MEMORISE:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: John 3:14
READ: Numbers 21:5-9, John 3:14-15
Numbers 21:5-9
5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, 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.
John 3:14-15
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
MESSAGE
Our God is a God of purpose, and He demonstrated this through the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. There was purpose attached to everything about Jesus when He was here on earth. Ending His mission in Jerusalem, the location of His crucifixion, and the type of death He died: all these have deep spiritual significance which the wise will seek to understand and enjoy the benefits attached (Hebrews 13:11-13, Galatians 3:13-14). There are several reasons why Jesus had to die on a cross, and one of these is so that we can look to Him on the cross. Looking unto Jesus with the eyes of faith as He hangs on the cross has many benefits. One of these benefits is that when you see Him agonising on the cross of Calvary for your sins, your attitude and commitment to Him as a serious-minded Christian will be revitalised. A hymn writer once wrote that when he beheld the cross where the King of glory was crucified, he counted all that seemed gain to him as dung. The allure of the world will lose its value to you when you look to the cross of Calvary.
The experience of the children of Israel in today's Bible reading was a shadow of what we would experience under the New Testament. When the Israelites became stubborn in the wilderness and God sent deadly serpents to them, a lot of them died. As usual, they cried unto God and God instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent of brass to be hung on a pole. Numbers 21:9 tells us the result of this, saying:
“And Moses made a serpent of brass, 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”.
In John 3:14, the Lord declared to us that His death on the cross was foreshadowed by this hanging of the brass serpent on a pole in the wilderness. How amazing! This means that coming to Calvary and looking to Jesus on the cross can produce physical healing and spiritual salvation in the life of a person. Therefore for anyone who has been bitten by the serpent of sin, if you look to Jesus on the cross of Calvary and believe in Him, you will live and not die. You will not only experience abundant life on earth, you will also have eternal life. Beloved, in whatever adverse circumstances you may find yourself, whether physical or spiritual, Jesus has paid for your healing in full. Therefore, come to the place of His cross in submission and look up to Him for salvation and healing. Accept Him, not only as your Saviour, but also as your Lord. Let Him begin to direct the affairs of your life from today. It is interesting to note that some children of Israel refused to look up to the serpent of brass, and they died in their thousands. Only those who looked lived. Don't be numbered among the unbelievers who died in their sin of unbelief.
ACTION POINT:
Take your eyes off your circumstances and look to Jesus today; He will surely come to your aid.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 16, Luke 23:44-24:12
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR
1. I Need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Chorus:
I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh bless me now, my Saviour;
I come to Thee.
2. I need Thee every hour;
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their pow'r
When Thou art nigh.
3. I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.
4. I need Thee every hour;
Teach me Thy will,
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfil.
5. I need Thee every hour,
Most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son.
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