“Look and live!”

During their forty year sojourn in the desert, the nation Israel had several confrontations with God. There were various forms of discipline for this, none more memorable than this story in Numbers 21:

“From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.’ Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.”

Harsh, deadly punishment, any would agree, which might make us think the next time we accuse God of misdeeds! But there is more to the story. . .

“And the people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.”

So along with the punishment comes a means of grace, a way of life for a verdict of death. But I’ve wondered often about how some may have responded to this strange solution. Someone who had been bitten might say that he was unworthy to look and live. Another might have said “That will never work,” and still another, “It should be enough that the serpent is on the pole. Why must I actually see it?” But when a remedy is so readily available, and free, who would have answered in such a way?

Ironically, many answer exactly in those ways when confronted with the simple, effective remedy of the gospel for lost sinners: believe and be saved. It seems that everything within us wants a cure that we craft for ourselves or have a part in. How could such a simple, free solution to our sin truly be effective? And why would God work in such a way that merely to believe God’s word about the work of His Son is the passage to eternal life?

But Jesus Himself reminded an enquiring Pharisee that neither pedigree nor attainments would gain him entrance to God’s Kingdom. He must be “born again.” Then,

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:14-17, ESV)

Are you despairing, wondering if there is any hope of forgiveness and pardon in God? Jesus, on the cross, paid the price so you may be saved. Look! And live!

Yes, it is that simple. Don’t let pride keep you from the Savior.

“Father, we thank you for making the way of salvation such that it is accessible to all but the proud. We glorify your grace through your Son, our Savior! Amen.”


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