Fiery Serpents: What about Yours?
© 2020 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:” (John 3:14)
You’re probably asking, “What’s this all about?” Scripture generally uses noble descriptions to picture Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners. It calls Him,
“… Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
He’s called: “Son of God,” “Son of Man,” “Lamb of God,” “the Lion”,” “the Word,” and “light.”
Why then, does God liken Jesus to a serpent in John 3:14? Serpents, in Scripture, usually denote evil!
This mention of “the serpent in the wilderness” refers to Numbers 21:4-9. The children of Israel had sinned by murmuring against God. God sent fiery serpents among them to illustrate the deadly nature of sin. These serpents, representing sin, bit the people. They died. Then God had Moses make a brazen image of a serpent and lift it up on a pole. When the people obeyed God by looking upon that serpent, they lived. That serpent represented the sins of the people being lifted up and punished on that pole. Later, when God the Father looked upon Christ, lifted up on the cross, He saw my sins heaped upon Him. He punished Christ in my place!
Several Scriptures bring this all together.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
When Jesus hung in agony on the cross, He was bearing my sins and the infinite punishment for them. Scripture records the following cry of my Lord.
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
Then He died. He was buried. After three days and three nights in the tomb, He rose, from the dead, victorious, as prophesied. He ascended to Heaven. He’s coming again!
Have you confessed and turned from your sins, trusting Jesus Christ as your sin bearer?
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