Salvation and Redemption - Rodney Hebert
The Antidote for Sin: Looking to Jesus
In our journey through life, we often encounter obstacles that can lead us astray. Just as the Israelites faced challenges in the wilderness, we too face trials that test our faith and resolve. But there's a powerful lesson we can learn from an unlikely source - a bronze serpent on a pole.
The story, found in Numbers 21:4-9, tells of a time when the Israelites became impatient and spoke against God and Moses. As a consequence, God sent fiery serpents among them, and many died from their venomous bites. In their desperation, the people confessed their sin and begged Moses to intercede on their behalf.
God's response was both unexpected and profound. He instructed Moses to craft a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten could look upon this bronze serpent and live. It seems almost too simple, doesn't it? How could gazing at a metallic replica bring healing?
The key lies not in the object itself, but in the faith and obedience required to look upon it. God provided a way out, a means of salvation, but it required action on the part of the people. They had to choose to look up, to turn their eyes away from their suffering and toward the solution God provided.
This ancient story carries a powerful message for us today. We, too, have been bitten by a serpent - the serpent of sin. Its venom courses through our veins, threatening to separate us eternally from our Creator. But just as God provided a way out for the Israelites, He has provided an antidote for us.
Jesus himself drew this parallel in John 3:14-15, saying, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Jesus became our bronze serpent, lifted up on the cross, bearing the judgment for our sins.
The symbolism is striking. Bronze in the Bible often represents judgment, while the serpent typically symbolizes sin. The bronze serpent on the pole, therefore, can be seen as a representation of sin judged. When we look to Jesus on the cross, we see our sin condemned, judged, and defeated.
But why a serpent? Why use the very image of that which brought death to bring life? It's a powerful reminder that God often uses the unlikely, even the seemingly contradictory, to accomplish His purposes. A symbol of death becomes a symbol of life. The cross, an instrument of brutal execution, becomes the means of our salvation.
Just as the Israelites had to look to the bronze serpent to live, we must look to Jesus for our spiritual healing and eternal life. It's not enough to know about Him or to admire His teachings from afar. We must actively turn our gaze upon Him, trusting in His finished work on the cross.
This truth confronts us with a choice. We can try to deal with the venom of sin on our own, relying on our own strength and goodness. Or we can acknowledge our helplessness and look to the One who alone can save us. As Romans 5:8 reminds us, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
The antidote to sin is not found in our own efforts or religious observances. It's not about how often we attend church, how much we give, or what positions we hold. The only cure for the deadly poison of sin is the blood of Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in Him, confessing our sins and receiving His forgiveness, we are washed clean, made as white as snow.
But this antidote isn't just a one-time remedy. Even after we've accepted Christ, we still struggle with sin. We may not be controlled by it as we once were, but we face daily temptations and challenges. The good news is that God's forgiveness is ongoing. As 1 John 1:9 assures us, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Every time we stumble, every time we feel the bite of that old serpent, we can look again to Jesus. We can bring our failures, our weaknesses, our struggles to the foot of the cross and find forgiveness and strength. The antidote is always available, always effective.
This truth should fill us with both humility and hope. Humility, because we recognize our constant need for God's grace. Hope, because we know that no sin is too great, no failure too severe, for the cleansing power of Christ's blood.
As we navigate the challenges of life, let's keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. When we're tempted to grumble like the Israelites, let's remember God's faithfulness. When we feel the sting of sin, let's turn our gaze to the cross. And when we see others struggling with the venom of sin, let's point them to the ultimate Antidote.
The invitation is open to all. No matter how deeply the serpent of sin has bitten, no matter how far the venom has spread, there is hope. Jesus, lifted up on the cross, draws all people to Himself. Will you look to Him today?
In a world poisoned by sin, Jesus stands as our bronze serpent, our source of healing and life. He took upon Himself the judgment we deserved, becoming sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we find not only forgiveness for past sins but power for present living and hope for the future.
Let us, then, run with perseverance the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In Him, we find the ultimate antidote, the cure for what truly ails us. May we never cease to marvel at this incredible gift, and may we live each day in the light of His saving grace.
