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John 3:1-15
Yesterday we talked about the thought that many people believe good people – whatever that is in their minds – go to heaven. But that’s not what Jesus said.
And we spoke a bit about Nicodemus and how I believe he indeed had some life changing moment with Jesus that night. But I want to stop and back up into that part of our Scripture today. Because Jesus talks to him about something that happened long before in the Old Testament, and maybe we are not all that familiar with it.
John 3:1-2; 10-15 (NIV) Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 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.”
Did you hear that part about just as Moses lifted up the snake so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life…? What is Jesus talking about? Well – I’m so glad you asked because this is an important part of the history of the Israelites from the book of Numbers chapter 21.
Moses has already lost his sister Miriam before all of this, and Aaron had now died. Moses is not mentioned in a few accounts and it seems as if this first generation of those delivered from Egypt are ending their time here on earth. The next generation is beginning to take over the nation and guess what – the people complain. They complain about not having bread or water, nor do they like the food that God is providing them. And that’s when God sends snakes, venomous snakes among the people. So they were faced with mortal death.
Numbers 21:7-9 (NIV) The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
I want us to think about this for a moment. God does not remove the snakes. The people repent, and turn back to God, so shouldn’t God remove the snakes? God instead provides a conditional cure. You know the human body can live through a lot of sickness and trauma. Here God says if they look at the bronze serpent, they will live. This gives us a picture; first – there are going to be more Israelites bitten after the corporate repentance. They won’t die – but it seems as if they will probably be sick and feel the bite from the snake, but there is relief from the mortality rate here.
You know, it’s interesting that in the same way God does not remove the problem of sin on earth after Jesus death and resurrection. But yet has provided a way to break the power of sin in the believer’s life. Which begs the question when the Israelites pray for the serpents to be removed, was that really what God wanted? Or would it have been better for them to pray that God would transform their hearts to line up with His.
In our day I wonder If we suffer through the various circumstances in this time because we are not praying for God to change our hearts. I know there are many who are praying for God to just put everything back the way that it was before. But could it be that churches and gatherings have become idols in our hearts?
Here’s why I ask; centuries later the king, Hezekiah, demolishes the bronze snake because the people hold it up in worship. It becomes not an icon to remember what God did, but becomes an idol they worship.
Maybe today just like back then, we as Christians need to look to Christ as the One whom we worship no matter the format or circumstances. No matter the location or method, we need to worship Him in Spirit and truth. Maybe our prayer shouldn’t be respite from the pandemic, or political oppression, but rather a transformation and reformation of our hearts as we persevere in our faith looking to Jesus for our truth.