Missions
Christ Jesus – The Righteous & Healing ‘Snake’ of Our Day
By Joseph Jerry Umaru ( [email protected] )
[email protected]
www.myspace.com/Joseph2Nations
May, 2008.
***Permission and encouragement to reproduce and re-transmit this article is hereby granted, but only in its entirety, including author’s name and contact details at the end of the article, and without any alterations.
Speaking in John 3:14-15 our Lord Jesus Christ prophetically declared:
“Just as Moses lifted up the SNAKE (serpent) in the desert, so the Son of Man MUST BE LIFTED UP: that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”
(John 3:14-15 NIV/KJV).
I was made to understand that a number of Bible commentators are of the opinion that the imagery Christ uses here appears to be strange and inappropriate: ‘Just as Moses lifted up the snake…so the Son of Man must be lifted up…’ (Verse 14).
**Selwyn Hughes, a noted Bible teacher and author, writing in the April 2007 issue of his daily devotional ‘Every Day with Jesus’ has this to say concerning this subject matter under discourse: “How can a snake be an apt symbol for the Lord Jesus Christ? Had the bronze image lifted up by Moses in the wilderness been cast in the form of a lamb (see Numbers 21:4-9) then we could have seen the beauty and appropriateness of the symbolism. But a snake? We should remember however that it was Christ Himself who used this analogy and that He was perfect in all His ways.”
Writing further, Bro. Selwyn Hughes adds: “The serpent can be a type of sin and so in becoming sin, Christ had to take upon Himself the form of that cursed and crawling reptile…in order to redeem us from sin it was necessary for Jesus to become sin.”
I agree with Bro. Selwyn’s assertion wholeheartedly. In fact, 2Corinthians 5:21 puts this truth into proper focus: “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
I’m therefore of the opinion that; comparing Jesus Christ to a snake should not be an issue that should generate unnecessary theological, sensational and ‘analytical’ debate.
The Bronze snake of Moses was hanged on a pole (Numbers 21:8), Christ Jesus, the Righteous and Healing ‘Snake’ of God was nailed on a cross (See Luke 23:33 , Galatians 3:13 , Philippians 2:8).
As some Bible commentators will say: “The Old Testament is New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is Old Testament revealed”.
Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of ALL that the Old Testament prefigured. Indubitably, all!
Moses’ act in the wilderness (the lifting up of the Bronze snake) was a shadow of real thing that was to come; the reality however, is found in Christ.
The REAL and final fulfillment of that act of Moses in the wilderness was revealed and put into effect by Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross (a type of pole) and His subsequent resurrection and glorious triumph over the forces of the Evil serpent (the devil).
“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross [the ‘pole’].”
(Colossians 2:15 NIV)
No doubt; “The Old Testament is New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is Old Testament revealed!!!”
When Moses lifted up the Bronze snake in the wilderness, all those who had been ‘bruised’ by the wicked deadly serpent and were able to look at the lifted ‘righteous’ snake of Moses were instantly healed and delivered! (See Numbers 21:9).
We have gone past the era of Moses – the old order. We are now in the dispensation of a NEW and Better Covenant – The New Testament era!
Christ Jesus is thus the healing ‘Snake’ of this dispensation. But His glory, power and efficacy far outweigh that of the Mosaic dispensation. The Messianic dispensation has ‘swallowed up’ the Mosaic order.
Therefore, all who have been/are being oppressed, bruised, battered, ‘depressed’, sickened and ‘diseased’ by the god of this world (Satan, the evil serpent) who will have the faith and the courage to look upon Jesus – The Righteous ‘Snake’ of God (not of Moses) will be healed and delivered as they behold Christ – The Anointed One and His Anointing.
Just as did the people in Moses’ days, let’s all continue to behold this gracious Righteous Snake of God, and the more we behold Him, the more we will become like Him – instruments of liberation, healing, deliverance and restoration.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV)
As we behold and call upon Jesus – The Righteous and Healing ‘Snake’ of our day, we will not only be saved and delivered, but we will also become instruments of deliverance!
Let’s continue to behold this Righteous ‘Snake’ of God, and let’s also encourage the world to do the same, so it (the world) can be delivered from all oppressions of the evil serpent (the devil).
If the ‘Old Covenant Snake’ of Moses could so deliver men of that generation, how much more will the New and Better Covenant ‘Snake’ of God – Jesus , the Living Christ – deliver men of this age!
The ministry Jesus received is of a higher order --- by far, more than that of Moses!
Hebrews 8:6 (NIV) reads: “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.”
The Holy Spirit sums up this truth in 2Corinthians 3:7-12 thus:
“Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.”
(2 Corinthians 3:7-12 NIV)
And then Hebrews 3:3 (NIV) says: “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.” Amen, Hallelujah!!
But, I want to at this point ask a question: How can a bruised, battered, hurting and oppressed world under siege from the forces of hell call upon and behold Whom they have not seen or heard of?