In our journey through life, we often encounter obstacles that can lead us astray. Just as the Israelites faced challenges in the wilderness, we too face trials that test our faith and resolve. But there's a powerful lesson we can learn from an unlikely source - a bronze serpent on a pole.
The story, found in Numbers 21:4-9, tells of a time when the Israelites became impatient and spoke against God and Moses. As a consequence, God sent fiery serpents among them, and many died from their venomous bites. In their desperation, the people confessed their sin and begged Moses to intercede on their behalf.
God's response was both unexpected and profound. He instructed Moses to craft a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten could look upon this bronze serpent and live. It seems almost too simple, doesn't it? How could gazing at a metallic replica bring healing?
The key lies not in the object itself, but in the faith and obedience required to look upon it. God provided a way out, a means of salvation, but it required action on the part of the people. They had to choose to look up, to turn their eyes away from their suffering and toward the solution God provided.
This ancient story carries a powerful message for us today. We, too, have been bitten by a serpent - the serpent of sin. Its venom courses through our veins, threatening to separate us eternally from our Creator. But just as God provided a way out for the Israelites, He has provided an antidote for us.
Jesus himself drew this parallel in John 3:14-15, saying, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Jesus became our bronze serpent, lifted up on the cross, bearing the judgment for our sins.
The symbolism is striking. Bronze in the Bible often represents judgment, while the serpent typically symbolizes sin. The bronze serpent on the pole, therefore, can be seen as a representation of sin judged. When we look to Jesus on the cross, we see our sin condemned, judged, and defeated.
But why a serpent? Why use the very image of that which brought death to bring life? It's a powerful reminder that God often uses the unlikely, even the seemingly contradictory, to accomplish His purposes. A symbol of death becomes a symbol of life. The cross, an instrument of brutal execution, becomes the means of our salvation.
Just as the Israelites had to look to the bronze serpent to live, we must look to Jesus for our spiritual healing and eternal life. It's not enough to know about Him or to admire His teachings from afar. We must actively turn our gaze upon Him, trusting in His finished work on the cross.
This truth confronts us with a choice. We can try to deal with the venom of sin on our own, relying on our own strength and goodness. Or we can acknowledge our helplessness and look to the One who alone can save us. As Romans 5:8 reminds us, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
The antidote to sin is not found in our own efforts or religious observances. It's not about how often we attend church, how much we give, or what positions we hold. The only cure for the deadly poison of sin is the blood of Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in Him, confessing our sins and receiving His forgiveness, we are washed clean, made as white as snow.
But this antidote isn't just a one-time remedy. Even after we've accepted Christ, we still struggle with sin. We may not be controlled by it as we once were, but we face daily temptations and challenges. The good news is that God's forgiveness is ongoing. As 1 John 1:9 assures us, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Every time we stumble, every time we feel the bite of that old serpent, we can look again to Jesus. We can bring our failures, our weaknesses, our struggles to the foot of the cross and find forgiveness and strength. The antidote is always available, always effective.
This truth should fill us with both humility and hope. Humility, because we recognize our constant need for God's grace. Hope, because we know that no sin is too great, no failure too severe, for the cleansing power of Christ's blood.
As we navigate the challenges of life, let's keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. When we're tempted to grumble like the Israelites, let's remember God's faithfulness. When we feel the sting of sin, let's turn our gaze to the cross. And when we see others struggling with the venom of sin, let's point them to the ultimate Antidote.
The invitation is open to all. No matter how deeply the serpent of sin has bitten, no matter how far the venom has spread, there is hope. Jesus, lifted up on the cross, draws all people to Himself. Will you look to Him today?
In a world poisoned by sin, Jesus stands as our bronze serpent, our source of healing and life. He took upon Himself the judgment we deserved, becoming sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we find not only forgiveness for past sins but power for present living and hope for the future.
Let us, then, run with perseverance the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In Him, we find the ultimate antidote, the cure for what truly ails us. May we never cease to marvel at this incredible gift, and may we live each day in the light of His saving grace.
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