presents
Pamphlet #7025 JHR
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
In John 3:14 Jesus said, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:"
What did Jesus mean by that?
He
just gave us a "Simple Salvation Message" which will be expressed in John
3:16. which is one famous verse.
We've
all heard it; even see it on banners at football games.
John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Jesus gives us an example, a type set forth, He draws the analogy to the serpent in the wilderness.
We need to go back to Numbers and read the whole account of what happened in the wilderness. (We are expected by our Lord to know these scriptures.) The Children of Israel were murmuring and complaining and speaking against God, Who had provided for their safety and nourishment with numerous miracles in the wilderness.
So much for the thought that seeing a miracle will give you the faith to keep you on track for the rest of your life. These folks saw multiple miracles!
So God sent a bunch of fiery serpents to the ungrateful Children of Israel to bite them! Ouch!
Assuming that you know a little bit about the Bible you should be able to draw the analogy to that old serpent, the devil, Satan. If you get bitten by him you will surely die!Numbers 21:6
And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
So here we see in the wilderness [the world], that unless something is done to "save" the people, they will surely die. And there's no doubt about it, they were dying!
The sinners make their plea for salvation from the fiery serpents. (Isn't it wonderful that today we have the Gospel Armor (Eph. 6) to protect us from the fiery darts of the serpent?)Numbers 21:7
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
[8]And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.And just how difficult do you suppose it is to accept that sacrifice and be "saved" from death and receive eternal life?
John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
What Jesus is telling us is ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOOK UP TO HIM ON THE CROSS TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE!
Let's continue in John now that we have filled in some of the details between John 3:14 and 3:15.
Seems simple enough, doesn't it?John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
And now for the most quoted verse in all the Bible which will explain WHY Jesus Christ became the sacrificial Lamb.
[16]For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Yes, He loves you and me and all His precious children and desires so much in His heart that they would all turn to Him and love Him. And He showed forth His love by allowing His only begotten Son to be placed on the cross [by guess who?... the serpent], and as it was in the wilderness, all we have to do is BELIEVE in HIM and receive ETERNAL life.
It doesn't get any better than that!
There is no greater love!
"But,
you must truly BELIEVE in HIM"
Better
read pamphlet #7022
is
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