2020 Daily Devotion - Day 69

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In Numbers 21, there is the story of how the children of Israel disobeyed God and were punished by snakes coming upon them and biting them. The people came to Moses and repented. And then, it says in Numbers 21:8-9: "And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.”

God provided a way of escape. God provided a plan of salvation. I believe one of the reasons God did something like this in this way was to prepare the people for the coming of a Savior. The sacrifice of a lamb on the altar for the sins of the people are another example. The sacrifice of a Lamb prepared them for Jesus, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. So many of these images were constantly placed in front of the people so they would perhaps have a conscious and sub-conscious awareness and understanding of what the Savior and Messiah would do. This image of a bronze serpent was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

John 3:14-15
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Throughout the ages, God has revealed Himself as this God who rescues and saves. This is who He is and always will be. When we keep our eyes on Him, just as they did in the days of Moses, we find life.

Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, You are the God who rescues. This is Your eternal nature. Give us peace in knowing that You are and will always be saving us and giving us life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, in Whose name we pray. Amen.

Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
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