Tag: regeneration

Numbers 21: 4-9
John 3: 1-21

When I went to America for a trip I notice lot of similar things but also things which were different. When driving, there are big billboards on the sides of the roads. Usually these are of two types – either advertisements for injury lawyers or ones with verses of the Bible. Often the verse is John 3:16, a glorious verse and probably the most well-known verse in the Bible. I’m not going to focus on this verse, instead I am going to focus on the truth of verse 14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” John 3:14.

The teaching that Jesus gives refers back to the Old Testament story (Numbers 21:4-9), back to the people of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness after God delivered them out of slavery in Egypt. The Lord was guiding His people through the wilderness, but they sinned. They grumbled and grew impatient. It gets to the point where we have a drastic response from the Lord – death and judgement. He has promised He will deliver them, so why this judgement?

We see the severity of the people’s sin; they reject Moses and his leadership and they reject God and His leadership. The people’s complaints weren’t justified. Yes, the people were having trying times, but their complaints were unjustified. They were dissatisfied with God’s provision and with God’s promises.

As the snakes came into the camp and death came in, the Lord was bringing His justice into the situation, as they rebelled against perfect judgement. This happened so they might seek repentance and mercy. God told Moses He was slow to anger and that’s what we see in this passage, ^“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.” (Numbers 21:7). The people see they have sinned and asked for the snakes to be taken away.

What happens next is interesting. God tells Moses what He is going to do. He doesn’t take away the snakes. What He does instead is even better than that. Sometimes, we make plans but they don’t go as expected, but they turn out even better. There is a lesson here for us, for what we pray. Often our prayers aren’t answered directly or how we’d like, but He works all things for the good for those who are called according to his purpose. We need hearts of faith when things are difficult.

It would have been easy for the Israelites to think that God had abandoned them, as the snakes stayed. The Lord leaves the snakes for a while but makes a way for those who have sinned to simply look and be saved. Moses, following God’s instructions, makes a bronze snake.

In John’s gospel, we see Jesus takes this story as he has a conversation with Nicodemus as He explains that someone needs to be born again to see what He’s done. Jesus says to Nicodemus they people need to be born again from above. Jesus begins to show Nicodemus that every person in this world is dead to sin (Ephesians 2). They need to have spiritual eyes to see and hearts to believe, to be regenerated. To see and believe what? To see what Jesus has done and what He has promised.

Seeing and believing are two things which are integral to these passages. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so Jesus must be lifted up. Centuries later, King Hezekiah had to destroy this snake as people were worshipping it. Those who did not look clearly had not recognised their sin. Where are we? Have we come to the point where we say we have sinned? There is hope, there are promises: forgiveness and eternal life can be found in Him, “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 3:16). We come to Him in faith, turning from our sins and looking to Jesus.

The application. Regeneration is essential. We should see repentance in our life. Repentance is a turning away from sin and turning towards Jesus. There should be grieving over sin which leads to turning to Jesus.

   “Turn to me and be saved,
    all the ends of the earth!
    For I am God, and there is no other.”
         Isaiah 45:22

Faith is believing in Jesus, who He is and what he has done and continues to do. It is a resting in and receiving of Jesus and all that he promises. We believe in Him, rest in Him and He brings forgiveness. How can Jesus bring us forgiveness and eternal life? God brings judgement on people with snakes. It is a picture of the Fall (Genesis 3). It is connected to Satan. The serpents come into the camp. Many were struck were stuck by them and died, until the people repented. Death was then defeated for a time. Jesus says this is a picture, a sign of the truth He brings in His life, death and resurrection. On the cross Jesus removed the power of sin, Satan and death for all who believe in Him.

We might wonder why God told Moses to make a snake and lift it up. Why not a Lamb or other animal? It is because that is what it takes to break the curse. The curse has to be entered into to be broken. Jesus submitted Himself to death. He took the curse of sin and death upon Himself. He became sin and death for us so that we might live, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— ¹⁴ so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14).

^“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ cross is at the centre of all things. It is life-giving.

Jesus uses the language ‘lifted up’ in this passage, yet He is talking about His harrowing death. Why is it glorious? As He died in twisted agony, He achieved eternal life for all who believe. Eternal life is knowing Jesus, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). We see God and His glory in Jesus, even on the cross. As we look to Him, there we see life. The cross reveals His glory because it highlights His holiness and justice. It highlights His love and mercy.

Remember what Jesus did on the cross. He became a curse for us, He offered Himself for us. Remember what He gave. Himself. Not just then but for all life. We can enjoy the sweetness of a relationship with Him. That’s the gospel.