The bronze serpent of Numbers 21, The rod of Asclepius (the Greek god of healing), and the symbol of the American Medical Affiliation all have two things in frequent - a snake entwined pole and healing. I typically marvel how biblical imagery or themes surfaces in non-biblical settings. In keeping with the Historical Greeks, the snake was a picture of healing because it shed its pores and skin and rejuvenated itself. To anyone who's familiar with the Bible, mention the phrases "serpent" or "snake" and the temptation and fall of Adam and Eve in the Backyard of Evil comes to thoughts. We tend to think of dying!


The story of the bronze serpent in Numbers 21 combined with what Christ mentioned about that incident while speaking to Nicodemus in John 3 shows us the true means of healing. It is through the death of dying within the death of Christ as He hung upon the cross. To gaze upon the crucified Christ and in faith actually perceive what occurred on that day, is ready to deliver us from demise to new life.


In our studying immediately present in Numbers 21, we find the youngsters of Israel are complaining once again. They have been bored with the manna, so in judgment God despatched poisonous serpents amongst them. Individuals had been dying, when a bronze snake on a pole was lifted up of their midst. If one bitten by the deadly snakes regarded upon the uplifted bronze serpent they wouldn't die. As a substitute, they would be healed and reside.


Jesus pointed again to this passage in Numbers while talking to 1 who was nicely versed on the Outdated Testomony Scriptures. He used the incident to level to the centrality of the loss of life that He was to die upon the cross to His mission in coming into the world.


14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so should the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Sixteen For God so liked the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shouldn't perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world by him is perhaps saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed within the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:14-16, KJV)


Buddy, read this passage again carefully, fascinated with what is written. It contains the properly-identified Bible verse John three:Sixteen. Because the bronze serpent was supplied by God, so Christ’s demise upon the cross was provided by God to take away the penalty of demise from Hell-sure sinners and supply life, eternal life in heaven to forgiven sinners, who by faith seemed to Christ as their Savior. Yes, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so should the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him mustn't perish, but have eternal life.


I like how Charles Spurgeon got here to know Christ as his Savior. It is all about trying upon Christ! He went to a small Methodist chapel in London. The preacher announced his textual content.


The textual content was - LOOK Up to ME, AND BE YE SAVED, All the ENDS OF THE EARTH.

The preacher started thus: "My expensive mates, this can be a very simple text indeed. It says, ‘Look.’ Now lookin’ don’t take a deal of pain. It ain’t liftin’ your foot or your finger; it's simply, ‘Look.’ Effectively, a man needn’t go to varsity to learn to look. You could also be the most important fool, and but you can look. A man needen’t be worth a thousand year to have the ability to look. Anyone can look; even a baby can look. But then the text says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Ay!" Stated he, in broad Essex, "many on ye are lookin’ to yourselves, however it’s no use lookin’ there. You’ll never find any consolation in yourselves. Some look to God the Father. No, look to Him by-and-by. Jesus Christ says, ‘Look onto Me.’ Some on ye say, ‘We should watch for the Spirit’s workin’. You haven't any enterprise with that simply now. Look to Christ. The text says, Look onto Me.’"


Then the great man followed up his textual content in this manner: "Look unto Me; I am sweatin’ nice drops of blood. Look unto Me: I am hangin’ on the cross. Look unto Me; I'm useless and buried. Look unto Me; I rise once more. Look unto Me; I ascend to heaven. Look unto Me; I'm sittin’ on the Father’s right hand. O poor sinner, look unto Me! look unto Me!


When he had gone to about that size, and managed to spin out ten minutes or so, he was at the top of this tether. Then he looked at me below the gallery, and i daresay, with so few current, he knew me to be a stranger. Simply fixing his eyes on me, as if he knew all my coronary heart, he stated, "Young man, you look very miserable." Nicely, I did, but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made from the pulpit on my private look earlier than. However, it was a good blow, struck proper house. He continued, "and you always might be miserable - miserable in life, and miserable in loss of life - when you don’t obey my textual content; however in case you obey now, this moment, you can be saved." Then lifting up his fingers, he shouted, as solely a Primitive Methodist may do, "Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You've gotten nothin’ to do but to look and stay." I saw without delay the way in which of salvation. I do know not what else he said - I did not take a lot discover of it - I used to be so possessed with that one thought. Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the folks only regarded and had been healed, so it was with me. I had been ready to do fifty issues, however once i heard that phrase, "Look!" What a charming world it seemed to me! Oh! I looked until I could almost have seemed my eyes away. There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the son; I could’ve risen that instant and sung with probably the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the easy faith which seems to be alone to him.


Taken from C. H. Spurgeon Autobiography Quantity 1: The Early Years 1834 by means of 1859, printed by The Banner of Truth Trust.


Want I say extra? Reader, should you do not know Christ raise your eyes off this publish and in your heart look to Christ. He will save you in case you come to Him in religion.