LOOK AND LIVE by Ray Prinzing
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15)
Israel was murmuring and complaining again during their wilderness journey, and God sent fiery serpents among the people, correctional chastening. Then Moses was instructed to make a serpent of brass and put it on a pole, and whomever a serpent bit, when he looked at the brazen serpent, he lived. So also Christ was lifted up on a pole (cross), and now whosoever looks to Him, believes in Him, shall live.
Jesus foretold in the latter days, “men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth”, (Luke 21:26). This looking at the negative conditions is devastating. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold,” (Matt. 24:12). To see natural conditions – wars and rumors of wars, famines earthquakes floods, fires, is hard enough to cope with, but when combined with the abounding of iniquity the view is enough to cause ‘heart failure’.
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER VIEW, and Jude writes, verse 21, of “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life”. And Jesus instructed that “when these things begin to come to pass, then LOOK UP, AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS; FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH”, (Luke 21:31).
One can see all the evil abounding and become despondent and afraid, or they can look “unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith”, and LIVE. Paul joyously proclaimed, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound”, (Rom. 5:20). Therefore, we look for new manifestations of His grace to super-abound and counter-balance all negative expressions. Looking for His mercy, looking for His grace, looking for the redemption drawing nigh.
What seest thou? I hear the answer, which He gives to me,
I see in Christ a full salvation, perfect victory!