You all know the text, But I don't want to focus on that particular text. lets look just before it. John 3:16 has a sister text that is in many ways saying the same thing in a different way.
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
In order to understand the power of the Cross when Jesus was lifted up for us, lets go look at the serpent in the wilderness.
Num 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
Num 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Num 21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Num 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
Num 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Num 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
So the people were grumbling against God and Moses again. you would think they would have learned by now. but God sends serpents among them which bit them and poison them so that they begin to die.
what does a serpent represent?
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,...
Serpent represents Satan/sin. so sin came into the camp and began to kill them.
They then do what?
They confessed their sin to God. So God tells Moses to make a serpent and put it on a pole and anyone who looks on it will be saved.
So they had to have faith, If they had faith then action followed, eg. they looked and the bible tells us that those who looked lived.
There is the Gospel, believe look and be saved.
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Just like that serpent on the pole, Jesus became sin for us and died on the cross. friends look and be saved.
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
In order to understand the power of the Cross when Jesus was lifted up for us, lets go look at the serpent in the wilderness.
Num 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
Num 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Num 21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Num 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
Num 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Num 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
So the people were grumbling against God and Moses again. you would think they would have learned by now. but God sends serpents among them which bit them and poison them so that they begin to die.
what does a serpent represent?
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,...
Serpent represents Satan/sin. so sin came into the camp and began to kill them.
They then do what?
They confessed their sin to God. So God tells Moses to make a serpent and put it on a pole and anyone who looks on it will be saved.
So they had to have faith, If they had faith then action followed, eg. they looked and the bible tells us that those who looked lived.
There is the Gospel, believe look and be saved.
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Just like that serpent on the pole, Jesus became sin for us and died on the cross. friends look and be saved.