“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.” — John 3:14-15 (NIV)
Reflection:
At first glance, it seems shocking. How could Jesus—the sinless Son of God, the Lamb without blemish—compare Himself to a serpent?
In our minds, the serpent is the villain. It was the serpent in Eden who brought deception, sin, and death into the world. The serpent is a symbol of the curse, the tempter, the enemy. So why would Jesus use such a disturbing image for Himself?
To understand, we must travel back to the wilderness.
The Israelites had sinned against God, complaining bitterly. As judgment, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people. The snakes bit them, and many died. In their desperation, the people cried out for mercy. God instructed Moses to do something bizarre: Make a bronze serpent, put it on a pole, and lift it up. Anyone who had been bitten could look at that bronze serpent and live.
Notice the paradox: The cure looked like the curse.
The thing that killed them (a serpent) became the very instrument of their healing when lifted up on a pole.
Now listen to Jesus. He says that just as that serpent was lifted up, He must be lifted up on the cross. On Calvary, Jesus “became sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He took on the full venom of the curse. He who knew no sin became the very thing that destroys us—sin itself—so that when you look at Him hanging there, you might live.
- The serpent on the pole had no venom. It looked like a serpent but carried no poison. Jesus looked like a sinner on that cross (mocked, condemned, stripped), but He had no sin of His own.
- The serpent was lifted up so all could see. The cross was raised high on a hill. No matter how far away you were, if you looked, you lived.
- The serpent offered physical healing. Jesus offers eternal healing for your soul.
Do you feel bitten today? Bitten by guilt? By shame? By addiction? By the sting of death? There is only one cure. Don’t look at your wounds. Don’t try to suck the venom out yourself. Look at the lifted One.
It seems strange to the world. A crucified Savior? A serpent of bronze? A King who dies? But that strange grace is the only medicine for a dying world.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I admit that this sounds upside-down to my human mind. But I thank You that You became the curse for me. You took the serpent’s sting so that I could have eternal life. Forgive me for trying to heal myself. I lift my eyes to the cross. I look at You. And by looking, I live. Amen.