It is therefore our sacred responsibility as Believers to lift Jesus high (as Moses lifted the Bronze snake high in the wilderness). We can do that (lifting Christ high) by living Jesus’ life and proclaiming His liberating Gospel to the nations through aggressive evangelism and frontal world-wide mission outreach.
As it is written:
How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!" (Romans 10:14-15 NIV)
Let’s arise and lift Jesus high across the nations so that men will be drawn into the Kingdom of our God. Jesus Christ Himself declared: “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself" (John 12:32 ).
It’s not our duty to ‘draw’ men to Christ (so to say), Jesus has promised to do that Himself. Our responsibility is to lift Jesus high among the nations – proclaiming His liberating Gospel. As we do that, Christ will draw all men unto Himself. When we do our part (lift Him high), He will do His part (draw men unto Himself). When we do the possible (lift Him up), He will do the impossible (the drawing of men unto Himself).
Let’s begin to plunder hell in order to populate the Kingdom of our God, and God willing, the Church our day will do just that!
We have been given the mandate…we have been given the power of attorney:
“Go ye into the world and lift Jesus – The Righteous and Healing ‘Snake’ of God – high before all men, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… Lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20 Paraphrased).
If you are reading this piece, that means the Lord wants me to encourage you this day to contribute your quota to His Kingdom advancement: Don’t be left behind, fulfill your own part in lifting Jesus – The Righteous and Healing ‘Snake’ of God – high across the nations. If you can’t go in person, your money and resources can go…
There is a hurting, lonely, oppressed and dying world out there that needs to hear the Gospel and have a feel of God’s agape love.
We got to change the world for Jesus – reaching out with Christ-like compassion and Spirit-led action to touch the lives of the lost and the needy…
Satan knows he doesn’t have many years left and he is rapidly moving to perpetrate as much destruction as possible. We must arise and out-match him ‘Zeal for zeal’, ‘Missions for missions’, ‘Evangelism for evangelism’ and ‘Fire for fire’.
We got keep ‘attacking’ and possessing the territories of the ultimate Enemy (the devil) and advancing the cause of Christ – witnessing for Jesus and winning the nations to Him.
Praise God, the Bible says; “we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37 ).
We must strive to establish the Kingdom of our God in the collapsing and shallow kingdoms of men. Surely, the wisdom of this age has come to naught…
We need to go out there and set the captives free by the liberating power of the Gospel. We got to reach out to the embers of a dying and confused world and give it life and direction through the Spirit.
We are the custodians of the Word of God, and the WORD of God is the life and light of men… (Read John 1:4 and 1Corinthians 4:1-2)
The time has come that the life and light that is in the Word be ‘distributed’ to the nations. If this life is not ‘distributed’ unto men, they will by no means come out of darkness and be delivered– and that’s why we need to aggressively evangelize the nations.
Be a part of your Church’s evangelism and mission outreach programs —be actively involved.
If you can’t go in person, you can sow financial and material seeds into your Church’s mission fund. And if your Church does not have one (Missions/Evangelism Program/Fund), then, pray to God to reveal to you/lead you to a GENUINE minister/ministry you can partner with in taking the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world. Be a part of God’s end-time move!
As Dr. David Jeremiah of San Diego, California once observed: “Jesus cares so much about the salvation of lost souls and the spiritual growth of Believers that He has asked us not to just sit back and enjoy our own relationship with the Lord but, out of love and compassion for others, to take our spiritual knowledge and the gift of eternal life to a world in need”.
A wise man once said; “If your salvation is worth having, then it is worth sharing”.
“Go Ye Into The World And Preach The Gospel” is the divine command, and it’s everybody’s job, and NOT just a handful of preachers. Join the saints in moving God’s Kingdom forward…
Let’s continue to ‘march’ to the camp of the Enemy to hoist the flag of the Kingdom of our God…“from victory unto victory, His Army shall He lead, till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed” – The ferocious roars of the devil notwithstanding!
Believe it or not, the devil is alarmed and angry as a wounded lion would. But the game is up for him – time is fast closing in on that wily monster of a prince!
The Kingdom of Heaven is on the march in a way that has never been seen before. Demons are being cast out, souls are being saved en masse, lives are being transformed, and in the kingdom of Satan , a beachhead is being established that will continue to be enlarged until one day nothing of that dark, evil and oppressive kingdom will be left!
Let’s Keep On The Firing Lines… Be a Part of The Move!
Let’s put in the sickle cos’ the end-time harvest is ripe! It’s harvest time…Let’s rise up to the challenge…
May the liberating truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ continue to transcend the laws and limitations of men to reach humanity across the nations in Jesus’ Name. AMEN!
†Shalom!
**Selwyn Hughes quoted with the permission of CWR, London , UK .
_____Joseph Jerry Umaru
Emails: [email protected], [email protected]
Phone: (+234)-8036-814-178 and (+234)-8052-917-334
Webpage: www.MySpace.com/Joseph2Nations
For More of My Articles& Writings Visit:
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