Bitten

Numbers 21:4-9

They travelled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 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.

John3:14-15

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.”

Each and everyone of us has been bitten by the venomous snake of sin and its deadly poison runs through our spiritual veins and will lead to our eventual death if no reparation is made.

Romans 6:13

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The only cure is to look to the cross of Jesus, as Jesus Himself explained to Nicodemus, just before the most famous gospel verse 16 in John chapter 3.

Can it be that a simple look to the cross of Jesus is that transformative?

Billions of believers can testify to that wonderfully radical cure!

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

I remember, as a 6 year old child, looking to Jesus dying on the cross and realising a massive change of heart. I knew I needed forgiveness and forgiven I was, as I gave my heart to Him.

Of course, there is much work to be done by the Holy Spirit as we travel on with the Lord, but it all starts with that simple look to the cross.

"At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away" says the old hymn.

Let's give thanks afresh for that simple look at our Saviour's cross this morning. May our gaze be ever on that precious cure for our soul.

As another old hymn says:

"I've a message from the Lord, hallelujah, it is only that you look and live".….