LOOK & LIVE

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. Numbers 21:8-9

The Israelites were discouraged and complaining on the journey to the Promised Land. They were in sin and had broken a covenant with God, who had been so faithful to take care of them. So fiery serpents were let loose in the camp and the people were being bitten.

Moses prayed and God told him to put a brass serpent on a pole and whoever looked at that serpent would live! God offered them a life for a look!

I find this event in scripture fascinating and it amazes me how many have never read about it before.

When Moses held that serpent on a pole up, he was showing a picture of Jesus, who would eventually hang on the cross as the Atonement for all of mankind.

So when the Israelites looked ahead to what Jesus would do they were forgiven and healed. Jesus already purchased forgiveness and healing for us so we can behold Jesus and live! (John 3:14-15)

It’s important to notice that just because the bronze serpent was placed on the pole didn’t mean the people would automatically be healed. They had to look at it to live.

Numbers 21:8, Amplified version says, “If you want to live, you’ll have to attentively, expectantly and with a steady and absorbing gaze look to the answer.”

To paraphrase, I believe God was telling them that you can’t look at the serpents and the pole at the same time. You will have to chose which one you will gaze on; the problem or the answer.

Healing was there for the taking, all they had to do was gaze at the serpent on the pole.

The message is the same for us today as we attentively, expectantly fix our eyes on Jesus who “took our infirmities and bore our sickness.” (Matt. 8:17.)

Today, the natural medical field uses this picture of the serpent on a pole as their symbol of healing.

Declaration to Life: When symptoms of pain and sickness attack my body, I choose to look at what Jesus did for me and live! He always causes me to triumph when I look to Him!