January 15, 2024 Daily Dose of Discernment

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15)

Jesus likened His crucifixion to the lifting up of the bronze serpent in the wilderness. In that story, the people complained against God and Moses and yearned for their old life of slavery in Egypt instead of being thankful for their deliverance and the promise of a new life of prosperity and freedom in a land of their own. Consequently, they were bitten by poisonous snakes. To keep them from dying they needed to be cured, not just forgiven of their offense. So God made a provision to save them. Our sin is more than just a legal problem; it's a health problem. We need a physician to heal us, not just a lawyer to exonerate us. Just like the Israelites looked to the serpent for healing, let us look to Jesus for our salvation.