prayed for them.
8 The LORD then instructed him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who is bitten will live if they look at it.”
9 So Moses crafted a bronze snake and placed it on a pole. Whoever was bitten could gaze at the bronze snake and be healed.
The Father graciously provided a cure for poisonous snakebites. No antivenom was required. Only a bronze replica of one of the reptiles hanging on the pole was needed. All anyone had to do to recover and live was to glance toward the serpent lifted up in the center of the camp. The Father graciously provided a remedy, but his remedy was unique and one-of-a-kind. There was only one way to be healed and survive.
Many folks tend to want to do things their own way. But risking death from poisonous snakes would be reckless and foolhardy.
Pause for a moment and consider. What would have happened if they refused to listen and do exactly what the Father had told them? They would have died!
At that moment, it defied reason, and It made no logical sense to glance at a bronze serpent to recover. However, it wasn’t a matter of reason but rather faith.
This lesson of trust in God’s provision wouldn’t be fully understood until over 1,400 years later.
What healed them? Trust in the Father’s only provision for their sin of rebellion and defiance.
REFLECT & PRAY
Throughout our journey in life, we encounter countless moments when we must place our trust in others. We depend on doctors to mend our wounds and restore us when we face serious injuries, relying on their expertise with unwavering hope.
Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that You hold the answers and solutions for every circumstance life may bring. Inspire me to seek Your divine wisdom and guidance constantly. I have come to realize the peril of my spiritual snakebite, with its poison coursing through my heart and threatening eternal death. Yet, I am profoundly grateful for the salvation You have provided through the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the sole remedy, the true path to healing from this spiritual affliction. Thank You for this gift of grace and redemption.
INSIGHT
The human race faces a profound challenge, a severe “serpent problem.” We are afflicted by spiritual snakebite that traces back to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve’s encounter with the serpent led them and all their descendants into sin. It started with their close encounter with the serpent, the evil one. They believed the serpent’s lies and fell into sin. The toxic effect of sin was introduced to the human race. The Father provided only one way to solve their dilemma.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ revealed the cure for the snakebite of sin and death. We often remember John 3:16, but let’s consider John 3:14.
John 3:14-16
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Within the Israelite camp, addressing the “serpent problem” didn’t involve exterminating the serpents, crafting remedies, or denying their presence. No anti-serpent laws were passed. Instead, the solution lay in a simple act of faith – gazing upon the uplifted serpent (Wiersbe).
In a manner reminiscent of the serpent being lifted in the wilderness, Jesus Christ, our Savior, was raised upon a cross. When we turn to Him in faith, our spiritual snakebite is healed, our sins are forgiven, and we receive the gift of eternal life.
The Father’s remedy was simple, clear, and straightforward: by faith, the Israelites only needed to gaze upon the bronze serpent to be healed and to live. There was only one way!
Similarly, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, taking our place on a cross of wood, is the Father’s sole solution for spiritual affliction. Rejecting Him by failing to have faith carries eternal consequences.
John 3:17-18
17 God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it but to save it through Him.
18 No one who believes in Him is condemned, but those who do not believe stand condemned already for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
¯_(ツ)_/¯ 7-15-2
© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 