Encountering JesusSample

DISCOVER

Numbers 21:4-9 takes us back to an ancient story of the Israelites in the wilderness, serving as a striking illustration of the need to “look up.” The Israelites, mired in their disobedience and suffering from venomous snake bites, had no remedy within their reach.Their only hope remained in obeying God’s command to look up to a bronze serpent raised on a pole.

LEARN

Just as Nicodemus in John 3 could not rely on his character alone for salvation, the Israelites couldn’t rely on their own efforts or resources to heal their affliction.In both stories, the act of looking up is a powerful symbol of repentance, surrender, humility, and obedience. The parallel between these two passages is clear: our own efforts, no matter how well-intentioned or upright our character maybe, cannot save us from the venom of sin that courses through our veins.

APPLY

In both cases, God provided away of salvation that required an acknowledgment of our need and an act of faith. Just as the Israelites needed to look up to the bronze serpent to experience physical healing, we need to look up to Jesus, lifted high on the cross, to receive spiritual healing and eternal life. In the same way that the Israelites’ obedience led to their physical restoration, our faith in Christ and our surrender to His redemptive work led to our spiritual renewal. Today, may we remember to “look up” not in self-reliance, but in humble submission, acknowledging our need for the Savior, and embracing the gift of salvation extended to us through the finished work of Jesus Christ.