Look and Live - the Israelites’ dreaded condition — deadly snakebites — was only physical. When Jesus was lifted on the cross, He brought salvation that touched people physically and spiritually. Each Israelite was required to look for himself on the bronze serpent in order to recover. Likewise, each person must look to Jesus in faith in order to be saved. Salvation isn’t available by following or imitating someone else. Each of us must exercise his or her own faith in Christ to receive eternal life. There were no exceptions when Moses lifted up the bronze snake; every person who looked was saved from the result of the snakebite. In the same way, every person who accepts the work of Jesus on the cross and calls out to Him in faith receives eternal life.

Read Numbers 21:1 through 22:41; Mark 4:1–25

"Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed" - (Numbers 21:9).

In His late-night “interview” with Nicodemus in John 3, Jesus compared His coming crucifixion to Moses’ raising of the bronze snake in the wilderness (see John 3:1–14). 

But how do these two incidents compare?

First, the Israelites’ dreaded condition — deadly snakebites — was only physical. 

When Jesus was lifted on the cross, He brought salvation that touched people physically and spiritually.

Second, each Israelite was required to look for himself on the bronze serpent in order to recover. 

Likewise, each person must look to Jesus in faith in order to be saved. 

Salvation isn’t available by following or imitating someone else. 

Each of us must exercise his or her own faith in Christ to receive eternal life.

Third, there were no exceptions when Moses lifted up the bronze snake; every person who looked was saved from the result of the snakebite. 

In the same way, every person who accepts the work of Jesus on the cross and calls out to Him in faith receives eternal life.

Thought for Today: 

Are you looking to Christ for your salvation, and helping others find Him as well?

Quicklook: Numbers 21:4–9

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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