“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake and who looked at the bronze snake lived.“
***
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” … “God put the wrong on Him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God through Him.”
***
“In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could see and believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to Him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.”
(Numbers 21:8-9; 2 Cor 5:21; John 3:14-15)
I don’t know about you, but I have a STRONG aversion to snakes. I don’t like snakes, think of snakes, picture snakes, talk or write fondly about snakes, have any business with snakes, or engage in any activities around snakes. I HATE them, period. Why? In my opinion, they are slippery, sly, and slithery scum of the soil; no apologies to adder admirers, anaconda advocates, boa constrictor buffs, cobra connoisseurs, python pipers, viper vibers or reptilian rapscallions. Symbolically, snakes represent satan, the chief antagonist of all creation, and sin, the worst pandemic of all time. Although the biological creatures are amoral and part of the earth’s biosphere, it is difficult to separate their ecological presence from their spiritual essence, not to mention their wily ways, scaly skin, two-tipped tongues, and shifty eyes! They are the supervillains I love to hate, and as a matter of practice, I refuse to dignify their principal by honoring his name with a capital letter; I don’t treat demonic dirtbags with dignity. And oh – did I mention that I HATE snakes and their venomous, serpentine schemes?
Now that we’ve clarified that, my second disclaimer is this: I had a nicely prepared “Veil” series1 that I meant to reprise from previous posts. They were to flow seamlessly with the theme of this month’s first article.2 Being the greatest story ever told and the most iconic event in history, I felt that the cinematographic lens with which they were depicted would be the closest thing to a blockbuster movie that prose could be. Words would be colorfully animated in readers’ hearts and as the story unfolds, vibrant images would twirl across their imprinted minds … until this topic invaded my thoughts, captivated my imagination, and left me with little choice but to abandon those nicely laid-out plans!
Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross blows my mind for many reasons, one of which is the hate concept just divulged. Who willingly becomes the very thing that they HATE … simply for the ones they LOVE?3 Which innocent person embodies the very scum of the earth so He can get indicted in the stead of the ones He loves, paying the steep penalty for their guilty wrongdoing – with His life?4 Even if one could (many parents and other genuine lovers willingly would), who would qualify to take on such a task, the singular requirement being that the person would have NO record of ever doing, thinking, speaking or having any minor twinge or inclination toward wrongdoing … for the entirety of their lifetime (“wrongdoing” here being the violation of God’s perfect standards, not man’s paltry attempts at being good, misconstrued opinions about being just, or skewed perceptions about living pure)? To add insult to injury, who would permit any kind of allusion or association with something or someone so despicable, at the expense of their spotless record and reputation?
Friends, these, and many more are exactly what Jesus did when He died on that fateful Friday. He took on the punishment humanity deserved so that they could access crucial connectivity to God … which had previously been impossible because of their sin nature.5 Humanity was doomed to the destructive and permanent sanctions of sin (i.e. falling short of God’s standards of right living and living instead by one’s code of conduct rather than God’s, no matter how well-intentioned or seemingly sanctimonious).6 Sin is a cunning, deadly snake, its stealth, the epitome of deception, its trap, curated to perfection, and its venom, largely imperceptible till annihilation. Once bitten, its victims (all of humanity) are condemned to a surreptitious but certain death, the consequences eternally irreparable.
The good news is – just as anyone in ancient Israel could be saved simply by looking up at the symbol of the venomous snake – the very creature that had bitten and was actively destroying them, so can any modern-day individual look with heartfelt belief and expectation to the Savior Jesus – Who took on sin’s character and corrosiveness on their behalf. By recognizing, verbalizing, and receiving Him as the Solution to their sin state (i.e., as their Savior and Lord),7 each person can be saved from sin’s devastating effects, granted access to enjoy a special relationship with God, and set apart for a glorious future with Him. Anyone who does this will circumvent eternal death (i.e., a state of ceaseless torment and permanent, horrific, separation from God), and enjoy eternal life (the quality, quantity, and essence of an exhilarating existence with God and His delightful accompaniments)!8
The best part is that Jesus didn’t stay on that cross or in that grave! He rose regally and triumphantly on the third day – just as He had repeatedly predicted!9 The Resurrection has serious ramifications, for it proves, among other things, that He is indeed Who He claimed to be – the ONLY way to God, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world – Who alone has the power and authority to rule over sin, satan, sickness, death, hell and the grave!10 THIS is the true God and eternal life!11
**For questions on how to get to know God personally through Jesus Christ or for other inquiries, please email: [email protected]
For Your Resurrection And Listening Pleasure
Firm Foundation Medley (MOG Music)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=APX4eMxvoa8&si=-LuUKNx358xO5ASG
Jesus Lamb of God (Phil Thompson & Victor Thompson)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=9v-uQTxyN4M&si=4F5QyfRsfYPBlBRS
The Anthem (Todd Dulaney)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xbOHbRxRaDI&si=1Szl3YcBGM0ZCKn6
Bibliography
- https://thewordofhisgrace.com/behind-the-veil/; https://thewordofhisgrace.com/by-the-veil-originally-posted-on-04-16-23/; https://thewordofhisgrace.com/beyond-the-veil/ ↩︎
- https://thewordofhisgrace.com/through-the-veil/ ↩︎
- Isaiah 64;6; 59:2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 3:13b; Ephesians 2:1-2; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 7:18; Titus 3:3; Job 25:4; Ephesians 2:4-5; Titus 3:4-7 ↩︎
- Romans 5:6-8; 19; 1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53:4-6; 1 Peter 2:22-24; Galatians 3:13; Romans 5:19; Ephesians 5:2 ↩︎
- Ephesians 2:12; Isaiah 59:2; Colossians 1:21; Ephesians 4:18 ↩︎
- Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:4; Romans 7:18 & 24; Zechariah 3:3; Isaiah 53:6a ↩︎
- John 1:12; 20:31; Romans 10:9-10; 13;17; Matthew 10:40 ↩︎
- John 3:15-16; 6:40; 1 John 4:9-10; Romans 5:10; 1 Timothy 1:15-16 ↩︎
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; 27:63; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; 14:28; Luke 9:22; 18:31-33; 24:6-7; John 2:19-22 ↩︎
- John 11:25-27; Acts 2:24; Matthew 16:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Acts 13:38-39; 1 Corinthinas 15:14-19; Hebrews 10:12; Hebrews 13:20 ↩︎
- 1 John 5:20; John 17:3; John 14:9; 1 John 5:11-13 ↩︎